Crispy Fried Capers

I love fried capers. If we're being honest, I love them more than their un-fried brethren. Raw capers are pickled and tend to have a briny, overpowering flavor. A few too many in a pasta carbonara, and the subtler flavors of the dish are washed away in a sea of acid. 

As if by magic, just a few minutes in hot oil transforms these little guys into something special. Now the persistent vinegar flavor is calmed and contained by the crispy outer shell. Every bud packs a powerful explosion of salt and vinegar-y goodness, perfect for lightening creamy white wine-based dishes and seafood of all kinds. You can use them to brighten up the flavors in steak tartare, or throw 'em on top of a fresh salad. We've used them before, in our smoked salmon Mother's Day brunch. 

These are so easy to make, and their addition to any classic dish is not easily forgotten. One of the greatest lessons of my career thus far is that simplicity often goes farther than one might think. In the words of my mentors: "Don't overthink it, stupid."

So here it is, nice and simple. 

Crispy Fried Capers
When I use fried capers, I usually only use a few pinches, so for this recipe we are using an 1/8th cup. You can fry as many as you would like as long as they are broken up into small batches.

• 1/8 cup capers
• 1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil (enough to coat a small frying pan)

Dry your capers with a paper towel and set aside.

Heat oil on medium-high heat. I used a smaller frying pan to do this, but a deep fryer at 350º will also work.

Drop in capers - watch the splatter! Fry for 2-3 minutes until they have crisped up and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.


That's it! Easy right? On this particular day, I added my crispy fried capers to some seared cod sandwiches. A squeeze of lemon and we're good to go!