PICKLED WILD CAPERS

This summer has been particularly devoted to foraging, fishing, and generally making the best of whatever mother nature had to offer us.

Imagine days filled with sun, sea, and a house perfumed with steaming pots of delicious food. In many ways quarantine set the mood for our summer. With plenty of time at home, cooking, experimenting (this summer was especially devoted to upgrading our sourdough bread), simply enjoying small things, and gratitude for the few visitors who crossed our path.

July and August flew by so quickly, but we managed to capture our favourite moments, to be savoured later on during the year, and shared with you all.

Now, where should I begin?

The answer is easy… with one of my most beloved and treasured summer rituals: caper picking! Tiny, green jewels, hidden under a bed of small round leaves, capers grow abundantly here on the island and they’re completely wild - fed only generous amounts of sun and salt. 

Capers are an absolute must here at Mèlisses. Versatile and delicious, there’s so much to do with them; from salads, to seafood dishes, and even cocktails.

In August we loved scouting the best caper plants, as we went for long walks by the beach. We carefully monitored them, making sure they reached the perfect size. When the time finally came, we hand picked the capers one by one (ideally the smaller the better, unless you decide to harvest the larger ones also - I love them! In Italy we call them “cucuncio” or caper berry - they’re a perfect aperitivo snack!).

The process is simple, yet incredibly satisfying. There’s really no need for a recipe, as the method is quite quick and intuitive. The way I like to prepare capers is simply to rinse them very well, and place them in a colander (stems on), layered with generous amounts of coarse salt. This is the best way to allow all the bitter water to come out.

I cover them with a plate and place them over a bowl in order to let the water drain, making sure the capers are not in contact with the liquid. After approximately two days, the capers should be rinsed very well and dried. I like to leave them out in the sun for a few hours. After all, if you think about it, sun and salt is their perfect diet!

The last part consists of storing them in a glass jar (at this point I separate small and big ones), and covering them with red wine vinegar.

Allow to sit in the vinegar for a few days, then rinse quickly under the water and incorporate them in your dishes.

Their taste will always transport me back to summer months in Andros; where the sky turns peach coloured at every sunset and the rocks sing echo to the wind.

Words by Allegra Pomilio

Photos by Fiona Franziska