[Sca-cooks] Re: Capers

[Elaine Koogler]

Michael Gunter wrote:

>> Was it yummy? Did you think of poor, caperless 'Lainie as you ate?
>>
>> Poor ole 'Lainie
>> (Yes, I'm poking fun at you :-)
>
>
> It was decent.
>
> I heated olive oil in a deep pan. Then added sliced garlic and sweated
> that out a bit. Followed that with chopped crimini mushrooms. I added
> red pepper flakes and let that flavor cook in. I have a little package of
> "bake potato toppers" consisting of dried tomatoes, mushrooms, shallots
> etc...that I rehydrated and threw in. Then a package of tuna packed
> in water and the capers with a bit of the brine. I simmered that for
> about 10 minutes and tossed on some whole wheat spaghetti and about
> a quarter cup of the cooking liquid. Some salt and fresh ground pepper
> were added.
>
> It wasn't bad. When I make it again I'm going to change the dried 
> tomatoes
> for fresh and add lemon juice.
>
> Still, a very quick, easy and nice meal with a glass of white wine.
>
>
Poppa,
I just tried your caper recipe...with a few modifications of my own.  I 
didn't have fresh crimini 'shrooms, so I used dried porcini which I 
soaked for a while in warm water.   I also used onion as I didn't have 
shallots, and threw in a little yellow bell pepper.  When I added the 
red pepper flakes, I also threw in a little majoram. I added a little 
white wine and some of the mushroom water. and let it simmer for a bit. 
  I also used dried tomatoes which I rehydrated.  I cooked fusilli 
(whole wheat) to just this side of done,  drained it and added it to the 
tuna, etc. mixture.  I then covered it and let it sit for about 5 
minutes or so to allow the fusilli to finish cooking in the juices of 
the mixture.  Pretty good stuff!

Thanks for the idea!!!

Kiri