This caper berry potato salad calls for minimal ingredients and it comes together in just a few minutes of preparation. Boiled potatoes, pickled red onions, tangy caper berries, refreshing coriander and lime juice make a perfect gluten-free and vegan meal to enjoy in the warmer months of the year.
A potato salad is perfect for those fellows with little time. There’s not always 2 hours’ time for cooking every day. Therefore, we have amazing recipes, which can be prepared ahead and they last for days (if you don’t eat them first). Wink. In cases like that, this potato salad is your saver. I love salads!
And, for more “life-saving” recipes, you might check these: coleslaw salad, a filling crunchy apple carrot salad, a perfect summer rice salad or this quinoa avocado salad. They are all quick and easy to make. All of these recipes make a great side dish, too.
Caper berry
Why is this potato salad different? I am talking about capers or better said caper berries. In fact, you don’t see them very often in salads. Well, I am sure you all know capers. Right? Those small greenish tangy buds are one of the most popular ones.
However, just recently, I discovered there are other types of capers (Nonpareils-the small ones, Surfines, Capucines, Capotes, Fine, and Grusas) and their name is determined by when they are picked and consequently by the size. Wow, I had no idea. And that is not all.
Moreover, capers are unripened flower buds. Then, out of those appear lovely pink flowers and after that, a berry is developed. That’s another type of caper called caper berry.
A caper berry is picked with its stem and it has a size of a grape or an olive. In contrast to the capers, caper berries are filled with small seeds, that add a crunch when you bite them and they also add texture.
They can be eaten whole or sliced. Caper berries are a milder version of a caper. They are tangy, salty and briny and they tend to pair great with salads, pasta, fish, meat or pizza. If you look for an intense flavour, then these are the right choice. They bring a burst of flavour to your dishes.
A lovely diet-friendly potato salad. Instead of a classic mayonnaise, I opted for fresh lime juice and some olive oil from my parent’s garden. That gives a super fresh-tasting summer dish. Only simple but quality ingredients can make a difference in a simple dish.
Boiled potatoes
A quick tip, after cooking your potatoes, keep a couple of spoons of starchy water. Yes, it is just like pasta. That water packed with starch, will bring together the dressing ingredients amazingly. And since we are talking about pasta; in order to prevent the potatoes from falling apart in the salad, make sure you cook them “al dente”. Just until they are fork-tender.
I like to cook my potatoes whole. Sometimes I peel them, but most of the time, I keep the skin on. Especially by young potatoes, where the skin is still thin. But, it is up to you, how you cook them. Also, you can either cut the potatoes (slices, wedges, cubes) before or after cooking them.
Moreover, you can swap the classic potato with any potato, as long they retain their shape, sweet potato included. You don’t have any coriander at home? No problem. Take anything else; dill, parsley or chives. They all pair amazingly with potatoes.
Ingredients for a caper berry potato salad:
- 10-15 medium-sized potatoes
- 2 small or 1 large red onion (sliced into rings)
- 1-2 lime
- 1/1 a bunch of coriander (ca 40 g)(chopped)
- 20 caper berries
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
To begin, thoroughly wash the potatoes to remove all the dirt. Put the potatoes in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked. It all depends on the size. They should be fork-tender or, in other words, “al dente”.
In the meantime, peel and thinly slice the onions into rings. Place the rings into a bowl with a flat bottom, add the juice of one or two limes and season with salt. Toss and set aside.
Then, wash, drain and chop the coriander (leaves and stems). In a small bowl, prepare the capers: cut them in half, slice or chop them.
Once the potatoes are cooked, take some of the cooking water and put it aside. Then peel the potatoes (or keep the skin on) and cut them (wedges, cubes, slices). In a larger bowl, combine potatoes, capers, coriander, and pickled onions with lime marinade, a drizzle of olive oil and a couple of spoons of potato cooking water. Toss to combine.
Finally, arrange the caper berry potato salad onto plates and serve with a slice of homemade bread or focaccia.
Enjoy.
