Fried Capers? Say what?

You read correctly, Fried Capers!

I share with you a dish I made for my birthday that was in June:  Smoked Salmon Tartines with Fried Capers.

I found this recipe in the June 2014 issue of Bon Appetit.

While making this tasty treat, I got to try my hand at a little pickling.  Let me tell you, I didn't realize I could pickle things at home.  If you haven't noticed, I'm a complete novice when it comes to cooking and all things culinary.  Could you call what I am doing culinary?  Let me know if you're out there reading my little blog.  Anybody?  Anybody?

Okay, back to the dish.

The ingredients are simple and you can vary them to your taste.  All you need are the following few ingredients: Bread (I recommend some freshly baked country-style bread), red onions for pickling, creme fraiche, capers, vegetable oil (I used olive oil), champagne vinegar, chives (I got some fresh chive blossoms at the Union Square farmer's market,) salt, ground pepper, and of course the hot-smoked salmon, flaked. 

Start by slicing your red onion very thinly and placing them in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of the Champagne vinegar.  Let that sit for about an hour to pickle.

While your onions are pickling, heat your oil in a pan.  Drain the water from the capers and pat them dry before frying them.  After they are dry, fry the capers until they are crisp and they open up.  Once they are open and crisp, drain the excess oil from them with a paper towel.

Slice your bread and toast it in the oven for a bit.  If you're near a grill, (I do not have that luxury since I live in a small Manhattan 1-bedroom apartment), you can coat the bread with a little olive oil and grill the slices.

Once your bread is crisp, like your capers, you can spread the toast with creme fraiche and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Place the flaked smoked salmon on top of the creme fraiche slices.  

Drain your red onions and place the pickled pieces to the tops of the toasts.  Layer on your fried capers,  chopped chives and complete it with a little bit of olive oil over the tops of each piece as a finishing touch.

And there you have it...a tasty dish.  

This was a hit at my birthday dinner.  I do have to admit, I found it odd that I had to do the cooking on my special day.  You ask, "Did you have to do the dishes?"  The answer is...

Yes.  I did those as well.  

Go figure.  Happy 32nd Birthday Jess!

Dishes and Bowls from West Elm.