CAPERS ARE COOK'S LITTLE BUD.

Byline: Nancy Byal Special to the Daily News

Pulling off the perfect food caper is easy, once you know how to serve the Mediterranean gems called capers. Believe it or not, when you eat capers, you're eating peppercorn-size flower buds that haven't yet bloomed. These buds grow on wild bushes in dry, rocky places.

Cooks along the Mediterranean love the tangy, piquant flavor of these buds in salads, sauces and main dishes. In this country, you can buy capers pickled and sold in jars, or salted and sold loose in bulk. Look for pickled capers (the most common form) in the condiment or gourmet section of your grocery store. You may also find capers labeled as mountain peppers.

Seasoning with capers

When you're first learning to use capers, try them in dishes that might normally contain olives, such as paella, some pasta dishes and salads. If using pickled capers, add the pickling liquid, too, unless your recipe says to drain the capers.

Sauces: For more intense flavor, crush the capers with the back of a spoon before adding them to sauces. Use capers to season hot gravies and meat sauces. Or, stir a teaspoonful of crushed or whole capers into cold dips, sauces or spreads. A tablespoon of crushed capers in a half-cup of sour cream makes a tasty dip for chilled, steamed artichokes.

Main dishes: Add a spoonful of whole or crushed capers to saucy meat and poultry dishes or tomato- or cream-sauced fish entrees. Season burgers when shaping. Liven up creamy pasta dishes, vegetable-topped pizzas and casseroles by adding capers as you would seasonings or toppings.

Salads: Add capers to salad dressings, toss with the greens or sprinkle atop the entire salad.

Garnish or condiment: Decorate appetizers and main dishes with these miniature buds. Or, use them in place of pickles or relish in recipes.