Olives and capers enrich Dominican dishes

• Thanks to their versatile sour-salty flavour, both have become the perfect companions for spaghetti, pasta, moro, locrio and the traditional salads of Dominican cooking.

Santo Domingo. – Cooking is enriched by the flavours of a wide variety of products. Two ingredients in particular make Dominican dishes more delicious: olives and capers.

These fruits of nature are very good for our health. For example, olives are rich in fibre, calcium, omega fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, minerals, and vitamins B and C. From this small, oval, edible fruit, which can be green, purple or black, comes the foundation of the Mediterranean diet: olive oil.

The caper, also native to Asia, comes from a shrub with thorny stems and heart-shaped leaves. Its fruit, the caper berry, is bright green, the size of a pea, and is used as a condiment.

Its flavour is slightly bitter and intense, and it differs from olives in its low fat content and because it is 85% water and carbohydrates.

Versatile seasoning

Today, olives and capers hold a privileged place in cooking worldwide. Thanks to their versatility, both are used to give sauces, and especially fish, that sour-salty touch. They also add aroma and colour.

“Dishes with olives and capers are usually prepared by home cooks, who include them at both lunch and dinner. Some people fry the capers and their liquid with the seasoning, and add the olives when the dish is almost ready”, says Elizabeth Robles, Marketing Manager at Casa Paco, whose product portfolio includes La Sevillana Olives, Capers and Alcaparrado.

She also said that a market study they carried out showed that some of the dishes Dominicans most often cook with olives and capers are spaghetti, moro, locrio, asopado, salads and pasta, as well as snacks such as the traditional platter of crackers with tuna and olives.

For each of these dishes, the preferred olives are those stuffed with red pepper, as they are the most versatile, as well as pitted and unpitted olives.

In the specific case of La Sevillana olives and capers, respondents agreed that they have less salt, better olive quality, flavour and texture, are affordably priced and are easy to find in shops.

“This innovative brand is preferred by chefs, home cooks, cooking enthusiasts and diners who like to share snacks with friends and family”, says Elizabeth Robles, adding that these products are created to season food and deliver a great experience in every dish.