In baseball, the utility man is the one who can do everything. He keeps four different gloves on hand in case he’s called on to play catcher, first base, the infield, or the outfield. I suppose he also does the team’s laundry between games of a doubleheader. I think of capers as my utility guys, capable of blending into many dishes from eggs to polenta. Capers, which are actually flower buds, are usually pickled. They may be tiny, but they pack a flavorful punch. Here, they’re blended with chopped olives and lemon zest to create a mouth-popping relish.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1/2 cup

　　1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, rinsed and chopped

　　2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and chopped

　　1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

　　

Step 1

Stir all of the ingredients together.

　　

Variation

Step 2

Goes with Baked Citrus Halibut with Tomato Sauce (page 123), My Family’s Favorite Chicken (page 111), Nana’s Egg Salad (page 114), Lemon Mustard Salmon Salad (page 109), and Creamy Polenta (page 134). This relish is also great on a variety of fish, chicken, pasta, and rice dishes, or use it as a sandwich spread or a topping for crostini.

　　

storage

Step 3

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days.

　　

nutrition information

Step 4

(per serving)

　　

Step 5

Calories: 20

　　

Step 6

Total Fat: 2g (0.3g saturated, 1.5g monounsaturated)

　　

Step 7

Carbohydrates: 1g

　　

Step 8

Protein: 0g

　　

Step 9

Fiber: 0g

　　

Step 10

Sodium: 110mg

　　Excerpted from The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, copyright 2017 by Rebecca Katz and Met Edelson. Published with permission by Ten Speed Press.