Delicious Tapenade
Instructions:
- This Mediterranean paste is probably as old as olive oil,
which makes it about as ancient as “cuisine.” It can be
used not only as a spread but also as a dip, and it’s terrific
stirred into Vinaigrette or Fast Tomato Sauce and used as a spread for meat, poultry, or fish
that you’re going to roast, grill, or broil.
- 1 pound good black olives, preferably oil cured, pitted
- 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed if salted, drained if brined
- 6 or 8 anchovies with some of their oil
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
- Combine the olives, capers, anchovies and their oil, and garlic in a food processor, along with a bit of the olive oil.
- Pulse the machine once or twice, then turn it on and add the remaining olive oil rather quickly; you don’t want this purée too uniform but rather rough, as it would be if you had the energy to use a mortar and pestle (which you can use if you prefer).
- Stir in the thyme if you’re using it, thin with more olive oil if necessary, garnish with parsley, and serve or refrigerate for up to at least a month.
- Green Olive Tapenade.
- A wedge or two of Preserved Lemon is a nice addition here too: Substitute green olives for black. Add 1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds or ground cumin, or to taste.
- Dried Tomato Tapenade.
- Replace half if not all of the olives with roughly chopped Oven-Dried Tomatoes or store-bought dried tomatoes. Add 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried