Ingredients
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150 grams black olivesbest quality, pitted
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20 grams Garlic
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50 grams caperswashed and drained
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50 grams anchovy filletsdained, washed and dried
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10 grams Dijon Mustard
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100 millilitres virgin olive oilbest quality
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pepper from the mill
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sea salt flakesif needed
Directions
I like olives in any shape and variety. For me, Tapenade, is the best you can do with an olive. This Mediterranean sauce/dip gives you the full, earthy, rich and fruity taste of olives with the added capers, garlic and the anchovies, in a smooth spread. There are two main varieties of Tapenade.
One the basic spread as per the recipe below and the other with tuna and cognac added. Both varieties are very good but I feel that the recipe below without the tuna and the cognac is much more versatile, especially when the Tapenade is used as an accompaniment to fish or seafood. Please ensure that you use the best quality virgin olive oil and Kalamata olives for the Tapenade.
The better the quality of the olives and olive oil, the better taste of the final product. Tapenade can be done way ahead and kept well chilled in a refrigerator for up to a week.
- In a food processor chop the anchovy fillets, garlic, black olives and capers until to a pulp. Add the Dijon mustard and approx 2 soup spoons of the virgin olive oil to a fairly smooth paste.
- On very low speed, gradually add the remaining virgin olive oil slowly to a smooth homogeneous coarse puree.
- Season with pepper from the mill and sea salt if needed As an alternative, use a mortar and crush the ingredients to a pulp for a more “country style” coarse Tapenade.
