Olive Tapenade

Top Tips

Start with olives you would eat on their own - tapenade cannot hide tired or dull olives. If the olives taste flat straight from the jar, the finished bowl will feel the same. I always taste one before starting. It saves the recipe before it even begins.

Dry ingredients matter more than speed - excess brine from olives or capers is the fastest way to lose structure. A quick drain and light pat keeps the mixture chopped instead of loose, especially if you plan to refrigerate it.

Use the food processor in pulses, not autopilot - most recipes do not say when to stop, and that is where texture disappears. Short pulses give you control and help keep visible pieces that make the tapenade spoonable rather than spread-thin.

This easy olive tapenade recipe stays coarse, briny, and flexible for spreads and boards 

Ingredients

1cup pitted Kalamata olives *

2 tbsp capers drained

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

 

Instructions Chop the base

Add the olives, capers, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until everything looks coarsely chopped with visible pieces, not a paste.

Add lemon juice and olive oil. Pulse a few more times until the mixture looks cohesive but still chunky. It should hold together on a spoon.

Taste and finish.Taste and adjust if needed, then serve right away or chill. Use as a spread, dip, or topping.

* What is special about Kalamata olives? These purple-hued Greek olives are bold and briny with fruity notes and often a mild smokiness. Some say they have a tanginess reminiscent of red wine vinegar. A lot of their flavor comes from the curing process. Kalamata olives are an eye-catching feature on Greek mezze platters and charcuterie boards.

 

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Brown-Butter, Caper-Raisin Sauce

The brown butter in this sauce gives it a deep, nutty flavor. Though it may sound complicated, it is pretty easy to make. 

Use it: Drizzled over roasted vegetables, seared scallops, or chicken paillard, pasta.

  Capers are the unriped green buds of a prickly bush called capparis spinosa that grows wild across the Mediterranean and parts of Asia

 

Ingredients (Makes 1/2 cup) 

 

 1½ ounces (3 tbsp.) unsalted butter 

 

1⅓ cups sherry vinegar 

 

1 tsp granulated sugar 

 

½ tsp kosher salt 

 

⅓ cup golden raisins 

 

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 

 

2 tbsp capers 

 

½ cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

 

¼ tsp black pepper 

 

Directions 

 

1. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the foam subsides and the butter turns golden brown. This should roughly take about six minutes. Pour the butter into a small bowl, discarding the dark brown milk solids at the bottom of the skillet. 

 

2. In a clean skillet, stir the vinegar, sugar, and salt over a medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves - for about two minutes. Pour over the raisins and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain, keeping one tablespoon of the vinegar mix aside. 

 

3. Return the brown butter to the skillet, stir in the oil and the reserved vinegar. Heat over medium-high for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and stir in the raisins, capers, parsley, and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Kalamata olive tapenade

Tapenade is the name of a condiment consisting of finely chopped olives, and it works great on all types of sandwiches.

 

 

Ingredients: 

 

2 cups Kalamata olives, pitted 

 

2 tbsp capers 

 

3 pieces of anchovies 

 

Lemon juice from 1 lemon 

 

2 cloves of garlic 

 

1 tbsp. dried thyme 

 

1 tbsp. dried oregano 

 

½ cup olive oil 

 

Black pepper, to taste 

 

Directions: 

1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until the olives reach a diced consistency. 

2. Fix seasoning to taste. 

3. The tapenade will stay fresh for 1-2 months.

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs.