International Cooking School Vacations: Tapenade (Black Olive Spread from Provence)

Tapenade (Black Olive Spread from Provence)

May 2006

Tapenade (Black Olive Spread from Provence)
Enjoy this wonderful recipe from Chef Christine at our new program in France,
Provençal Adventure.

Ingredients

  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1/3 cup of capers
  • 6 anchovy fillets (in oil)
  • 1 cup pitted black olives, if possible such as Nyons, or very well drained from their water
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • olive oil (about 3/4 cup)

Directions

  • Peel the garlic cloves and reduce with olive oil into a “garlic purée” (using if you have one a Provençal terracotta manual grinder—a nice gift to buy at the market and to bring back home to all your friends !).
  • Rinse and dry the capers.
  • Put the anchovy fillets to drain and chop them finely.
  • Place all the ingredients into a food processor and season with pepper.
  • Add olive oil in a steady stream and process until it has become a thick, spreadable paste.

Use as a spread for crudités, crackers, breadsticks, and slices of French baguette of course … enjoy it with a glass of Pastis … or add a tablespoon of it to a plain tomato sauce to make it special!