I love salt, so a dish made of black olives, capers and anchovies is right up my alley. Tapenade hails from Provence in the sunny south of France and is generally regarded as an olive paste, however the name comes from ‘tapeno’ meaning ‘caper bud’ in the Provençal language, so be sure to use good plump salted capers in your tapenade. As always, the better the ingredients, the better the dish, so buy good olives, anchovies and olive oil (I use Alto Delicate) too. This delicious paste is perfect smeared on croutons (see video below) and served with an aperitif of pastis or Rosé de Provence such as AIX. It keeps in the fridge for ages with a thin layer of oil on top and is great tossed through pasta; slathered onto grilled meat, poultry or fish; served as a dip with crudités; or thinned with more oil and drizzled over ripe tomatoes. Some recipes include garlic, lemon juice and parsley; I like to keep mine simple, but feel free to add your own touch.
Makes about 1½ cups
Croutons
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Tapenade is a paste of olives, capers and anchovies.
Tapenade originated in Provence in the southern France.
The name tapenade comes from the Provençal word for caper berry: ‘tapeno’.
Smear tapenade on croutons to serve with an aperitif, toss through pasta; slather onto grilled meat, poultry or fish; serve as a dip with crudités; or thin with olive oil and drizzle over ripe tomatoes.
Store any leftover tapenade in the fridge covered with a thin layer of olive oil. It will keep for ages.
