Green Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade

I discovered Tapenade several years ago, and quickly latched on to it as an easy, quick, popular, and relatively inexpensive appetizer. There are many different kinds of Tapenade: This recipe is the first of four I’ll be posting over the next few days. Tapenade keeps a week in the fridge - if you have any left! 

Tapenade originated in Provençe, where the sun is warm, the food is fresh, the wine is good, and life just seems to roll along. Imagine you’re in the south of France when you make this wonderful dish! 

I like to serve it on crackers, on small slices of baguette, or (if I have the time) on Crostini, which you’ll find on this blog indexed as Bread: Crostini. You can pipe it into cherry tomatoes, or blend a little of it with cream cheese and very finely chopped mushroom stems for stuffing and baking mushroom caps (350 deg. F., 15 min. in a toaster oven).

In today’s photo, I’ve used a little Tapenade in a small salad made
with goat cheese, arugula, and summer tomatoes dressed with olive oil and a splash of red

wine vinegar. Or ... create a dressing with a little tapenade, a little olive oil, and a little red wine vinegar. Tapenade is delicious any way you want to serve it!

Green Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade:

1-1/2 c. (375 mL) pitted green olives or pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained

1-1/2 c. (375 mL) hydrated chick peas (“garbanzo beans”) or one 19 oz. (398) mL can, rinsed and drained

1/2 c. (125 mL) sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. (60 mL) olive oil

1/4 c. (60 mL) chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) freshly grated lemon zest 

2 tbsp. (30 mL) fresh lemon juice

Combine all in food processor, mixing until smooth but still slightly chunky. Cover, refrigerate, and allow flavors to blend at least two hours before serving. Yields about 2-1/2 c. (675 mL) tapenade.