TAPENADE

Tapenade takes its name from the provençal word for capers (tapeno). There are lots of recipes for tapenade but they all have the common ingredients of black (or green) olives, anchovies, olive oil and capers. The addition of garlic, lemon juice, mustard, pepper or various herbs (usually herbes de Provence such as thyme, savory, laurel, fennel, rosemary...) allows you to personalise your tapenade. This is the recipe for the basic tapenade.

Ingredients (for 6 people): - 200 g of large stoned black olives - 5 anchovy fillets (100 g) in olive oil - 8 (60 g) capers - 1 clove of garlic (optional) - 3 (150 ml) soupspoons of olive oil

Mince finely each ingredient separately. Mix together adding a fine "dribble" of olive oil. A good tapenade should be thick and smooth. Put the paste into a closed jar and leave in a cool place for at least a few hours before serving.

A few tips:

• If possible choose Tanches de Nyons black olives - they are especially soft and full of oil.
• Use anchovy fillets conserved in olive oil - if you use salted fillets, be sure to remove the bones and desalt them under running cold water, sponge them dry and transfer them to olive oil.
• Use capers conserved in brine and not in vinager. You can use large capers (usually cheaper) since they will be minced anyway.
• It is preferable to use "vierge extra" olive oil (AOC huile de Nyons for example).

   

  Serve as an accompaniment with a starter with crusty bagette bread. Tapenade is also often served with the aperitif on slices of bread or toast.