Tapenade: Recipe, Technique, Uses

Tapenade is a classic French Provençal spread or dip made of olives, anchovies and capers (tapeno, tapenade's namesake, is the Provençal word for capers). There are endless recipes for tapenade available, many of which call for olives as the main ingredient and contain everything but the kitchen sink. They may taste good, but for tapenade to truly be tapenade, it must contain capers. Here is a basic recipe, which can be varied to taste.

1/2 pound black olives (kalamata or oil-cured, not canned supermarket black olives)

1/8 cup capers, rinsed if salt cured

2 cloves garlic

3 anchovy filets

Juice of one lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

The technique for making tapenade is extremely simple, but varies depending on the desired texture of the final product. Tapenade can be smooth or chunky, runny or thick. If you desired a coarsely chopped texture, simply combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are evenly chopped. If you prefer a smoother paste, process the tapenade until all ingredients are completely blended, adding more olive oil if necessary. I like to combine the two methods - I put the capers, garlic, anchovy, lemon and oil in the processor with half the olives and process until completely smooth and scrape the mixture into a bowl. Then I add the remaining olives and pulse until coarsely chopped and mix the chopped olives into the smooth paste. The resulting mixture can be thinned with olive oil to any consistency you desire.

The above recipe is simply a guideline - tapenade is also delicious when made with green olives or a mixture of black and green, roasted garlic instead of fresh or red wine vinegar instead of lemon. It can be seasoned with herbs like basil, tarragon, thyme or parsley. Other ingredients, like sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts or caramelized onions may also be added to lend a new flavor and dimension to tapenade.

With its pungent, assertively salty flavor, tapenade often stands alone, served spread thinly on bread. However, tapenade is extremely versatile and with a little creativity, can be used as an ingredient in all types of recipes. Mix equal parts tapenade and mayonnaise for olive aioli, which is terrific on burgers or sandwiches. Add a spoonful of tapenade to your favorite sour cream based dip to add some piquant olive flavor. Blend tapenade and cream cheese and pipe onto crackers for an elegant canapé. Tapenade can be mixed with cheese and breadcrumbs and used as a stuffing for meats or mushrooms. Boost the flavor of any soup or stew by stirring in a bit of tapenade, or simply garnish individual servings with a spoonful of tapenade on top. Bon appétit!