Adds

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Wonderful Olive Raisin Tapenade...... Eat it up!

Tapenade, an olive spread from the mediteranian is as delicious tasting as it is amazingly easy to make. It is a great appitizer or is the perfect midnight snack. Tapenade the provencal word for capers is popular in the south of France and at my house! Not only is it tasty on a good loaf of crusty bread, its fantastic on flatbread, pita chips and raw veggies. Its wonderful spooned over pork, chicken and fish or use it as a pasta sauce with tomato concasse or even use it in a viniagrette to dress a salad. I like the raisins in it to counter the saltiness of the olive and the capers.
Incredibly versatile and addictive, I keep it around all the time. With many variations of this possible, let your imagination run wild. Add nuts like toasted pine nuts, almonds and pistachio's. Leave out most of the olives and use roasted red peppers as the base instead, its up to you and whats in your pantry! Enjoy..........

Ingredients


20 pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp rinsed, drained, and chopped capers
2 tbsp golden raisins
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper
Method

In the bowl of a food processor add the olives, capers golden raisins, basil, garlic, parmesan, lemon jiuce, olive oil and fresh ground black pepper. Pulse tapenade until chopped and the consistancy of pesto. You don't want it smooth, but with little bits of olive visible but still spreadable. Tapenade will last a good week or two covered in the refrigerator for your snacking pleasure.

3 comments:

Kate said...

We make black olive tapenade all the time but I've never tried it with raisins. Something new to try :-) Thanks!!! Kate @kateiscooking

Tiffany said...

What a great way to make tapenade, I never would have thought to add raisins.....thanks for sharing!

FOODalogue said...

Great idea to add the raisins. I'm always intrigued by the yin yang of sweet and savory. I think I'd add some chopped Italian parsley (flat leaf).