Black Olive Tapenade

Black Olive Tapenade
Tapenade should be a staple in your kitchen if it is not already. It is a Provinçal condiment that is great on crostini or served on top of goat cheese with cabernet sauvignon. It’s very versatile; you can add more olive oil to the tapenade to dress a salad.
Makes ½ cup

1 cup Niçoise olives
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon capers packed in salt, rinse several times
2 anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Cognac
About 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Remove the pits from the olives by placing the olive on a cutting board and pressing down on it with the side of your knife. Push the pit out and discard, repeat with the rest of the olives.
2. In a food processor, combine the olives, thyme, capers, minced garlic, lemon zest, and anchovies, pulse until you have a crumbly paste. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add the lemon juice, Cognac and olive oil to taste.

Notes: If you have capers packed in brine no need to rinse.
For a bolder taste used oil-cured black olives.

Keeps well for a month refrigerated.

Adapted from the Zuni Café Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers.

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Copyright © Julie Logue Riordan, Cooking with Julie