Olive Tapenade

Appetizers couldn’t get any easier then my Olive Tapenade recipe. I fell in love with tapenade while vacationing in Provence. My mouth waters every time I think about this delicious spread. It’s made with the simplest of ingredients - olives, a good quality olive oil, parsley, capers and garlic. A tapenade is typically made using black olives but I like using green olives! It will change the way you look at tapenade. Green olives add vibrancy and extra brininess to this bold and tasty dish.

Given the complexity of flavour of this dish, you’d be surprised to know that it is incredibly easy and quick to make - all you need is a food processor and 5 minutes of time. This spread is so flavourful and versatile and can be:

• Enjoyed in its simplest form with crackers, crostinis, a piece of focaccia, pitas or a slice of crusty bread

• A topping for a salad

• Added to your crudité or mezze platter

• Added to your pasta or pasta sauce

• Dolloped onto pizza

• Layered over roasted vegetables

• Served alongside your favourite protein, including chicken, fish, lamb, pork or steak

• Used as a condiment that can be added to your favourite sandwiches or burgers

Indulge or make as an appetizer for your next dinner party or social gathering. Grab a cracker and dig right in! Enjoy!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup green olives, pitted (See Notes below)

• 1/2 cup parsley leaves and stems, roughly chopped

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

• 1 Tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

• 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped

Instructions:

1. To a food processor, add the olives, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, capers and garlic. Cover and pulse for 10 - 15 seconds. You want your tapenade to have some texture rather than a puree.

2. Transfer the tapenade to a serving bowl. Serve alongside crackers, crostinis or pita slices and enjoy! If you are making this dish in advance, be sure to refrigerate until ready for use.

Notes:

1. Stuffed or Plain Olives: I like using green olives stuffed with garlic or pimento but you can keep things simple and go with a standard pitted green olive.

2. The Manual Approach: If you don’t have a food processor, not to worry! You can simply chop up the olives, parsley and capers to your desired texture, mince the garlic and then combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and give it a good mix.