Sunday
Apr122009
Fig Olive Tapenade
It tastes even better than it looks. I was a little surprised, truthfully. I volunteered to bring an appetizer for Easter brunch. I have some crackers in the pantry and a log of goat cheese in the fridge, but was determined not to make a trip to the store. By now, you know I always have nuts around. I also found dried figs and half a jar of Kalamata olives. I'm an olive-lover, but am not totally ga-ga over most olive tapenades I've had. Too bitter, maybe? Anyway, they don't tempt me the way you might expect an olive-lover to be tempted.
The addition of figs did the trick. They add a sweet and chewy oomph that puts this spread in the "tempting" category. I am sure there must be recipes for something quite similar floating around somewhere. I did "make this up," but I've probably seen it somewhere. One of my professors in grad school always used to say that we need to acknowledge the shoulders on which we stand. In other words, the magazines Bon Appetit, Saveur, and Gourmet, my mother's encyclopedic knowledge of food and her accompanying library, and the never-fading kitchen celebrity, my old Cuisinart food processor.
Dump these ingredients in your trusty machine and have the crackers ready. And you can take all the credit. I don't mind.
Fig Olive Tapenade
3/4 c. Kalamata olives
3/4 c. dried figs, roughly chopped
1 small garlic clove
1/3 c. walnuts
1 Tb. lemon zest
1 Tb. orange zest
pinch of coarse salt
splash of orange juice
1 or 2 Tb. olive oil
Combine all ingredients except for orange juice and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple times, then add the OJ and olive oil. Pulse again until mixture turns into a paste (but don't pulse the *%# out of it--you want it to be slightly chunky still.) Add more liquid if you want to or you think it needs it.
Garnish with walnuts and lemon zest. Serve with crackers and chevre, if you like.
April 12, 2009
Reader Comments (12)
Okay, enough teasing! My mouth starts salivating at every opening of your posts. Then I walk upstairs, open my refrigerator and can't find a thing that sounds as good as your "left overs". Can I just hire you as my personal chef? ;)
It's true--I do have an unusual amount of things around which I term "leftovers." I'd be happy to cook for you anytime:)
it's so amazing how you can just look in your fridge, throw something together and it turns out wonderful. i love that you're doing this.
Kelly, you are so sweet, especially since you had to endure my photo shoot obsessions on Saturday. Thanks for hanging out with us.
As a lover of both figs and olives even I wouldn't have tried this combination. It should not but good but it is and not just for the novelty factor either.
Can't wait to try this! I agree...olive tapenade is usually too bitter. Your part about Loretta eating candy was hilarious! Again...I read to HM last night. She was asking "Does she have another food blog?!"
Sarah,
Your blog's making me hungry and I already ate! Stop it already. :-)
All the best to you and the family.
Cheers,
Elliott
found you again today on foodgawker! it's my new game.
as my prof from australia would have said, "good on you sarah! good on you!"
[...] Sarah at In Praise of Leftover’s , a newly discovered blog for me, also made a beautiful spread [...]
I do believe figs are the most beautiful fruit!
Forgot to mention that I made this earlier in the week while I've been house sitting. I soaked the figs as I read in another recipe, and it does make for a smoother texture, which I like. I also whizzed mine longer than you do, but I prefer the finer texture. I did, however, follow the rest of the recipe almost exactly. A rare moment for me, it's true.
Hi, just doing some browsing for my Cuisinart site. Can't believe the amount of information out there. Wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but good site. Have a good day.