French Tapenade Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Rita Banci

January16,2011

4

4 Ratings

  • Serves many

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Author Notes

Roaming about marketplaces in the South of France is a blaze of joyful colors and astounding perfumes. The heady smell of goat cheeses mixes with lavender sachets and Marseille soaps; spice and delicatessen stalls are squeezed between linens and Provençal nappes (the traditional bright-colored tablecloths with flower miniature motifs: olives, lavender, sunflower, and cigales, or cicadas, the symbol of Provence). Herb-flavored olives show off their beautiful colors and shapes in olivewood bowls. And there, among them, various kinds of tapenades are handed by jovial marketers to passing-by shoppers to be tasted with slices of freshly baked baguettes.

There’s nothing I can do: whenever I happen to visit France, I need to taste some tapenade which, incidentally, is perfect to accompany fresh goat cheese and baguette.

Tapenade is basically an olive pâté flavored with anchovies and capers. Typically black olives are used, but green olive tapenades can also be found on market stalls. Olives can be found all year round, though September is the appointed time for harvesting: so why not benefit from the period and have some delicious tapenade?

Making tapenade is actually pretty easy: olives, anchovies, and capers are ground together; then olive oil and lemon juice are added to blend the pâté, which is finally made aromatic with herbs such thyme and laurel. Originally, mortar and pound were used to grind ingredients, but a food processor makes the whole preparation much easier and faster.

To get a richer and warmer touch, you can add to the tapenade three tablespoons of Cognac, or some other liquor, as common in some parts of France. - Rita Banci —Rita Banci

Test Kitchen Notes

I highly recommend this tapenade, not just for smearing on crostini, but as a condiment to liven up sandwiches, pizzas, omelets, and even salad dressings. It has a bit more anchovy, relative to the other ingredients, than other tapenades I’ve made, but the instruction to soak in cold water for 10 minutes resulted in a deep, rich flavor that did not overwhelm the mixture. I only had fresh bay on hand (a California variety, from my own bush) so I took pierino’s advice, and used but one tiny leaf, which I finely chopped. The result was perfect. Brava, Rita!! —AntoniaJames

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 7 ouncesblack olives, stones removed
  • 3.5 ouncesanchovy fillets
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1.7 ouncescapers
  • 50 millilitersextra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 pinchthyme
  • 1 pinchground laurel
  • Freshly ground pepper
Directions
  1. Soak the anchovy fillets in cold water for 10 minutes. Chop olives, anchovies, garlic, and capers with a mincing knife.
  2. Put these ingredients into a mortar and pound them until they become a soft paste (alternatively you can use a food processor).
  3. Mix in the oil and lemon juice. Finally, add the thyme, laurel, and the freshly ground pepper according to taste.

Tags:

  • French
  • Anchovy
  • Capers
  • Vegetable
  • Seafood
  • Thyme
  • Make Ahead
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Gluten-Free
  • Appetizer
  • Snack
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Dip

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • pierino

  • lapadia

  • Rita Banci

Recipe by: Rita Banci

I'm a professional textile conservator with a strong passion for cooking, gardening, drawing and writing. Since my baby boy was born in May 2010, I feel so much more enthusiastic about life and creativity. That's why I decided to create my own blog, after so many years spent checking out those of other food bloggers. And though time is never enough (being a mother and a wife is really demanding!!) I keep on cooking for my beloved husband and taking care of my garden with all the love and patience I have.

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4 Reviews

pierino January 18, 2011

Sounds great. Myself I like to use a combination of both green and black olives. And the quality of the ingredients is imperative. I use salt packed capers (as opposed to brined) which do need a rinse. And it's literally not tapenade without capers. Also for the benefit of American viewers, laurel would be bay leaf as in bay laurel. But don't use California bay laurel as it's about it's about four times stronger in flavor. Another good addition can be quality oil packed tuna, like bonita del norte.

Rita B. January 18, 2011

Thanks Pierino! Your suggestions and explanations are fantastically helpful! I've never tried tapenade with tuna fish, but it sounds really tasty! You can use exclusively green olives to make tapenade and the result is great!

lapadia January 18, 2011

Hi Rita! This sounds and looks great, thanks for sharing it....saved it!

Rita B. January 18, 2011

Thanks! I hope you enjoy it! :P

French Tapenade Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is tapenade in French? ›

Tapenade (French pronunciation: [tapəˈnad]; Occitan: tapenada [tapeˈnadɔ]) is a Provençal name for a spread, condiment and culinary ingredient consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, and sometimes anchovies.

What is a traditional tapenade made of? ›

Place the olives, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, drained capers, garlic, anchovies, thyme, and black pepper in a food processor. Process until all the ingredients are finely chopped, but not completely pureed. Serve the olive spread on baguette slices or with fresh crudités. Enjoy!

Is olive tapenade French or Italian? ›

Tapenade has roots from all around Europe from Greece and Italy to France and Spain, and if there's one thing they all share is the love for it. You will often find it as a common appetizer in Southern France and Catalonia where it is known as Olivada.

Is bruschetta the same as tapenade? ›

Aside from both containing olive oil and olives, olive tapenade and olive bruschetta are two very different, though complementary, appetizers.

What do you eat tapenade with? ›

If you're not familiar with tapenade, it's a salty, briny olive spread that originated in the Provençe region of France. It's fantastic on crackers and baguette, and it's an impressive centerpiece for a summer cheese board.

What is sous titrage in French? ›

second title The subtitle of a piece of writing is a second title which is often longer and explains more than the main title. The play was, as the subtitle asserted, a real-life drama. on film Subtitles are a printed translation of the words of a foreign film that are shown at the bottom of the picture.

How long does tapenade last in the fridge? ›

Storing Instructions

Keep it stored in a covered container in the fridge and it will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. It would be a miracle if you managed to keep it that long though! It's way too delicious.

Are there different types of tapenade? ›

However, nowadays, tapenade doesn't just mean olive spread - through the years, it has almost become an umbrella term for a wide variety of pates, mostly made of different types of vegetables. From tomato to mushroom and even eggplant tapenade, there is no end to all the decadent pastes you can make!

Is tapenade good for you? ›

Rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E and polyphenols, olive tapenade supports your body in fighting inflammation and oxidative stress, guarding against chronic diseases and aging.

What do Italians call tapenade? ›

Though it used to describe a mashed up spread of bold and briny olives (from the U.S., the Mediterranean and beyond,) the word “tapenade” is American. Believe it or not, there is no specific word in Italy for an olive spread or paste, but it's definitely a part of Italian cuisine.

What fruit is used in tapenade? ›

Place the figs, olives, olive oil, rosemary, vinegar, and capers in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it turns into a chunky spread, adding more oil if needed. Scrape the tapenade into a serving bowl topped with the sprig of rosemary.

What is in Trader Joe's olive tapenade? ›

INGREDIENTS: Black olives (ferrous sulfate gluconate to stabilize color), green olives, canola oil, olive oil, fresh roasted garlic, capers, red pimientos, mustard, spices.

What is the French version of bruschetta? ›

The French call them tartines, the Americans Toasts and the Italians Bruschetta. The Webster Dictionary defines them as: an open sandwich, one with a rich or elaborate topping. No matter what you call them, we all seem to love them! I love serving Tartines as a heavier passed appetizer at parties.

Is tapenade the same as pesto? ›

Technically speaking, a pesto sauce is herb-based (usually basil), a tapenade is olive-based, and most other things are considered a spread or a confit.

Is olive pate the same as tapenade? ›

Black olive paté differs from a proper tapenade in the fact that it is more simple. Despite being most commonly known as an olive-based dish, the key ingredient of a proper tapenade is capers. Tapenade actually takes its name from the Provençal word for capers, tapenas.

What is another name for Nicoise olives? ›

The Cailletier, also known in English by the Italian name Taggiasca, is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in the Alpes-Maritimes region near Nice and the Riviera di Ponente, Italy. It is best known under the name Niçoise, which signifies its curing method.

What is a good substitute for olive tapenade? ›

Tapenade can be made with black or green olives, each having the distinct flavour of its key ingredient. Alternative ingredients include savoury cousins- sun-dried tomato, artichoke, roasted aubergine, feta, etc.

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