French Cuisine
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (about
3 oz, 90 gr) stemmed and quartered dried black figs.
- ¾ cups (180
ml) water.
- 1 cup (about
150 gr) black olives, rinsed and pitted.
- 1 ½ tbsp
lemon juice.
- 2 tbsp whole-grain
mustard.
- 1 small
garlic clove, peeled.
- ½ tbsp
capers, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry.
- 1 tbsp finely
chopped fresh rosemary or thyme.
- ½ cup (150
ml) extra-virgin olive oil.
- black pepper.
- Salt, if
necessary.
Directions:
- In a
medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in the water for about 30 minutes, or until
very tender.
- Drain and
reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.
- If using a
food processor, pulse the pitted olives, drained figs, lemon juice, mustard,
garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary or thyme to create a thick paste.
- Pulse in the
olive oil until you have achieved a chunky-smooth paste.
- Season with
black pepper and salt, if necessary.
- If using a
mortar and pestle, mash the olives with the mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh
rosemary or thyme.
- Pound in the
drained figs. Once they are broken up, add in the lemon juice, olive oil and
season with salt and pepper, and fig juice, if necessary.
- Serve
tapenade with slices of baguette or pita triangles that have been lightly
brushed with olive oil and perhaps sprinkled with salt and fresh thyme, or a
dusting of chili powder, then toasted on a baking sheet in the oven until nice
and crisp.
- A tip from
Carrie is to make this tapenade at least one day before you intend to serve it,
which allows the flavors to meld and develop.