Olive Cream

Olive cream, or tapenade as it is known in French versions, is a tasty and versatile condiment that can be spread on croutons, used as a dressing in gourmet sandwiches, or added to dishes to enrich their flavor. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 200 g of pitted black olives (or green olives if you prefer)
• 2 anchovy fillets in oil (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of salted capers, well desalted
• 1 clove of garlic
• A few fresh basil leaves (optional)
• Juice from half a lemon
• About 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• Black pepper to taste
• (Optional) A pinch of chili pepper

Preparation

1. If you have chosen to use salted capers, make sure to desalt them by rinsing them under running water and then soaking them in fresh water for a few minutes.

2. Take the olives and, if they are not already pitted, remove the pits.

3. Place the olives, anchovy fillets (if you decide to use them), capers, garlic clove (which you can crush or chop), basil leaves, lemon juice, a pinch of black pepper, and the chili pepper if you want a bit of spice, in a blender or an immersion blender.

4. Start blending and, while blending, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil until you obtain a smooth cream. The amount of oil can vary depending on how thick you prefer your tapenade.

5. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary (even though the olives and capers are usually salty enough).

6. Once ready, you can store it in the refrigerator in a closed jar with a layer of oil on top to preserve its freshness.

Olive cream can be a simple yet elegant way to start a meal, served on slices of warm toasted bread or as a dressing for other preparations.

Curiosity

The word “tapenade” comes from the Provençal “tapeno,” which means caper. Hence, even though olives are the dominant ingredient, the name emphasizes the importance of capers in the original recipe.