Tapenade

Olive Tapenade is a delicious way to enjoy all the flavour and goodness of olives. Tapenade was originally created in the Provence region in the south of France, but has become a major part of many different cuisines around the Mediterranean.

Olive tapenade is a thick paste made of the flesh of cured (brined) olives and a variety of other ingredients such as herbs and spices, anchovy, garlic, lemon and capers. It is often served as an appetiser on crusty bread, biscuits or toast or used as an accompaniment to a wide range of other foods.

Olive tapenade makes an excellent accompaniment to grilled fish – a little paste spread onto the flesh of the fish before it goes under the heat - or spread on foccacia, bruscetta, or homemade pizza bases. Tapenade is the perfect way to pep up a pasta sauce or add that extra something to a casserole or stew.

Hunter Olives produces a traditional tapenade based on the classical French recipe including anchovies, garlic, olive oil and capers.

We are have developed a number of new products such as:

for vegetarians - a version with no anchovies
chilli tapenade - vegetarian version with a bit of a kick
a green olive tapenade with fragrant herbs
coriander & lime - east meets west!
olive mustard using olive paste and out own grainy mustard
olive pesto - a simple and delicious pasta sauce
other recipes as we think of them!

Tapenade does not need to be used heavily to contribute olive flavours. As a consequence a small jar can go a long way. Our tapenade is pasteurised but we do not use any preservatives of any nature, so please keep the jar refrigerated once opened.

For more information on tapenade or to share your ideas please do not hesitate to contact us at Hunter Olives.

A few ideas for using tapenade at home

Make you own pizza using tapenade on the base topped with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, salami, black olives and a good mozzarella cheese
Stir a little tapenade through a bowl of freshly cooked fettuccine
Stuff some large tomatoes with tapenade and bake in a moderate oven. Try serving with polenta for something different
Bake a breast of chicken rubbed with tapenade. Add thyme and a little goats cheese under the skin of the chicken
Grilled coral perch dotted with traditional tapenade
Grilled eggplant and fennel, with tapenade (try our vegetarian tapenade for this). Blend the eggplant with bread crumbs, Romana (or similar) cheese, roasted rd peppers, egg, garlic, oregano and salt and pepper. Shape into patties and grill until golden brown
Bake lightly a firm fleshed fish such as tuna, smeared with tapenade, in olive oil, white, garlic and fresh orange juice. Make a sauce from the residual juices and butter.