OLIVE TAPENADE ( A CLASSIC FRENCH APPETIZER)

Black Olive Tapenade is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. It will take only 5 minutes to make. A simple yet delicious appetizer that always goes fast.  It is a classic of French cuisine. Before I knew about this delicious olive tapenade recipe, I had sleepless days researching for the perfect appetizer for my party.  I was looking for an easy-to-make sauce which would be together in minutes and allow me ample time with my friends, rather than spend hours in the kitchen. I knew my friends are never modest and I had to get a recipe that would deliver unique taste. This recipe never disappointed and am now ready to share the secrets.

This recipe is my favorite because of three major reasons;

• A unique taste
• A very simple preparation
• Has numerous nutrition benefits

Just before I tell more about the preparation and the taste of this sauce, allow me to mention the health benefits you will gain from it. Olive tapenade ranks as one of the healthiest condiments in the world. It’s actually a natural replacement of processed condiments like ketchup and mustard which contains high amounts of sugars. Olives, used as the main ingredients in this recipe are a good source of a number of nutrients. The sauce is rich in iron, fiber, antioxidants, and iodine. Tapenade contains commendable amounts of magnesium, phosphorous, vitamin B and E. when you eat olive tapenade you will be benefiting your bones, muscles, immune system, blood pressure and the overall body energy. Besides, the tapenade contains fatty acids which are essential in managing inflammations in diabetics.

The recipe I prepared had a unique taste which was brought about by the use of clove garlic and lemon juice. The trick is to use freshly squeezed lemon juice and the garlic clove must be freshly prepared, this gives the sauce extra flavor. You will also feel the natural bitterness of the olive tapenade, which is brought about by the use of the mixed olives. Depending on your preference, you can season the tapenade to bring out other flavors.  I seasoned mine using basil and the results were awesome. To bring extra depth to the olive tapenade I made good use of the anchovy. Personally, I am not a fan of this ingredient in other dishes but the story is different when it comes to the tapenade. Anchovy together with the capers is just amazing in the way they add flavors to this appetizer.

What amazed me most is the simplicity of this recipe. You do not have to spend all your time in the kitchen for the olive tapenade to be delicious. The recipe is very simple. Anyone can follow it, actually, it is a one-step recipe, and the second step is serving. Mine was ready in less than ten minutes, but there is a trick in the processing. The level of thickness of the tapenade will depend on the purpose or what you want to serve with.

 Making a decent tapenade is no easy. You must get the proportions of your ingredients right since they dictate the results in terms of flavor. When processing the ingredients start at low speed and go increasing the speed of the processor until the ingredients are perfectly pureed. This will give you a smooth olive tapenade one that will be easily served with a variety of other dishes.

During my party, I served the olive tapenade as an appetizer.  Most of the guests were impressed and requested for this recipe.

However this tapenade is versatile enough to be served with a variety of other meals like meat, sea foods, pasta, etc. If you don’t like using the mixed olive, you can use black olives. They will give you an equally smooth tapenade. Once you become a pro in preparing this tapenade you can now experiment using different ingredients. You will get different and unique flavors.

HOW TO MAKE OLIVE TAPENADE

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Viola! Tapenade.