Real Provençal tapenade is made with olives & a few flavorings, and the real stuff is mashed in a mortar. This version is quick & easy & a little more imaginative. Use your favorite kinds of olives, but try to mix up salty ones with sweet ones, strong with mild, etc. Also play around with different colored peppers if you like. This one’s great for parties, good on salads, and killer on top of cream cheese.
Olive & Roasted Pepper Tapenade
(makes about 3 cups)
2 cups olives (pitted)
2 roasted peppers
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. I prefer it to be a bit coarse, so you can see all the pretty colors!) Allow flavors to meld for at least an hour, then add salt & pepper to taste and serve.