Grilled Olive and Fig Tapenade

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s adaptation of his recipe in The Sweet Life in Paris.

Grilling olives deepens their flavor, softens their texture, and adds a hint of smoke that makes it well worth the bit of extra time. You can grill them on an outdoor grill, a stovetop grill pan, or under a broiler. Make the tapenade at least a day ahead to allow the flavors to meld and deepen. Serve with grilled pita or good bread, spooned over pasta, as a dip for fresh vegetables, thinned into a salad dressing, or as a sauce for cooked vegetables, beans, or grains. Note that you can use a food processor or mortar and pestle.

Makes about 1¼ cup

½ cup stemmed and quartered dried figs 
1 small garlic clove, peeled
*1 cup grilled olives (see below)
1 teaspoons capers, drained, rinsed and squeezed dry
1 sprig fresh rosemary (about ½ teaspoon minced)
1 lemon, zest and 1 tablespoon or more juice
½ teaspoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1. Let the grilled olives cool, then smash them with the side of the knife blade to remove the pits.

  2. In a small saucepan, simmer the figs in ¾ cup water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.

  3. Smash the garlic into a paste with a pinch of salt. Leaving the garlic on the cutting board, chop in the olives, figs, capers, rosemary, and lemon zest, incorporating them into a rough paste as you go. Use the side of the knife blade to mash everything together as needed.

  4. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper if needed. If desired, thin with a little of the reserved fig poaching liquid.

  5. Cover the tapenade with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from drying out. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

 

Grilled Olives

Grilled olives add smoky depth and a meaty texture to the tapenade. Use only whole olives with pits in them since pitted olives don’t hold up as well to grilling.

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup whole olives (Castelvetrano and Kalamata recommended)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
A few rosemary needles or thyme leaves (optional)

Toss the olives with the olive oil and herbs, if using. Grill in a grill basket or on skewers over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and slightly charred in spots.