Grilled Olive and Fig Tapenade

 

This recipe is adapted from David Lebovitz's adaptation from his own recipe in his book The Sweet Life in Paris.
Grilling olives deepens their flavor, softens their texture, and adds a hint of smoke that works beautifully in this tapenade. You can grill them on an outdoor grill, stovetop grill pan, or under a broiler. Make this tapenade at least one day before you intend to serve it, which allows the flavors to meld and develop. Serve with grilled pita or good bread, mixed into pasta, as a dip for fresh vegetables, thinned into a dressing for salad, or as a sauce over cooked vegetables, beans, and grains.

Makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup (about 3 ounces, 90g) stemmed and quartered dried black figs (use dried Black Mission figs, if available)
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoons capers, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry
1 sprig fresh rosemary (about 1 teaspoon minced)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
*1 cup grilled olives (see below)
1/2 teaspoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard
1/2 cup (150ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1. In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in ¾ cup water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.

  2. Make the garlic into a paste by chopping and smashing with salt repeatedly. Leaving the garlic paste on the cutting board, combine it with the other ingredients as you chop them – the capers, rosemary, lemon zest, then the olives and the figs. Smash all the ingredients with the side of your knife blade to turn into a rough paste.

  3. Transfer to a bowl or storage container and stir in the lemon juice, mustard, oil and black pepper and salt. (The spread can be thinned with the reserved fig poaching liquid.)

Grilled Olives
Grilling olives deepens their flavor, softens their texture, and adds a hint of smoke that works beautifully in this tapenade. You can use pitted or unpitted olives. Pitted are convenient, while unpitted olives tend to have better texture and flavor. If using unpitted and for tapenade, remove the pits after grilling by smashing the olives with the side of a knife blade.

Makes about 1 cup

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

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

Warm Olives

1 cup of your favorite olives
A glug of olive oil to coat and a little pooled at the bottom of the skillet or baking dish

Any of the following:
A sprig or two of rosemary, thyme, lavender etc.
A sprinkle of black peppercorns, coriander seed, fennel seed, cumin seed, chili flakes
2-3 one-inch peels of citrus rind
Bay leaf
Peeled and smashed garlic clove

Heat in a low oven or over low burner until warmed through. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat if you wish.