The tapenade recipe
for your table
Drain the olives and capers well and pat them dry; otherwise, the brine will dilute the paste. Roughly chop them together with the anchovies and garlic using a large knife on a board, and stop as soon as you can still just recognize the olive as an olive.
If you want it faster, pulse it in the food processor in short bursts of about one second, scraping out the bowl in between. If you simply let it run, the oil will break through the olives, leaving you with a dark, smooth spread instead of a coarse paste.
Stir in the olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice until the paste shines and holds together when you pull a spoon through it. Don't add salt: the olives, anchovies and capers already provide more than enough together.
Grind black pepper over it, cover the bowl and leave the tapenade in the refrigerator for at least an hour, so the garlic can disperse. Then spoon it into small glasses or spread it on toasted bread.
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The story
Tapenade comes from Provence, where it is served on toasted bread with the aperitif and has traditionally been made in a mortar. The name gives away that the caper is not included by chance: tapeno is the Provençal word for caper, so it is the caper that gave the dish its name, not the olive. Anchovies are also part of the classic version and provide the salt. Together, these ingredients make tapenade one of the few things on a drinks platter that really needs nothing else added, especially not salt.
The right glass
Tapenade is so concentrated that a teaspoon per guest is already plenty, which makes the smallest glass here the right choice. An angular mini amuse dish of around 5 centiliters is exactly the right portion, and because it is straight-sided, you can place a strip of toasted bread or a pick with an olive upright in it. Any leftovers go into a sealable jar of around 7 centiliters with a glass lid: pour a layer of olive oil over it and you can eat it throughout the week. Glass works better than plastic for this, because it does not retain the smell of garlic and anchovies. More small sizes can be found in the La Rochère Ouessant collection.
La Rochère Kube Mini Amuse Dish 5 cl (6 pieces)
La Rochère Butter Dish with Lid 7 cl Ouessant (1 piece)
Both sets together € 28,30.
The right tools
For tapenade, besides the glass you really only need a large knife and a board; of the bar tools, a citrus juicer helps with the few drops of lemon juice, and cocktail picks let you put an olive on the glass. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 61,85.
What are you serving with it?
Tapenade is salty and bitter and lingers for a long time, so you want something dry to accompany it. The olive naturally brings you to the martini, and therefore to gin or vodka, with Tanqueray as a well-known bottle. At the table, a dry rosé, a glass of champagne and a not-too-heavy red wine work just as well. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it suits and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Make the green version with green olives, a handful of sliced almonds and fresh basil; it is milder and pairs better with fish. You can leave out the anchovies too, for anyone who does not eat them, but add a few extra capers and a little more lemon juice, otherwise the spread will lack its salty edge. A few sun-dried tomatoes stirred in make it sweeter and a deeper red, while half a teaspoon of mustard binds everything together a little more firmly. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Take the tapenade out of the refrigerator twenty minutes before serving, because when cold, the olive oil is stiff and you can taste very little of it. Toast slices of baguette and spread a thin layer on top, or spoon it into small glasses with a strip of toast standing upright in each one. Store any leftovers under a layer of olive oil in a sealed jar; they will keep well for the rest of the week.
Good to know
Where does the name tapenade come from?
From tapeno, the Provençal word for caper. That immediately answers the question of whether capers belong in it: without capers, it is simply olive spread, however delicious it may be. So it is not the olive but the caper that gave the dish its name, even though olives make up the bulk by weight.
Chop by hand or use a food processor?
With a large knife on a board, you stay in control and stop precisely when the olive is still recognizably an olive. In a food processor it goes faster, but only in short bursts of about a second; if you let it keep running, the oil breaks through the olives and you end up with a dark, smooth spread with no texture left. Chopping by hand makes the tapenade coarser and therefore more recognizable.
Why is no salt needed?
Olives are kept in brine, capers are kept in brine or salt, and anchovies are salted fish. All three bring salt, and together they are more than enough. Always taste before adding anything; if your olives are very salty, rinse them briefly and pat them dry.
Can tapenade be made without anchovies?
Yes, and it is also suitable for people who don't eat fish. You will miss the salty, savory depth provided by the anchovy, so add a few extra capers and a splash more lemon juice. A little mustard also helps bring everything together.
How long does tapenade keep?
In a sealed jar in the refrigerator, covered with a layer of olive oil, for about a week. That layer keeps air out and keeps the top smooth. Scoop it out with a clean spoon and smooth the surface again afterward; the oil will remain neatly on top.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the name tapenade come from?
From tapeno, the Provençal word for caper. The capers therefore give the dish its name, even though olives make up the bulk by quantity. If you make it without capers, you have olive paste, not tapenade.
Does tapenade need anchovies?
In the classic version, yes; it provides the salt and savory depth that would otherwise be missing. You can leave it out, for example if you don't eat fish, but add a few extra capers and a little more lemon juice to make up the difference.
Why don't you add salt to tapenade?
Because the three main ingredients already bring enough: olives in brine, capers in brine or salt, and salted anchovies. Extra salt quickly makes the paste inedible. Taste it first, and rinse the olives if they are very salty.
How long does tapenade keep in the refrigerator?
About a week, in a sealed jar with a layer of olive oil covering the surface. The oil keeps the air out. Always use a clean spoon and smooth the surface afterward so the oil seals it again.
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