Provençal tapenade is a delicious French appetizer bursting with Mediterranean flavors. This simple yet addictive spread features a base of brined black olives, blended with capers, garlic, and olive oil. Its rich, salty taste with a hint of bitterness and a touch of heat from the capers makes it a delightful accompaniment to crusty bread, crackers, or crudités.

Some variations might include anchovies for an extra savory punch, sun-dried tomatoes for a burst of sweetness, or fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for added complexity.

The cultivated olive tree comes from the domestication of the wild olive tree, Olea europeae.It was accepted theory that the Near East was the original focus of olive tree domestication, followed by a slow spread of this primitive olive culture to the Aegean world, Egypt, southern Italy, North Africa, and then the whole of the Mediterranean area by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans.

Archaeological discoveries of the domestication of the olive tree in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula have been discovered, indicating the cultivated olive tree was not only spread by the prestigious civilisations but had already been adopted by lesser-known local civilisations.

France has three olive-growing regions: the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, the Languedoc-Roussillon region, and Corsica. The departments of Drôme and Ardèche in the Rhône-Alpes region are also renowned production areas. Together, these regions contain 600,000 to 700,000 olive trees, farmed by around 8,000 olive growers.

It is estimated that there are more than 500 varieties of olives in the world; in France, the genetic identification work carried out by INRA and France Olive lists 211 cultivars, 190 of which are considered indigenous.

The many different olives in France reflect the long-standing nature of olive-growing practices and the highly subtle relationships forged between olive growers and local conditions. The wealth of varieties thus represents an authentic historical and agrarian heritage.

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Provençal Olive Tapenade

Provençal tapenade is a delicious French appetizer bursting with Mediterranean flavors. This simple yet addictive spread features a base of brined black olives, blended with capers, garlic, and olive oil. Its rich, salty taste with a hint of bitterness and a touch of heat from the capers makes it a delightful accompaniment to crusty bread, crackers, or crudités.

Some variations might include anchovies for an extra savory punch, sun-dried tomatoes for a burst of sweetness, or fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for added complexity.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine French

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 People

Calories 327kcal

Author Graham Hill

Cost €7

Equipment

• 1 Blender

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic peeled
• 250 g Pitted Black Provence Olives
• 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
• 30 g capers
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 30 ml olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place garlic cloves into a blender or food processor; pulse to mince.
• Add olives, parsley, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until mixture is finely chopped.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

Olives noires de Nyons are sometimes difficult to source. If unavailable any olives matured in a salt brine often labelled Greek Style are perfect for this recipe.

Add 2 anchovies or 2 to 3 pieces of sun-blushed tomato for extra flavour.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 2421mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2914IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 3mg

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The post Provençal Tapenade first appeared on The Taste of France.