A friend tweeted me a week or so ago asking if I had a recipe for Fig and Olive Tapenade. I didn’t, but to say it peaked my interest would be an understatement.
She was looking for a recipe as, thanks to a full roll call of allergies, it is one of the only things she can add to a cheese platter and actually eat. As you can imagine she was sick of paying through the nose for tiny jars.
This month’s cheese-themed Sweet Adventures Blog Hop was the perfect reason to put my recipe developing hat on and get to work. The final post ended up as Ricotta Cheesecake topped with a Fig & Strawberry Compote, but it started as a cheesecake topped with this tapanade.
As the salted caramel of the cheeseboard world it was not too far a stretch to use it as a topping and create a cheese platter in a single cake. On the other hand it is perfect as is with bread, crackers, on a sandwich or simply schmeared across a slice of tangy, crumbly cheese.
Fig and Black Olive Tapenade
This tapenade is the salted caramel of the cheeseboard world. You are welcome.
Makes approx 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 150 g dry figs, stems removed (9-10 pieces)
- 1/4 c fresh orange juice
- 1/4 c walnut pieces
- 100 g pitted kalamata olives, rinsed (approx 2/3 c)
- 1 tsp fresh oregano leaves, packed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, packed
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 – 2 tsp capers, rinsed, optional
METHOD
Bring orange juice and figs to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat and cover 10 mins. Remove cover and let cool 20 mins.
Toast walnuts in a dry pan for about 5 mins. Rub with a towel to remove skins.
Blitz walnuts in a food processor, add figs and blend to combine, add remaining ingredients plus leftover fig soaking juice and blend to a coarse paste. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Refrigerate until required.
COOK’S NOTES
Feel free to adjust flavours to suit your tastes or allergies…
- add more figs to make it sweeter or more olives to make it tangier
- leave out the capers
- add water for a thinner tapenade or olive oil for a richer one
- add more or less lemon juice and or vinegar to taste
- replace walnuts with toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds
vegan // vegetarian // gluten-free // dairy-free // refined sugar-free // soy-free
Have had black olive tapenade plenty of times before but never with fig! Love this idea!
sounds great
Would you believe I think I have every ingredient in my kitchen/garden?! Looks like the perfect dip for my afternoon nibbles. What a good friend you are JJ!
Thank you! This looks so delicious and is just the thing to add to the cheeseboard I was planning for Christmas lunch!
Love this recipe JJ. A great thing to make for Sunday nibbles.
I can’t tell you how much this made my day! I can’t wait to make it and report back. Thanks for giving us AF a place on the cheeseboard 🙂
I love fig crostini so this tapenade sounds wonderful!
Thanks for sharing this, JJ… you had me at the mention of figs… and I love that this recipe uses dried figs!
Again with the brilliant pairing of fig! I can’t imagine what this actually tasted like, but I really think I need to make it and find out.