This one has been a rip roaring raving success at all our dinner parties lately! It is as simple as it sounds and can be whipped up in short order. So give this one a try.
Can of Black Olives
About the same amount of green olives (with pimento is fine)
Almost the same amount of Kalamata olives
Chop All the Olives Coarsely
2 cloves garlic minced finely minced (optional)
4 or more scallions minced
a small pile of minced purple onion – about a half cup
a red bell pepper minced (makes it pretty! and sometimes I get the small multi-colored peppers and use a couple orange, a couple yellow and a couple red for great eye appeal)
mix all with 4 – 6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (I like Kalamata Oil).
add a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar
Gently mix
If you make this dish for later use and refrigerate it, the dish will coagulate. It is best at room temperature for serving and spreading, so beware. Let it come to room temperature if you have refrigerated the batch.
For most the consumption will begin immediately and continue till it is finished! Eat immediately on your favorite crackers or toasted sourdough or endive or romaine lettuce. If you use the toasted sourdough then brush the pieces lightly with olive oil after toasting. then cut the bread into 1 to 1.5 inch squares and put a pile of tapenade on each piece! Now the trick is to make a platter of these to serve to your guests, without eating so many it becomes your meal! You have been warned! Sometimes I do a big platter, and Sometimes I do individual plates – do what fits your party! Oh yes I think this stuff makes a wonderful sandwich – a thick layer of tapenade between two slices of toasted sourdough! – Yum! – Others have put it as a spread on their hamburger or other sandwiches. Anyway Charley Carlin Cooks and people love it!
About The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style. All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.