Tapenade - the taste of Provence

About a week ago my fellow blogger of the very beautiful « Figtree Appetizers » posted a recipe using Belgian endives filled with smoked salmon. I commented that here in Provence we also often use endive leaves as a “carrier” for various appetizers and that I like to serve them with a tomato tapenade. Tapenade is a very popular Provençal spread, normally made from either black or green olives – but I really like this version best.


You need very good quality semi dried tomatoes (tomates confites) – if you use the ones from a jar don't use the oil they come with but fresh cold pressed olive oil. As always the quality of the ingredients makes or breaks the end result.

Semi dried tomatoes (tomates confites)

In a food processor mix 100 g tomates confites, 100 g green olives (pitted!), 80 g toasted pine nuts, 50 g capers, one clove of garlic, peeled and minced, pepper fresh from the mill and about 2 tbsp olive oil.

Serve on endive leaves, crusty little slices of baguette, on hard boiled quail's eggs, or with vegetable sticks. Here in Provence we like to pair this tapenade with a bottle of ice cold rosé wine - the temperatures are just getting warm enough now to indulge in summery delicacies like these.

Very Provençal: Tomato Tapenade