Green olive tapenade
OK, so tapenade isn’t exactly Portuguese, but this salty, fishy dip is great for Christmas time and in a place with plentiful tasty olives, it seemed a shame not to make it.
What you need:
250g pitted green olives
25g anchovy fillets, chopped
50g capers – drained and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dry oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 dessert spoon white wine vinegar
Small handful chopped fresh parsley
Black pepper
All you have to do is chuck all of the ingredients except the pepper and parsley in a food processor and process until a smooth paste – I like to make mine a bit rustic and leave a few olive chunks here and there but this is up to you. Stir in the fresh parsley and a good grinding of black pepper. Serve it with crusty bread, crostini or crackers. This also makes a lovely base for Christmas canapes – enjoy!
PS. I have tested this recipe on my wife and father in law, both of whom DO NOT like: olives, capers, anchovies or mustard. They both like this very much – the oil seems to take the edge off the other strong tastes.