Suggestions for tapenade and?

[mark1]

We've got a large jar of tapenade and would appreciate suggestions for snacks to make for dinner guests. We've done bruschetta with tapenade and roast peppers before and would like to do something different, thanks, all ideas welcome.

[cjs]

add a little daub to a tomato salad
top polenta
add to a goat cheese pizza
I used to do an apppy - mini tart shells filled with tapenade, goat cheese and sundried tomato strip
use a pastry tip to fill a scallop with tapenade before searing.

maybe these will get you going....

[Harborwitch]

The Indian vendor at the local Farmers' market mixes Tapenade into his humus. So good that we stuffed ourselves with that on pita chips. It would be good on little mini pita's brushed with some olive oil and sprinkled with zatar and warmed in the oven first.

[mark1]

Thanks Jean and Sharon, great suggestions and will be using them.

[SteveA]

It's a little late but... grilled lamb chops and tapenade go wonderfully together. I used to sell two grilled 4oz lamb "porterhouse" topped with the tapenade and then toss under the salamander until the tapenade was warmed through. Awesome!

Ciao,

[ChefJune]

We've got a large jar of tapenade and would appreciate suggestions for snacks to make for dinner guests. We've done bruschetta with tapenade and roast peppers before and would like to do something different, thanks, all ideas welcome.

I've got friends who love to put it on slices of red onion!

Personally, that doesn't float my boat, but I do like it spread on bread in a turkey sandwich. Adds a lot of pizzaz. It's also a good topping for baked potato, deviled eggs, could be swirled into an omelet. Not bad as a pasta topping. Flavor stands up to whole wheat pasta.

[ChefJune]

oops! almost forgot! it makes a tasty topping for grilled swordfish or tuna.

[adamdwyer]

for canapes or snacks,slice off the top of a cherry tomato,keeping the stalk attached,scoop out the seeds using a parisien scoop or teaspoon,stuff with the tapenade and replace the top,lid of the tomato.looks and tastes beutifull,better flavour if you use cherry vine tomatoes.

[mark1]

Great suggestions June, will try to incorporate some of them into a before dinner snack.

[lebelage]

Tiny new potatoes boiled and chilled, hollowed out and filled with feta and tapenade would be nice topped with a nice Spanish anchovy.

You could mash it up with some hard boiled egg, slice some tuna very thin... line some plastic wrap with the tuna, place a line of the egg/tapenade on top then roll up into a tight roll (maki shaped) cut into bitesized logs and top each piece with half a cherry tomato... like little bite sized nicoises.

Mash the tapenade into some goat cheese and a little fresh basil (and some extra garlic if your tapenade is light on garlic) stuff into squash/zucchini blossoms- I think you mentioned having an abundance of squashes in your garden. Dip the blossoms in a light batter and fry. mmmmmm...

It can be nice mixed with ground veal, pork and breadcrumbs into a nice meatball... pan fry bite sized ones then simmer briefly in a light sauce of tomatoes, garlic and capers (add a couple anchiovies too if your jarred stuff doesn't include it).

Wrap little cubes of a semihard Italian cheese with a little serrano or parma ham. Stuff that into spicy pickeled Italian cherry peppers or even good pepperoncini. Top with a little bit of the tapenade- or if it doesn't need to be finger food whisk some tapenade into a good evo and just drizzle that schizzle over.
- this one is also good as a martini skewer.

[kpittman]

"new potatoes boiled and chilled, hollowed out and filled with feta and tapenade"

Mmmmm, mmmmm!!!!!! If Mark doesn't try it, I will anyway. Thanks Janis. That sounds absolutely sensational.

Re the Spanish anchovy. I was going to ask about tinned, but I guess they're all tinned - it's just the size tin. The market I go to has them in oil in small cans. Very expensive and they're fillets. Alternatively, they have them almost whole in layers of salt (larger and cheaper). Did you have one particular one in mind as a topping?

Regards

Kevin

[ChefJune]

Kevin, look for anchovies packed in glass jars, either in olive oil or salt. They usually are a better quality than those that comes in tins.

[lebelage]

Well, generally you will get what you pay for.

I'd say let the occassion dictate, if you feel like splurging get the nice jarred ones. Having a few beers after work all casual no reason the more affordable ones can't be tasty.

[ChefJen]

I like it on lamb!

I also like to use it for my croutons.. and do you use fresh tomatoes for your Bruschetta? Try using Sun blushed instead with the tapenade very tasty!

as for lil snacks it makes a great dip when mixed with a lil greek yoghurt or mixed with cream cheese

[fooddude]

I find it works as a great base for a kick ass salad dressing