This PIQUANT Pomegranate Tapenade will surprise even the most anti-olive eater…
As temperatures start to rise here in Sydney, my little mind turns to dining alfresco; barbecues on my deck and entertaining with simple, tasty fare…
For me, that means having a few goodies in my fridge, my ‘just in case’ options for when I have unexpected company (or even, when I don’t!)
One of my favourites is tapenade.
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I’m a fan of seriously umami flavoured foods (I adore anchovies and can eat them straight out of the tin.) But – I do recognise not everyone is so enamoured of tapenade and the like as me.
The thing is, love ’em or hate ’em, there’s no doubting that olives pack some pretty hefty punch in the nutritional stakes.
Me, I’m a fan of the Kalamata olive – In addition to their taste, Kalamatas are a good source of fibre, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin K. They also provide some magnesium, phosphorous and potassium, as well as B vitamins.
And, of course, the healthy fats in olives are extracted to produce extra virgin olive oil. We all know that olive oil is one GREAT source of happy fat.
As so often happens, I woke up dreaming about alternative flavour-bomb options for tapenade; a way to make this traditional olive spread a little more widely accessible. Perhaps, to make it a smidge sweeter.
And, I thought pomegranate might just be one option to explore…
pomegranate molasses, that is.
I had a bit of a play, and this little beauty was the end result. The beautiful thing about this little recipe, is that I had all the ingredients to hand in my pantry (and fridge). I didn’t even need to leave the house!
Wondering what to do with your pomegranate tapenade?
- Use as a dip for vegetable crudités or plantain chips
- Stir through zucchini ‘zoodles’ for a super quick meal.
- Add it to your pizza base in the place of tomato sauce.
- Scoop a little on the top of your lunch-time salad.
- Stuff half an avocado for a very nutrient dense snack.
- Add it to the top of your fish or chicken filet before baking (As seen in the pic’ above – it’s my favourite!)
- 1½ cups kalamata olives, pitted and drained
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 2½ teaspoons pomegranate molasses
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Combine olives, capers, pomegranate molasses, rosemary, and vinegar in processor. Pulse to coarsely chop the olives. With motor running, add olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl.
- Let tapenade stand 2 hours at room temperature to blend flavors.
- Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
