Tapenade is a black olive spread that hails from Provence, in the southeast corner of France. Olive trees and goats both thrive in this hot, dry region, and where you find tapenade, you often find chevre made from those goats' milk. This recipe, adapted from Le Bon Savoir du Fromage by Pierre Coulon, combines tapenade with chevre for a rich, creamy, and tangy spread with a briny bite thanks to garlic and capers. We like to make it with the chevre from Firefly Farms in Accident, Maryland. They use local goat milk that's processed within 24 hours of milking, resulting in a clean, gently tart cheese full of mineral goodness.
Serve this tapenade with crudités and crackers, spread it on bread, and add it to sandwiches. Or dive in with a spoon!
Serves 4 people | Cooking time: 8 minutes
- 2 4oz logs of Firefly Farms Chevre
- 8 oz pitted black olives
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 8 basil leaves
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and blend until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Then add the olive oil in a slow, thin stream while the food processor is running. You may need to stop and scrape the sides of the food processor with a spatula. The finished tapenade should appear thin and smooth, but not completely puréed.
Serve with toasted sourdough or baguette. Pairs well with rosé.
