Artichoke Tapenade
A breezy French tapenade that borrows from its Mediterranean neighbours.
by Erin Henderson
Here's a little trivia to win friends and influence people at your next cocktail party: tapenade is derived from the Provençal French dialect tapeno, which means capers.
Tapenades are mostly associated with the deeply flavoured, black olive spread, which usually includes capers and often anchovies. And while that's the most popular one, really, tapenades can be any kind of spread from eggplant to mushroom to roasted red peppers, and, of course, artichoke.
Artichokes are most commonly associated with Italy, where they're a flagship of spring cooking. Of course, that's over simplifying things a bit; artichokes are available everywhere these days, and what makes this tapenade particularly easy as well as flavourful is utilizing jarred, marinated artichokes – no fretting over trying to peel the thorny thistle in search of that hidden heart.
Artichoke Tapenade
This springtime dip makes an excellent spread on burgers and sandwiches, toppings for fish or chicken, even mixed into pasta. Made from almost all preserved things, it will keep well in the fridge for a week without worry.
Makes: about ¾ litre
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
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1/4 cup oil from artichokes
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½ cup celery, diced
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1 cup shallot, finely chopped
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3 garlic cloves, minced
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1/2 cup dry white wine
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1 lemon, zested and juiced
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500ml marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (oil reserved)
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1/2 cup pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano, chopped
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2 tablespoons capers in brine, drained and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup parmesan, finely grated
How to Make It:
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In a large, deep skillet, heat the the reserved artichoke oil until shimmering. Add the celery, onion, and garlic and cook over moderate heat until just softened, 4 minutes.
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Add the wine stirring to incorporate and allow to reduce by half.
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Add the artichokes, olives, and capers. Simmer over low heat for about 3-4 minutes to infuse flavours.
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Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, zest and parmesan, and allow to cool.
Wine Pairing
I like a northern Italian white for this spread. A Soave, made from the Garganega grape, is typically bright and zesty with citrus and mineral notes with silky, mid-weight texture. The crisp wine compliments the decadent tapenade, while the saltiness of the dip brings out the fruit in the wine.