Fig & Olive Tapenade
Tu B’Shevat celebrations often feature abundant spreads of fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables. Most often, the seven species of biblical Israel are central to the celebrations and traditionally eaten for the holiday. These seven species include wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.
To celebrate Tu B’Shevat in 2021 when we couldn’t be together in person, we put on a seven species grazing board workshop! It’s the perfect treat for daylong noshing in your own home! In this workshop, we taught everyone how to make three dishes that included each of the seven species. These were roasted grape and goat cheese crostini, herbed barley salad with feta & pomegranate olive and this fig & olive tapenade.
We hope this recipe provides you with inspiration for your own grazing board!
Ingredients
½ cup dried figs, stems trimmed
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 anchovy fillet or a ¼ tsp capers
2 tsp fresh lemon juice, more to taste
1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
¼ tsp lemon zest
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed
directions
If your dried figs are soft and plump you can coarsely chop them and proceed with the recipe. If your figs are stiff and hard, place them in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until soft and pliable, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and coarsely chop.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chopped figs, olives, anchovies or capers, lemon juice, garlic and lemon zest. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil, and process until mixture becomes a paste, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. Adding more olive oil if your tapenade is thick.
The tapenade will keep in your fridge for one to two weeks.
