3.0K shares





This rich, soft Fig and Black Olive Tapenade with Rosemary is my twist on traditional tapenade. Dark, deep & earthy olives are blended with ripe, plump & juicy figs to make an irresistibly delicious spread with a striking balance of sweet & savoury flavours.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a local cafe called Pure Vanilla, the same cafe that the inspiration for my Raspberry Walnut Squares came from. We went there for lunch a few weeks ago and I ordered the Mezze Plate. The tapenade totally took me by surprise when I tried it. It was so incredibly delicious and had a flavour that I just couldn't put my finger on. When I finished eating I was so curious that I had to go check the menu again. It turns out that it had figs in it.

As soon as we left I went on a fig hunt. I needed to recreate it stat and within an hour of returning home I had myself a lovely pot of beautiful, rich, soft Fig and Black Olive Tapenade with Rosemary. It was so good I ended up eating a lot of it straight from the food processor when I was decanting it. Mine tastes a little different to theirs but in a good way.

The flavours in this Fig and Black Olive Tapenade are complex but mind blowingly delicious . The combination of deep, earthy black olives and sweet, ripe, roasted plump figs is a taste sensation and the addition of a little fresh and fragrant rosemary gives it an added pop. It makes a lovely change to standard tapenade and is great for people who tend to find the regular kind a little strong and olivey.

Ways to use this Fig and Black Olive Tapenade with Rosemary:

With fresh crusty bread. It is particularly good with ciabatta, foccacia, baguette or pita bread.

As a dip with pita chips, crackers, bread sticks or chopped vegetables.

On crostini

As part of a platter with all of the above plus some good vegan cheese and a plentiful supply of red wine (great for parties and get togethers).

As a sandwich or wrap filling

As an alternative to tomato sauce on pizza

In a simple pasta dish - Toss quarter cup through a serving of cooked pasta. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan (I make a quick one one with brazil nuts, nutritional, yeast, salt, a small piece of lemon zest and a pinch of smoked paprika - whiz in a blender and you're done)

Stirred through freshly boiled and drained new potatoes for a great side or snack

Black Olive Tapenade with Figs & Rosemary Melanie McDonald This rich, soft Fig and Black Olive Tapenade with Rosemary is my twist on traditional tapenade. Dark, deep & earthy olives are blended with ripe, plump & juicy figs to make an irresistibly delicious spread with a striking balance of sweet & savoury flavours. 5 from 2 votes Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 25 mins Course Appetizer, Lunch, Snack Cuisine vegan Servings 1 cup Calories 124 kcal Ingredients 1x 2x 3x 6 fresh figs (any kind) or 6 plump Black Mission Dried Figs 6 fresh figs (any kind) or 6 plump Black Mission Dried Figs

398ml | 14oz jar or can black olives , (a slightly smaller or larger can or jar is fine and in oil or brine is ok) 398ml | 14oz jar or can black olives , (a slightly smaller or larger can or jar is fine and in oil or brine is ok)

1 small clove garlic 1 small clove garlic

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon fresh rosemary (see recipe notes) ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary (see recipe notes) INSTRUCTIONS If using fresh figs preheat oven to 350°F If using fresh figs preheat oven to 350°F

Cut the stems off the figs and place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Cut the stems off the figs and place on a baking sheet . Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

If using dried figs put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water to soften them up. Drain after about 15 minutes. If using dried figs put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water to soften them up. Drain after about 15 minutes.

Drain the olives and add them along with all of the other ingredients, including the figs, to a food processor and process until well combined and to the texture you prefer. Drain the olives and add them along with all of the other ingredients, including the figs, to a food processor and process until well combined and to the texture you prefer.

Will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week. Will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week. NOTES Dried rosemary is ok to use but is a little harder and more brittle than fresh so you might notice little hard bits in the finished tapenade. NUTRITION Serving: 2 ½ tablespoons Calories: 124 kcal Carbohydrates: 12 g Fat: 8 g Sodium: 190 mg Potassium: 118 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 8 g Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy only. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only. Tried this recipe? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan Get my Top 10 reader's favourite recipes e-Cookbook FREE!