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The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Sakkarin » Wed Feb 07, 2018 6:57 pm

I was going to say "I've no idea" and pass it on, but spotted this, so I guess the answer is yes! I was also tempted to add a splash of lemon juice to mine earlier, however I'd draw the line at coriander...

Image

As always, Felicity's already trod that ground:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... t-tapenade

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby karadekoolaid » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:16 pm

To be honest, WFF, you can make it with any olives you want. Just don`t call it "Tapenade" if there`s a purist about!!

I agree with you, Sakks - coriander sort of pulls it way away from the original, but lemon (or lime juice) really works well. It lightens the flavour a bit.

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Renée » Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:53 pm

WF, I can remember counting 40 different varieties of olives in the window display at Katsouri's on Bury market.

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:26 am

A tip you may already know, but which was new to me quite recently
When making things like tapemade don't play about with olive stoners, just put the olive down on the board and press with your hand. The stone will slide out, leaving rags of olive flesh to grind up

Note works with nice ripe Kalamata and other such olives but not with slighly crunchy green ones

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Renée » Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:17 am

Thanks for the useful tip! I did read that it's better to buy olives with the stones in for a better flavour.

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Sakkarin » Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:03 pm

I thought I'd check out Elizabeth David's view on tapenade. Her first mention of it doesn't include olives at all!

Elizabeth David, A Book of Mediterranean Food, 1950
2 tbs Capers
6 Anchovy Fillets
1 cup Olive Oil*
Juice of 1 Lemon
Black Pepper

Elizabeth David, French Provincial Cooking, 1960:
24 Black Olives
8 Anchovy Fillets
3 tbs Capers*
50g Tuna
0.5 cup Olive Oil*
Lemon Juice
Optional: Mustard, a few drops Cognac

(Actual quantities: 2 heaped tbs capers, I always use level ones so I went for 3; in FPC, she says an "after-dinner coffee cupful" of oil - no idea what that is, but clearly less than the full standard cupful. I went for half a cup. She may have meant that in the first recipe too)

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:37 pm

I think an "after-dinner coffee cupful" is a demi-tasse, the littl'uns, similar to an espresso cup. Mine hold 75 ml, 5 TBS, which seems proportionate to the other ingredients though rather less than a half measuring cup

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Sakkarin » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:28 pm

Thanks for clearing that up. The Mediterranean Food recipe cup IS a normal cup, as I've just looked and there is a "measures" section at the front of it.

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Joanbunting » Thu Feb 08, 2018 4:03 pm

Don't believe a word of ED's French Provincial Cooking recipe. I have never ever known a local cook/ chef add tuna, mustard or, heaven help us cognac !

Tapenade, like achoiade, poischichade etc are all the sort of dishes you just make with approx measures and proportions according to your own taste, or your mother's or grandmothers.

I made my first one under the supervision of a local lady who became a life-long friend and mentor on all things foodie and Provencal. She simply took hadfulls of this and pinches of that and tasted, tasted , tasted - just like my own grandmother. Fortunately I wrote down most of what she taught me because she didn't have children and when she died a couple of years ago it would have all gone with her.

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Alexandria » Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:43 pm

Joan,

Sorry to hear ..

Yes, very true, on a pinch of this and a pinch of that ..

Like my grandmoms and my mom and mom in law ..

:thumbsup :thumbsup
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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Alexandria » Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:45 pm

Sakkarin,

What a total contrast ..

:stfu :stfu
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

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Re: The Olive Connection: Which are your faves?

Postby Alexandria » Fri Feb 09, 2018 5:48 pm

KKK,

Interesting that you add a "sweet" profile to your Caponata ..


Sakkarin,

Those black olives and other "amuses boûches" (aperitifs ) like the anchovies look wonderful ..

Have a lovely weekend Gentlemen ..
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

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