olive tapenade

Ingredients:

8 oz pitted black olives, such as Kalamata or Nicoise,

2 T capers, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp finely chopped fresh thyme

2 T chopped parsley

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

6 T extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

Olive Oil Crostini, recipe below

Directions:

Combine olives, capers, garlic, mustard, thyme, parsley, crushed red pepper and lemon juice, and half of the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine well, then allow to process until mixture is coarsely pureed, adding more olive oil as needed to obtain desired consistency.

Top crostini with tapenade and serve.

Makes about 24

Olive Oil Crostini

Ingredients:

1 thin baguette, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Use a pastry brush to brush the bread slices with olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Makes about 24