Pistachio and Olive Tapenade

Do you love olives? Here is a recipe that I have been making for years and years.  When I looked through my archives, I was surprised that I hadn't shared it here yet.  This version of the classic tapenade does not include capers or anchovies but instead has an abundance of pistachios for crunch and delightful flavor. 

Made with both green olives with pimento and Kalamata olives, you can see the bits of pimento and pistachio in each bite.  Cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and black pepper season the mixture along with a little olive oil to hold it all together. 

This tapenade is so quick and easy to make (if you have a food processor) and can be made several days in advance, which is always a good thing when you entertain.  It's been a hit whenever I've served it.  This weekend, we host our gourmet group of 10 and this will be a little 'nibbler' I will put out with the cocktails before the first course is served. 

The original recipe comes from another Junior League cookbook, Colorado Collage.  I loved the comments that I received about other Junior League cookbooks that were recommended after a recent post and have since ordered a couple of them!  You may wonder what my fascination with Colorado cookbooks might be, being a Midwestern lady, but it's because our family would take ski trips to Colorado when our daughters still lived at home.  The cookbooks were purchased during those trips, which make them even more cherished.  They have become lost-lasting favorites. 

Summer has been wonderful and I can't believe tomorrow is August 1st!  Our oldest grandson, the almost-six-year-old-Ninja, has just begun taking soccer lessons.  The youngest, who is three, loves his Papa, Dusty Crophopper and Lightening McQueen. Evenings on the patio have been so glorious after a cool start to summer.  We love watching the deer and her fawns eat my hostas (they only eat the lighter green hostas that you see in the photo - none of the others), and the garden is offering an abundance of cut flowers to brighten our tables.

Pistachio and Olive Tapenade

Adapted from Colorado Collage Printable Recipe Makes about 2 cups of tapenade  Note:  My recipe uses less cilantro and garlic than the original recipe.  I you really love both, use more. Also, the original uses regular green olives without pimento, but I enjoy the added flavor of the pimento-stuffed green olives. 3/4 cup shelled pistachios 1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives (any size) 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives 2 cloves (about 2 teaspoons) minced, fresh garlic 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves 1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil In a food processor, pulse everything except the olive oil until coarsely chopped. Add the smallest amount of olive oil first and blend with a few pulses, being careful not to turn the tapenade into a pasty consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Chill until ready to serve. Can be made two to three days in advance. Tip - When buying fresh cilantro, don't throw out rest of the bunch when you only need a small amount for a recipe. Snip off all of the leaves, place in a colander or salad spinner, rinse or spin and dry on paper toweling. Put the clean, dry leaves in a plastic zipper bag and store in the freezer. Fresh cilantro, any time!

Baked Caramelized Onion Spread

Need a quick and easy appetizer for your next football gathering? Here is one that is so easy, delicious and made with ingredients you may already have in your home. All you need are sweet onions, mayonnaise, shredded cheese and a baguette or crackers for serving.

Every time I make this recipe I am reminded of a fall weekend gathering at a dear friend's home in Ohio shortly after they moved there from Wisconsin.  They had been a big part of our social life and were in our gourmet group.  They invited six of us (3 couples) to Chagrin Falls, Ohio to spend the weekend and see their new home.  We all cooked together in their kitchen and shared two wonderful dinners in their home that weekend...one of which started with this appetizer which I helped prepare. My friend shared the recipe with me before we returned home.

I don't know the original recipe source but there are many similar recipes on the internet - some much more elaborate. I love the simplicity of my friend's original recipe which really lets the flavor of the onions shine through. I only add a dash of cayenne for a little 'kick'. 

The most time-consuming part of the recipe is the caramelizing of the onions which might take 20-30 minutes. You want them to be soft and golden. The caramelized onions are then mixed with mayo, shredded Swiss, Gruyère or Jarlsberg cheese, a touch of cayenne for a little 'zip' if you like, then the mixture is spread into an oven-proof baking dish and baked for 30 minutes.

So simple - so good!

Slather on a fresh baguette slice and grab a little parsley too! It's a perfect fall appetizer with a wonderful earthy flavor~

Baked Caramelized Onion Spread
Printable Recipe

After making this many times, I've increased the onions and cut back a little on the cheese and especially the mayonnaise with no damage to the great flavor of this recipe. (The original recipe calls for equal amounts of sliced onion, cheese and mayonnaise)

2 cups sliced Vidalia, Walla Walla, or other sweet onion
1-1/2 cups Swiss, Gruyère or Jarlsberg cheese, shredded (I used Jarlsberg this time)
3/4 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellman's Light)
Some cayenne for ‘kick’, about 1/2 teaspoon

Sauté the sliced onions in a heavy frying pan over medium heat with a little olive oil until soft, translucent and golden (don’t let them burn!).

Mix the caramelized onions with the shredded cheese, cayenne and mayo and pour into a shallow, oven-proof dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Garnish with parsley and serve with fresh baguette slices or an assortment of crackers.

Enjoy!