Provençal recipe, this black olive dip is a tapenade without anchovies nor capers. This black olive paste is ready in just a few minutes, served with fresh bread, toast, or pita bread.

Black olive dip
Simplified version of tapenade without anchovies nor capers.
Ingredients
- 180 g black olives (picholine ou kalamata) pitted
- 1 clove orgarlic épluchées et coupées en 4
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 lemon (juice only)
- 4 Tbsps olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Separate the basil leaves from the sprigs. Peel the garlic clove and cut into 3-4 parts.
- Place olives, garlic and basil leaves in a food processor bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil.

- Pulse 2-3 times for a few seconds.The olivada should have a slightly grainy texture.

- Season to taste and serve with your favorite bread.

Greek salad
This Greek salad is one of my favorite things. No matter how much I make, it seems to always disappear.

Greek salad
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes
- 1-2 cucumbers
- 1 bell pepper (any color)
- 1/2 red onion
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp dry oregano leaves
- 100 g greek Kalamata olives pitted
- 100 g feta cheese
- 1/2 lemon
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes in quarters.

- Slice the cucumbers in half long ways (remove seeds if desired) and cut 1/4 inch slices, starting at one end, so that you end up with bunch of half moon shapes or the letter “C”.

- Remove the core and seeds from the bell pepper and cut into strips.

- Peel the onion and cut into perfectly thin slices.

- Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper and olives in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and dry oregano. Mix.
- Top it with sliced feta cheese. Squeeze the lemon on salad and drizzle with olive oil.

- If you like to serve your Greek Salad in individual cups, you can cut the vegetables into small cubes.

Homemade Olive Tapenade
The homemade olive tapenade is a dip or paste made with olives (black or green), anchovies and capers. This appetizer comes from Provence, France and is great with fresh bread or toast. With the help of a food processor, or blender, this hors d’oeuvre is ready within 5 minutes.

Homemade Olive Tapenade
The anchovies are very salty. If you find your tapenade too salty, add more olives or olive oil.
Ingredients
- 200 g black olives pitted
- 1 Tbsp capers (optional)
- 20 g anchovies filets in oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lemon (juice only)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in an electric blender. Pulse a few times until finely chopped. The tapenade should have small pieces of olives. Do not over blend!

- Serve with crackers or fresh baguette slices.
