INGREDIDENTS
Tapenades have a long history, dating back thousands of years to the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. In their simplest form, tapenades consist of chopped olives, capers and olive oil. These days, there is a wide variety of flavors available but the difference will always be in the quality of their ingredients, starting of course with
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
McEvoy Ranch Tapenades
If it was up to me, I’d just eat our tapenades right out of the jar, maybe spread on a little French bread. They’re that good. But the great thing about these tapenades is how versatile they are. I love to cook, but sometimes I need to whip up something quickly for folks coming over at the last minute, or simply because I don’t have the time or energy to put together a more complicated dish. That’s when our tapenades can really shine. Their flavors work with so many different ingredients and their composition is so good that they blend well in dips, sauces and soups as well as working on their own as spreads and toppings.
McEvoy Ranch tapenades come in three flavors:
Artichoke and Almond,
Spicy Green Olive and Olive and Roasted Red Pepper. All are made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and each are simple yet delicious blends that let the pure flavors shine through. The Artichoke and Almond is mild on the palate, with the earthiness of the artichoke balanced with a touch of lemon and the nuttiness of the almond. It’s a great twist on the traditional Provencal spread and works great as a stuffing for mushrooms or peppers.
Spicy Green Olive? Just as the name says, this packs a bit of a kick, with dried chili peppers and capers adding a touch of heat to the savory green olives. As a full flavored tapenade, this can hold up to bold flavors; try topping a grilled steak with some of the spicy green olive for a Mediterranean take on grilled meats.
Our Olive and Roasted Red Pepper might be our most versatile tapenade. This medium bodied tapenade combines green and black olives with slightly smoky roasted red pepper and a touch of garlic. One of my favorite things to do with this tapenade is to use it as a rub on roasted chicken; just rub some under the skin of the bird before putting it in the oven. Molto Bene!
Tips & Recipes
Here are some other quick and easy ideas to put our tapenades to work, along with a fun, super easy recipe for Parmesan Pinwheels:
- Spread crackers or baguette slices with cream cheese or fresh goat cheese and top with tapenade.
- Bake tapenade Parmesan Pinwheels; see recipe below.
- Toss with freshly cooked pasta; add a touch of fresh Parmesan, pine nuts, grilled shrimp or andouille sausage.
- Thin with olive oil and use for dipping bread or veggies.
- Mix into hummus.
- Stuff mushroom caps and roast.
- Use as a sauce base for pizza.
- Use as a salad topper.
- Top a burger or a veggie burger.
- Spice up an egg salad sandwich.
- Mix into home made aioli as a dip or sandwich spread.
- Use as a topping for grilled fish.
- Tuck under the skin when roasting chicken.
- Fill an omelette.
- Use as a layer in lasagna.
- Garnish soup.
- Fill an endive leaf - top with fresh mozzarella - drizzle with olive oil.
And here’s our recipe for Parmesan Pinwheels:
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Roll 1 sheet of puff pastry into 14 x 11 rectangle
- Sprinkle with ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Spread ½ jar McEvoy tapenade
- Starting with the short side, roll up like a jelly roll
- Wrap in plastic wrap and chill or freeze until firm
- Cut into ⅛ “ slices
- Bake for 10 minutes or until brown
Happy tapenade-ing!
Shop our full selection of
tapenades here.
