Olive tapenade

PREPARATION  10 minutes

MAKES  1.5 cups

400 g (14 oz/2¹/₃ cups) pitted kalamata olives

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained

2 tablespoons capers in brine, rinsed, squeezed dry

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil

1 tablespoon brandy, optional

Place the kalamata olives, the crushed garlic, anchovies, capers, chopped thyme, dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and brandy in a food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon into a clean, warm jar, cover with a layer of olive oil, seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Serve on bruschetta or with a meze plate.

Note: When refrigerated, the olive oil may solidify, making it an opaque white colour. This is a property of olive oil and will not affect the flavour of the dish. Simply bring the dish to room temperature before serving and the olive oil with return to a liquid state.