Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade

Looking for a quick and delicious appetizer that tastes like summer even in December? Look no further than my Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade! All you need is a food processor (or blender in a pinch), some jars of roasted red pepper and a few other essential ingredients. This dish whips together in minutes. Serve on crostini (grilled or toasted bagette slices), or you can use the tapenade over grilled fish, chicken or beef, OR as a lovely sauce for hot pasta. How versatile is this? Okay, let’s get started.

Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade

2 12 oz jars of roasted red peppers, drained well
2 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained well
4 tsp capers, drained well
2 TBSP chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, add all of the ingredients above. Pulse until mixture is chunky and fully incorporated. Do not puree! At this point I usually take a strainer and drain some of the liquid from the mixture so that it isn’t quite so wet. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Letting the mixture sit for a while really blends the flavors. Enjoy!