Intro & Pungent Olive Spread

[Guest guest]

Greetings all!

 

I'm new on the list, and joined because, besides being vegetarian, I have a love

for things spicy and pungent.

 

Home is Vancouver Island, Canada, where things like peppers can be grown, but

prefer hot beds, coldframes and greenhouses. Grocery stores do carry a good

selection of imported hot peppers.

 

Over the past six years, I've been self-teaching in classical studies, including

the ancient Roman diet. Here is one of my favorite pungent & peppery recipes

for Saturnalia (Dec. 17 - 24). The Romans loved black pepper, and at one point

the city was ransomed with pepper.

 

There are some similar modern recipes called " tapinades " but they are not

(quite) like this.

 

PUNGENT OLIVE SPREAD

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups pitted black olives (can use calamata)

2 - 3 tablespoons drained capers*

1 large clove garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar*

2 tablespoons fish sauce**veg version

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more to taste)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

METHOD

Puree the olives with all the other ingredients except oil. When you have a

coarse paste, gradually drizzle the oil into the blender. Serve at room

temperature with bread. Store unused portion in sealed container in

refrigerator. Keeps well.

 

* these two ingredients add tartness; the Romans loved vinegar and used it

widely

 

** Vietnamese or Thai sauces work best. Veg version

 

ENJOY.

 

Silvana