Beet Leaf Tapanade

Story, photo and recipe courtesy of Green Door Gourmet
A fabulous way to utilize somewhat chewy and often discarded beetroot leaves, this recipe substitutes some of the olives with beet leaves as the main ingredient. Tapenade is a condiment with Mediterranean roots going back to early Roman times, Greece and the South of France where it is attributed to the cuisine of Provence and used as a spread on baguette as hors d’oeuvre or as a spread on sandwiches. I prefer to use Kalamata olives, but also try variations with green or black varieties.

6 ounces Beet leaves (1 large bunch), washed & dried

3 ounces Shallot (about 1 large), peeled & chopped

6 ounces Kalamata Olives, pitted

3 Tablespoons Capers, drained of brine & lightly rinsed

¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

3 ounces roasted Red Pepper, diced

Pull the leaves off the fibrous stems, roughly chop and place in a food processor with shallot, olive, capers, oil & juice. Pulse to combine, scrape down the sides with a spatula, and pulse until well mixed but there is still some texture that you can make out pieces of caper and olive. Transfer into a bowl and use spatula to fold in diced roasted red pepper. Serve as a condiment, with cheese or tapas- style foods, or as a topping for oily fish such as Salmon, Cod or Sea Bass.