On the Fly: Sweet & Savory

Here's the story, of a lovely lady,
who was busy making up 5 nice hors d'oevres.

All of them had toasted bread,
like crostini. Even some with herbs.

But then the lady burned the bread very badly.
She was pissed and didn't know just what to do!

But she always has a fresh baked loaf of datenut,
That is how she made this recipe up for you!

(If you didn't sing the Brady Bunch song in your head while reading that, then you are too young).

I always burn the crostini toasts. Always.

I walk away from the oven for only 2 minutes and they are ruined.
EVERY SINGLE TIME.
What is wrong with me? I need to sit by the oven and watch them. No more excuses.

But this time I was happy that I burned the bread.
Otherwise this recipe would never have come to fruition.

I had a party recently and was pressed for time, making all the last minute appetizers, and I was planning on that fantastic David Lebovitz fig tapenade for raisin crostini, however you know the outcome.

So.....I looked at the freshly baked datenut bread sitting on the counter, and decided sweet and savory it was going to be.

I cut the loaf into little jewel box squares, swiped with some tapenade, and little slices of cornichon pickle on top to create the most wonderful little appies.

So, if you happen to have datenut bread lying around, make these, they were so good!

David Lebovitz's Fig & Olive Tapenade:

1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) stemmed & quartered, dried Black Mission figs
1 cup water
1 cup black olives; Nicoise, Lyon, or Greek, rinsed and pitted
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 small garlic clove, peeled
2 anchovies, rinsed in warm water
1/2 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
black pepper and salt, if necessary

In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in the water for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.

If using a food processor, pulse the pitted olives, drained figs, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary to create a thick paste. Pulse in the olive oil until you've achieved a chunky-smooth paste. Season with black pepper and salt, if necessary. (The spread can be thinned with a bit of the reserved fig poaching liquid.)

If using a mortar and pestle (I used a meat tenderizer, because I don't have a mortar and pestle), mash the olives with the garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary. Pound in the drained figs. Once they are broken up, add the olive oil and season with black pepper, fig poaching liquid, and salt, if necessary.

Spread some of the tapenade on toasted raisin bread slices or in this case, datenut squares and top with a sliced cornichon pickle!



Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

Enjoy!