Tapenades are traditionally made with olives and capers, but not always! Sometimes pestos contain olives. It can be confusing. I think of tapenade as more of a puréed vegetable than a pesto with an herb or leafy-green base, which can be an uncooked sauce.

The last meal I posted was my Pork Tenderloin Over A Bed Of Cannellini Beans. I had quite a bit of the beans left over. I didn’t want them to go to waste; they were so delicious, so I turned them into a quick cannellini bean tapenade for the next day.

The cannellini beans were prepared with sautèed leeks, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. All I need is a few extra ingredients, and I’ll be able to have an amazing lunch.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 to 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yields: 8 servings
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheets, 1 (10-cup) food processor, chef’s knife, cutting board, pastry brush

Ingredients for the Oven-Toasted Ciabatta Bread:
1 loaf of Ciabatta bread, sliced and toasted or grilled (yields 16 slices)
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground to taste

Ingredients for the Tomato Salad Topping:
2 pints of yellow and red grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup *E.V.O.O.
Garnish:
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

Ingredients for the Cannellini Bean Tapenade:
3 (15.5-ounce) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped and processed
4 ounces Pecorino cheese, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup *E.V.O.O
Garnish:
2 tablespoons of chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

Instructions for the Oven-Toasted Ciabatta Bread:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Slice the Ciabatta bread at a 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the ciabatta with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Place on the center rack. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the toast cool slightly before adding the toppings.

Instructions for Grilling the Ciabatta Bread:
Preheat the indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the Ciabatta with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Arrange the bread on the grill. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side.

Instructions for the Grape Tomato Salad Topping:
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients listed above for the tomato salad, and mix. Set aside to let marinate.

Instructions for the Cannellini Bean Tapenade:
Start with a food processor fitted with a metal blade. First, cut the cheese up into cubes. Add the cheese to the food processor. Turn the processor on and run for about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is the consistency (refer to pictures above) you want. Second, process the sun-dried tomatoes until finely chopped.

Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor except the *E.V.O.O. Pulse until combined. Next, add the grated cheese and pulse until just combined. Last, add the *E.V.O.O. through the feeding tube. Continue pulsing until the tapenade reaches the desired consistency (refer to the picture above). Transfer into a serving bowl. Drizzle a little *E.V.O.O. over the top of the tapenade.

To serve, spread the tapenade over the grilled or toasted Ciabatta. Top with my colorful Tomato Salad.

There you have it, my Cannellini Bean Tapenade.

Notes:
1) *E.V.O.O. is an acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/09/17/apricot-and-soy-glazed-pork-tenderloin/