anchovies

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Tapenade, the french condiment which you might recognize from many a charcuterie board, is a lovely addition to any main course. It is packed with saltiness from the luscious combination of olives, capers, and anchovies and is rounded out by tangy lemon. Serve it on fish, chicken or vegetables to instantly elevate any meal or enjoy it on fresh bread or crackers. Here, I use flounder, but a similar white fish like halibut, sol, haddock, or catfish will work just fine. Flounder with green tapenade is quick and easy to prepare and accentuates all of those flavors.

Serve this dish on a bed of greens, with crusty bread, for a light, nourishing, and deeply satisfying weeknight meal. You can prepare flounder with green tapenade in a matter of minutes. 

ingredients

for the green tapenade

  • 4-5 fillets of anchovies
  • ½ cup green olives, pitted
  • ½ cup parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon lemon zest
  • Pinch of salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

for the flounder

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon parsley
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

tapenade steps

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 7-8 times for 2 seconds each until blended. You want to retain some texture and not totally puree the tapenade. Alternatively, you can finally chop each ingredient and mix it together by hand.

flounder and assembly steps

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, salt, and pepper. Place the flounder, skin-side down in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish to evenly coat.

Serve the tapenade over the fish with a side of mixed raw or sautéed greens and crusty bread. 

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Tapenade is a the french condiment which you might recognize from many a charcuterie board. In addition to appetizers, tapenade is a lovely salty, briny, addition to any main course. It is typically made with a mix of olives and always includes capers. Here is a green tapenade version which emphasizes green olives. Green tapenade is packed with saltiness from the luscious combination of olives, capers, and anchovies and is rounded out by tangy lemon. Serve green tapenade as a snack or on fish, chicken or vegetables to instantly elevate any meal.

ingredients

  • 4-5 fillets of anchovies
  • ½ cup green olives, pitted
  • ½ cup parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon lemon zest
  • Pinch of salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

steps

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 7-8 times for 2 seconds each until blended. You want to retain some texture and not totally puree the tapenade. Alternatively, you can finally chop each ingredient and mix it together by hand.

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I love beets. I love them boiled, roasted, pickled, in soup. I love their brilliant burgundy color. I love their subtle sweet flavor. I love their versatility. I love their countless health benefits. I want everyone to love roasted beets as much as I do.

Give these roasted beets a try if you are beet-curious or even beet-averse. Not only do the flavors blend harmoniously together but the colors are so beautiful and vibrant that you can’t help but marvel at the shades of red, pink, orange, maroon. 

This dish really accentuates all the wonders roasted beets have to offer, enhanced by blood orange in celebration of citrus season, crisp mint, earthy hazelnuts, and the salty tartness of lemon anchovy dijon. Who could resist?

Serves 4

ingredients

for the salad

  • 1 bunch beets, with greens reserved (use the greens at a later time)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 blood orange, peeled and sliced
  • ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, torn
  • ¼ cup hazelnuts

for the vinaigrette

  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
  • 5 anchovies, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon red or white wine vinegar 
  • ½ cup olive oil

steps

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel and chop the beets into 1-inch-sized pieces. Place the beets on a large piece of foil on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Fold up beets so that they are completely wrapped up in the tin foil. Bake for 45 minutes.

Place hazelnuts on a separate baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes then remove from the oven, let cool, and chop.

Meanwhile, add the chopped anchovies to a bowl and mix in the lemon juice, dijon, and vinegar. Whisk to break down the anchovies. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking until the dressing has emulsified. Set aside.

Remove the beets from the oven and let cool slightly then transfer to a dish. Scatter with the blood orange slices and mint leaves. Pour the dressing over the dish and top with the toasted hazelnuts.