Recipes

Recipe: Tuna Tapenade?

This simple but elegant appetizer can be made in advance, then quickly assembled when guests arrive

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: Flickr/roboppy

Mascarpone cheese keeps this spread light and creamy

The grown-up version of tuna salad, this appetizer is delicate, yet full of flavour

Perfect for easy summer entertaining, try this simple recipe by Linda Meinhardt. 


Ingredients

  • 10 oz. canned or jarred 
Italian tuna, packed in 
olive oil

  • 2 tsp. anchovy paste

  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 tsp. minced fresh parsley

  • 1 tsp. lemon zest

  • 2 tsp. minced garlic

  • 3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil

  • 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

  • 1/4 cup pitted and chopped Taggiasche olives

  • 1 Tbsp. drained capers

  • 1 tsp. Maldon salt

  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 baguette, sliced and toasted

  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish



Instructions

  1. Drain all but a tablespoon of olive oil from the tuna and then flake the fish.
  2. Add the anchovy paste, thyme, parsley, lemon zest and garlic and stir.
  3. Add the lemon juice and the 3 Tbsp. olive oil and mix well, until almost smooth.
  4. Fold in the mascarpone cheese, chopped olives and capers.
  5. Add the salt and pepper.
  6. Refrigerate mixture for at least an hour.
  7. Mound the tapenade on each slightly cooled, toasted baguette slice, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Yields 36 pieces.

Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.