Salty Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade

  This tapenade has become a refrigerator staple. I became obsessed with making it while I was pregnant- because I seriously craved everything salty- and then had to take a break from looking at it for about a year after my son was born. But I'm back at making it since it's always a favorite around here. I usually keep it in a airtight glass tupperware and we spread it on sandwiches, eat it with lox, and even use it as a rub for chicken.

Ingredients
2 cups sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 cup kalamata olives, squeezed from juice
1 cup Spanish green olives with pimentos, squeezed from juice
2 cups fresh basil
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup capers
2 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Squeeze all olives from excess juice- drying them as much as possible. In a food processor or blender combine sun-dried tomatoes in oil, olives, basil, garlic, capers, black pepper, and kosher salt. Pulse or blend until ingredients become completely combined and grainy. pulse until all bits are even and there are no chunks. Do not blend into a paste. Pour tapenade into a bowl and stir in extra virgin olive oil. Keep in an airtight container.

Bon Appétit!