Name: Fig Tapenade Crostini with a Watercress Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup black olives; 1 teaspoon capers; 1 clove garlic (chopped); Zest and juice of 1 lemon; 8-10 fresh figs (depending on size); Salt and pepper; Olive oil; ½ bunch chives (finely chopped); 1 Baguette (or ciabatta, cut into thin slices and toasted); 3 tablespoons olive oil; Juice of one lemon; Salt and pepper; 4-6 ounces watercress (use some watercress microgreens too if you can find them); 24 small fresh green figs (halved)

By Pascale Beale

Oval platter with fig and tapenade crostini atop watercress salad. — Photo: Media 27

This is what you make when you have either too many figs or too many ripe figs. Olives and figs are oddly wonderful together—it’s that whole salty-sweet thing that can work so well. You can also serve the crostini as an appetizer.

Ingredients

For the Crostini

1 cup black olives
1 teaspoon capers
1 clove garlic, chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
8-10 fresh figs, depending on size
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
1 Baguette, or ciabatta, cut into thin slices and toasted

For the Salad

3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper
4-6 ounces watercress, use some watercress microgreens too if you can find them
24 small fresh green figs, halved

Instructions

For the Crostini

Place the olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice and zest and figs in a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse tapenade.
Drizzle a little olive oil onto each slice of toast and spoon some of the tapenade onto the toasts. Sprinkle the tops of each crostini with some of the chopped chives.

For the Salad

Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Divide the watercress greens between 8 plates and arrange the figs on top of the greens. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Place 2 or 3 crostini onto each plate and serve.

Nutrition

Fig Tapenade Crostini with a Watercress Salad