Fig & Pine Nut Tapenade

We had a dinner party with friends this weekend and much to my advantage, one of the attendees is a photographer. And, he is great at taking pictures of food, which I believe is an art in itself. Therefore, I thought I would be foolish to not post this picture of the tapenade I made as an appetizer for the party. Believe me, this gorgeous picture will probably be the best of all food pics for quite a while until I start understanding the nuances of properly capturing a dish's beauty. So there you go and be prepared for all the unfocused, seemingly unappetizing images that will be forthcoming due to my inexperience.

Fig & Pine Nut Tapenade

1 c. chopped stemmed dried figs

1/3 c. water

1/3 c. chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. drained capers, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts

Combine chopped figs and 1/3 cup water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and figs are soft. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in all other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Cover & refrigerate.

I served this tapenade with herbed goat cheese and crostini. The goat cheese mellows out the flavor of the tapenade and the crustiness of the crostini adds the necessary texture. Best when served at room temperature.