Recipe: Sundried Tomato-Almond Tapenade

DRIED TOMATO-ALMOND TAPENADE

Serve with baguette slices, crackers and raw vegetables, or use as a sandwich spread.

2 cups sundried tomato halves (3 oz)
hot water (for reconstituting)
2/3 cup whole almonds, toasted*
1/3 cup water
1 (2 1/4 oz) can black olives, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
Salt to taste (optional)

In a bowl, cover tomatoes with hot water; set aside 15 minutes.

Place almonds in bowl of food processor. Using the steel blade, process pulsing on and off until coarsely chopped (you can use a blender for this also. Remove almonds and set aside.

Drain tomatoes; add tomatoes to food processor with remaining ingredients except almonds and salt. Process until almost smooth, pulsing on and off. Add almonds; pulse on and off to blend thoroughly. Season with salt.

Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.

*To toast almonds, spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in a 350 degree F oven and bake 5-10 minutes or until lightly brown; stir once or twice. Almonds will brown slightly more being removed from oven.

Makes about 2 cups
From: Judi, CA