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Black Olive Paste

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 21, 2007

Time

10 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes scant 1 cup)

Black Olive Paste

Ingredients

1 cup black olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted1 medium clove garlic, coarsely chopped2 anchovy fillets (optional)1 tablespoon capers ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves Pinch cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil

Before You Begin

You only need a tablespoon or so per serving of fish. Whatever paste is leftover can be spread on toast rounds and served as appetizers.

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade; process to a paste. Scrape into a small bowl. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for at least 1 month.)
Black Olive Paste

Black Olive Paste

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

10 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes scant 1 cup)

Ingredients

1 cup black olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted
1 medium clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 tablespoon capers
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients

1 cup black olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted
1 medium clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 tablespoon capers
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients

1 cup black olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted
1 medium clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 tablespoon capers
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

When we tested steamed fish recipes, we found the two most important variables affecting cooking time to be the thickness and texture of the individual fish. Times are more affected by the thickness of the fillet or steak, for example, than by weight or size; as long as they are roughly the same thickness, an 8-ounce salmon fillet and a 1-pound salmon fillet take the same amount of time to cook. The easiest and most effective way to add flavor to our steamed fish recipe was to steam the fish on a thick bed of herbs or other aromatics such as onion, lemon, or ginger. A simple sauce drizzled on the fish added even more flavor.

Before You Begin

You only need a tablespoon or so per serving of fish. Whatever paste is leftover can be spread on toast rounds and served as appetizers.

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade; process to a paste. Scrape into a small bowl. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for at least 1 month.)

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