Julie Hettigerís Croutons with Tapenade
12 Servings

3 large garlic cloves
1 1/4 cups pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
4 anchovy fillets
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cognac
1 French bread baguette, sliced into rounds

Finely chop 1 garlic clove in food processor. Add olives, anchovies, capers, thyme and rosemary. Process until almost smooth. Add lemon juice and cognac. With machine running, gradually add 4 tablespoons olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with pepper and transfer to a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange bread slices on 2 baking sheets. Bake bread until crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Rub remaining 2 garlic cloves over 1 side of each crouton. Lightly brush croutons with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Serve croutons warm or at room temperature with tapenade. (Can be prepared 3 days in advance and stored covered and refrigerated. Croutons should be stored in an airtight container.)

Julie Hettiger is a food stylist who also specializes in recipe development and testing. She can be reached at jhettiger@aol.com.