Meyer Lemon Tapenade

Last summer I got a small Meyer lemon tree and it has been sitting in the window of my studio soaking up the sun... what little of it we have this time of year.  The teeny lemon that was on the tree when I got it actually ripened.  To celebrate my first lemon, I used it in my mom's tapenade recipe.

We don't actually have a set recipe for this dish, but here is what we normally use for a gathering of 8 - 10 people: 4c pitted black olives, 1c feta cheese, 1/4 grated Parmesan, 1 tbsp anchovy paste, 1 tsp capers, 1 lg clove garlic, 1 tsp grated lemon rind, olive oil to bind, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2c chopped parsley. These quantities should be adjusted to taste. I sometimes like a few more capers or a little more garlic.

Personally I prefer a tapenade with a little texture, as opposed to a smooth paste. Mix together the olive oil, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic, lemon rind, and Parmesan.  Rough chop the olives, crumble the feta and chop the capers. The two sets of ingredients are then mixed together.  At this point I usually add a little more olive oil and Parmesan. Served on a small tasty cracker or a little bite of crusty bread - taste bud buster. All hail the Meyer Lemon!