This Gilda-Style Green Olive Tapenade with Anchovies started with a single bite in San Sebastián. Trying a speared anchovy as part of a Gilda was the first time I realized I liked anchovies. Growing up, they were the only thing my parents didn't like, so in solidarity, I didn't like them either (meaning I never tried them). I was in my 30s before I popped one in my mouth that fateful day in Spain, and my life has never been the same.
A Gilda is a classic Basque pintxo: an anchovy, a green olive and a pickled pepper on a skewer. This green olive tapenade turns it chunky and spoonable, with the anchovies working as seasoning and a generous pile of olives and peppers for the body. It reads like a Gilda in a bowl, with one traditional skewer on top, so nobody has to wonder what inspired it. Spooned onto warm potato chips, it's an appetizer, and it doubles as a salsa over grilled fish.
This recipe is part of my Feast of Seven Tinned Fishes series, along with Octopus Ragu and Portuguese Garlic Sardines.
If sauces and chunky relishes for seafood are your jam, try my Italian Salsa Verde, Whole Tilapia with Green Olive Pistachio Relish and Chimichurri Sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
A Gilda works because every bite is salty, briny and a little spicy all at once. This tapenade keeps that balance - the anchovies are the seasoning: minced into the mix, they disappear into the olives and peppers and make everything taste deeper and more savory without being fishy. The olives and peppers are the body, so it stays chunky and scoopable instead of turning into a paste.
A short rest lets the shallot mellow and the flavors come together. And warm chips are the final touch. A few minutes in the oven makes them extra crisp and a little toasty, which plays off the cool, briny tapenade.
The Ingredients
Oil-packed anchovy fillets. One standard small tin. Seven get minced into the tapenade, and one is saved for the skewer. Anchovy paste works too (see the notes).
Green Manzanilla olives. Mild and meaty, and easy to find already pitted.
Guindilla peppers. These mild, slender pickled peppers from the Basque Country are the traditional pepper in a Gilda. You'll also find them sold as piparras. Italian or Greek-style pepperoncini work in the tapenade if you can't find them.
Shallot. Sliced thin and used raw for a little bite.
Chives. Fresh and bright. Flat-leaf parsley works too.
Extra-virgin olive oil and lemon zest. The oil ties everything together, and the zest keeps it fresh.
Chips. Thick-cut, plain or lightly salted. They're sturdy enough to scoop.
A Few Things That'll Make This Easier
Chop by hand. A food processor turns this into a paste fast. A knife keeps it chunky, which is the whole point.
Taste after the rest. If it reads sharp, add more olive oil before you reach for anything else.
How to Make Green Olive Tapenade
1. Prep the anchovies
Mince 7 of them, and keep 1 whole for the skewer.
2. Chop and toss the olives and peppers
Slice shallot and add to olive oil. Add roughly chop the olives and peppers, setting aside one whole of each for the skewer. Combine with chives, anchovies and lemon zest, then let it rest about 10 minutes.
4. Build the skewer
Thread the reserved olive, pepper and anchovy onto a pick, classic Gilda style.
5. Warm the chips and serve
Warm the chips in the oven until extra crisp. Spoon the tapenade into a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and rest the skewer on top.
Serve It as a Dip or Spoon It Over Fish
As an appetizer, this green olive dip is made for warm chips, and it's easy to set out for a crowd. But don't stop there. Spoon it over grilled salmon, white fish, shrimp or seared scallops, and it does the same job as a salsa verde or chimichurri: bright, briny and done in minutes.
What is a Gilda pintxo?
The Gilda is one of the most famous pintxos in San Sebastián, the Basque name for the small bites served on bar counters. I read that it was created in the 1940s at a bar called Casa Vallés and named after Rita Hayworth's character in the film Gilda, because like the fair lady herself, it was green, salty and a little spicy.
What do anchovies taste like?
Good oil-packed anchovies taste deeply savory and salty more than fishy, especially when they're minced into a dish. They melt into the background and make everything around them taste fuller. If you've avoided anchovies, this is a good place to start (speaking from experience).
What is tapenade?
Tapenade is a Provençal spread of chopped or pureed olives, traditionally with capers, anchovies and olive oil. This version trades the capers for pickled Basque peppers and stays chunky.
Print
Gilda-Style Green Olive Tapenade with Anchovies
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Pescatarian
Description
A chunky, briny green olive tapenade inspired by the classic Gilda pintxo, with anchovies as the seasoning and olives and pickled peppers for the body. Serve with warm chips, or spoon over grilled fish.
Ingredients
- 8 oil-packed flat anchovy fillets (about one small tin), divided: 7 minced, 1 reserved for the skewer
- 1 cup pitted green Manzanilla olives, roughly chopped, plus 1 whole olive for the skewer
- ⅓ cup pickled guindilla or piparra peppers, well drained and roughly chopped, plus 1 whole pepper for the skewer
- 3 tablespoons shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped (or flat-leaf parsley)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 decorative pick, for the skewer
- 1 bag thick-cut kettle-style potato chips, plain or lightly salted, for serving
Instructions
- Drain the anchovy fillets. Mince 7 of them and keep the eighth whole for the skewer.
- Roughly chop the olives and peppers, setting aside one whole olive and one whole pepper for the skewer.
- In a bowl, combine sliced shallot with olive oil. Add the minced anchovies, olives, peppers, chives and lemon zest.
- Toss to coat. Let it rest about 10 minutes at room temperature so the flavors come together. Taste, and if it reads sharp, add a little more olive oil before anything else.
- Thread the reserved olive, pepper and anchovy fillet onto the pick for a classic Gilda.
- Spread the chips on a sheet pan and warm in a 350°F oven for 5 to 6 minutes, until warm and extra crisp.
- Spoon the tapenade into a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and rest the skewer on top or alongside. Serve with the warm chips.
Notes
No added salt, on purpose. The anchovies, olives, peppers and chips bring plenty. Before serving, taste the tapenade on a chip to decide if it needs a pinch more salt.
Ratio: Use roughly 1 anchovy fillet per 2 tablespoons of olives. If your fillets are small, add one or two rather than scaling the olives down.
Anchovy paste: Use about 1 tablespoon in place of the 7 minced fillets. Add more to taste.
Pepper swap: Italian or Greek-style pepperoncini work in the tapenade, but their shape doesn't suit the skewer.
Make ahead: Make the tapenade up to 12 hours ahead and refrigerate. Let it come up to room temperature before serving, or microwave for about 10 seconds to speed things up.
Storage: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
As a salsa: Spoon over grilled fish, shrimp or seared scallops, and skip the chips.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: Spanish
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