Cranberry Tapenade

Cranberries and olives have been a classic in our kitchen for a few years. Yet, we were cooking or marinating cranberries in olive brine to make cranberry olives and cranberry olive sauce. Today we took a giant leap forward. We have made cranberry tapenade. Once again I am asking why we had not thought of this sooner. We cook cranberries, pitted olives, pickled jalapenos, anchovies, ketchup, and maple syrup together. Once the mixture is sticky and the cranberries have burst to thicken the mixture, we let it cool and then pulse it in the food processor and season it with ground black pepper. The coarse cranberry and olive mixture resonates of fall and cranberry sauce with the rich unctuousness and salinity of tapenade. As for what we will serve it with, perhaps the roast loin of pork we have in the oven. Although, another idea has us drying it out and folding it into an autumn cavatelli dough. Really, the doors have opened again and I am really excited.