We are just entering artichoke season and have spotted a few at the market. Artichoke tapenade is easily prepared in a food processor or with a stick blender. Like its olive cousin, it pairs well with crostini or soda bread.

However, in this recipe, I did use frozen artichoke hearts. I couldn’t resist buying them. Produced and packed in Greece, they looked too good to be true and turned artichoke tapenade into a 5-minute dish.

Olive tapenade is a staple of French hors d’œuvres, often paired with seasonal vegetables. It is a perfect salty zing to accompany aperitifs year-round. The artichoke version is much less salty as it omits the anchovies. Last week, we made lunch with artichoke tapenade, added fresh soda bread, and served an action-packed cabbage salad with a lemon and garlic dressing. It was possibly fibre overload, but delicious. Perhaps a simple green salad with artichoke tapenade on toast would be better.

Thanks to the frozen artichoke hearts, lunch took 20 minutes to put together. It was the perfect combination for a sunny spring day.

For more delicious spreads, visit our Dips and Sauces section.