Recipe c/o Patricia Wells “The Provence Cookbook”

This is the easiest dip to make and one that can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the fridge, covered.
I bought the Nyons olives and the tuna on Amazon, which made life much easier. Please make sure you get a really good-quality and flavorful brand of tuna in oil. The one I love for the best flavor is this Spanish one…

1 cup best quality French brine-cured black olives (such as Nyons), pitted
2 tbsp capers in vinegar, drained
2 tbsp dry red wine
2 plump cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
One 7 ounce can best-quality tuna in olive oil (do not drain)
1 to 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, as necessary
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the lemon juice.
Process to form a thick paste, adding additional oil and the lemon juice if necessary to form a smooth puree. Taste for seasoning.
The spread can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week.

NOTE: Along the same lines, prepare a more pungent sardine-based spread, or sardinade, substituting a 3-1/2 ounce can of best-quality sardines cured in olive oil for the canned tuna.