Tapenade

Combine the pitted olives, rinsed capers, anchovy fillets, and garlic in a large stone mortar. Pound with a circular, grinding motion until the mixture breaks down into a rough, cohesive paste with visible texture — this is not about achieving smoothness. You want a heterogeneous, chunky mash with personality: identifiable pieces of olive skin and caper amid the dark, unctuous paste. Alternatively, pulse 5 to 6 times in a food processor. The mortar produces a more complex, layered texture; the processor is faster but edges toward uniformity.

Stir in the thyme, lemon juice, and Cognac (if using). Then drizzle in the olive oil while stirring, working it into the paste with a wooden spoon or the pestle in a slow, circular motion. You are not making a fully emulsified sauce — the oil will only partially bind with the paste, giving the tapenade a loose, oily, spreadable consistency. Add the oil gradually; if you add it all at once the paste turns greasy rather than silky. Taste: the flavour should be assertive, briny, savoury, and slightly bitter — not shy.

Taste the tapenade carefully before adding any salt — anchovies and capers bring enormous salt, and the olives themselves are cured. Pepper is the only seasoning likely needed. Adjust with a few more drops of lemon if it tastes flat. The tapenade should be bold and unapologetic: briny, bitter from the olive skins, deeply savoury from the anchovy and caper, with a faint floral herbal note from the thyme and the sharp lift of lemon. It should never taste mild.