Muffulata (Olive Relish)

I found this yellowed clipping in an old file with no idea where it came from. There are many spellings of the word, including “muffuletta,” “muffuleta,” and “muffaletta.”

We fell in love with muffaletta sandwiches when we lived in New Orleans. They are made with this incredibly rich relish and a variety of meats and cheeses on a crusty hoagie roll. But this stuff would also be great on crackers, bagels, or even crudites.

1/2 C pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1/2 C black olives, chopped
1/4 C sweet or red onion, finely chopped
1/4 C fresh parsley
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T minced garlic
1 T capers
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a food process and pulse until it’s uniformly chopped. Add the olive oil and process to incorporate it without making a puree.