Marinated Olives
Marinated olives require nothing more than high-quality fruit, a fat source, and aromatics left to sit long enough for the flavors to migrate from the herbs into the oil and then into the flesh of the olive. The secret is using room-temperature oil to allow the aromatics to bloom without cooking them, then keeping them at room temperature for at least 24 hours before serving.
Use the best fruit you can find.
Avoid canned, pitted olives; the brine often masks the quality of the fruit. Whole, unpitted olives hold their texture and absorb aromatics far better.
- Glass jar with tight-fitting lid
- Microplane
- Chef's knife
What goes in.
- 2 cupsmixed olives, whole and unpitted
- 1/2 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 3 stripslemon peel, pith removed
- 2 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 1 tspfennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 2 sprigsfresh rosemary
- 1/2 tspred pepper flakes
Time is an ingredient
Do not serve these immediately. The oil needs the full 24-hour cycle to draw the essential oils out of the garlic and rosemary.
The method.
Prepare the aromatics
Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of lemon zest. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife to expose the juices.
Combine
Layer the olives, lemon strips, garlic, fennel seeds, rosemary, and red pepper flakes into the jar.
Submerge
Pour the olive oil over the contents until they are completely covered. If a few olives poke out the top, add more oil.
Seal and rest
Seal the jar tightly and place it on your counter, not the refrigerator. The cold makes olive oil solidify and creates a cloudy look; room temperature keeps the infusion active.
Agitate
Turn the jar upside down once every few hours to ensure the oil coats everything evenly.
Other turns to take.
Mediterranean
Swap fennel for dried oregano and add two strips of orange peel instead of lemon.
Spiced
Add a small cinnamon stick and a star anise to the jar for an earthy, aromatic finish.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Discard the lemon peel before serving if you prefer a cleaner look, though it stays firm for days.
Use any remaining oil as a base for a salad dressing once the olives are finished.
If you must store them in the fridge, take the jar out an hour before eating so the oil can return to a liquid state.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long do these keep?
Kept in a sealed jar at room temperature, they are fine for about a week. After that, move them to the refrigerator.
Can I use pitted olives?
You can, but they tend to get mushy after 48 hours of soaking. Whole olives are much more resilient.
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