I love olives! In our many specialty food stores around Manhattan you can peruse tubs of multi-colored, multi-cultural flavorful cured olives – Greek, Italian, Tunisian, Spanish, and California. None of them have even the faintest resemblance to the soft, almost-tasteless canned variety of my childhood, Thankfully! I often buy pitted black kalamata olives and then doctor them up at home which can also do with the pedestrian canned. They are terrific to always have on hand for a cocktail tidbit or to add a little bit of zip to a salad. The other night I made a vinaigrette based on some pancetta that I had fried to a crisp, added a bit of orange juice and herb vinegar to the frying pan and then finished it off with some nice green olive oil. Tossed it into a mix of frisee, watercress, olives, and orange segments for a refreshing first course for an informal get-together.
4 cups Greek or Italian black or green olives – pitted or not, as you like
2 tablespoons red chile flakes
2 tablespoons minced garlic or roasted garlic
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried fines herbes
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Approximately 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Combine the olives with the chile flakes, garlic, orange zest, rosemary, and fines herbes in a mixing bowl. Whisk the vinegar into the olive oil in another bowl. Pack the olives into a clean container, pour the olive oil mix over the top, cover, and store, refrigerated, for up to 2 months. It is a good idea to let the olives marinate for a day or two before serving.
judithchoate.com 