Black Olives Recipes

HOW TO USE UP OLIVES

Steps:

• Spicy tomato pasta Jazz up a ready-made tomato and chilli pasta sauce by throwing in black olives, capers and chopped anchovy fillets. Stir through long, thin pasta and sprinkle with chopped basil.
• Quick savoury dip Create a quick tapenade by finely chopping pitted olives and a little garlic. Process until smooth, season, then add olive oil to loosen and lemon juice to taste.
• Crispy bruschetta For a summery bruschetta, crush black olives and cherry tomatoes, and spread onto toasted ciabatta rubbed with garlic. Top with peppery rocket leaves, drizzle with oil and season.
• Simple chicken dish Make a marinade with sliced olives, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and seasoning. Coat chicken thighs and leave for 15 mins. Put in a roasting dish with lemon quarters and rosemary leaves. Roast at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 for 20 mins. Turn and roast for another 15 mins or until cooked through. Serve with the lemons and juices sprinkled over.
• Mediterranean salad Throw together a quick salad with a bag of baby salad leaves tossed with a light dressing. Add cubes of feta, olives and SunBlush tomatoes. Serve with focaccia or other country bread.
• Easy stuffed tomatoes For an easy, prepare-ahead starter or light lunch, stuff scooped-out tomatoes with cooled, cooked rice flavoured with minced garlic, sliced green olives, chopped tomato, lemon juice, and chopped herbs, such as basil or flat-leaf parsley.
• Mayonnaise with a twist Pit and chop olives, add to ready-made mayonnaise, season and add a splash of lemon juice. Mix well before using as a dip for raw vegetables, or spread in a sandwich with salad leaves and ham or salami.
• Chunky veggie sauce Make a rich and chunky sauce using aubergines, red onion, garlic, courgettes, red pepper and a can of chopped tomatoes. Throw in a handful of olives - great as a side dish or stirred through pasta.
• Quick summer tarts Cut 2 circles from a sheet of puff pastry to make quick pizza bases. Score a border 1cm from the edge, then cover with ready-caramelised onions from a jar or ready-roasted red peppers, and sliced tomatoes. Top with black olives, and anchovy fillets before cooking for 15 mins at 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Main-meal salad Lightly dress salad leaves and arrange on a plate. Top with cooked and cooled French beans and baby new potatoes, black olives, halved cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters and tinned tuna chunks. Season before serving.

BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

Steps:

• Blitz all the ingredients except the thyme in a small food processor. Season with black pepper then transfer to a jar or serving dish and scatter over the thyme leaves if using. Keeps in the fridge for 3 days.

BLACK OLIVE SPREAD

Steps:

• Place olives, Parmesan cheese, and garlic (if using) in a food processor. Add olive oil slowly while running. Process until smooth.

MARINATED BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• In a resealable container, mix together all ingredients. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature.

BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Slit the olives down one side.
• Cover with cold water and leave to soak for 17 days to eliminate bitterness.
• Change the water every day, then soak in salt water for 3 days, stirring occasionally.
• You make the salt water by mixing the salt with enough water so an egg will float in the brine solution.
• Drain, then soak for 3 days in 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water, making sure the olives are covered at all times.
• Drain and add the garlic, pickling spice, chillies and thyme.
• Pack in sterile jars and pour on olive oil to cover.
• Seal and leave for at least 4 weeks.
• The oil will take on an olive taste and can be used in salads.

BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

Steps:

• Pit the olives, chop the garlic and put in food processor with parsley. Pulse to a rough paste while you pour in the olive oil. Add pepper to taste.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine garlic, sage and pepper in small bowl. Brush chicken with oil. Sprinkle with garlic mixture. Place in baking pan. Bake chicken 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Add olives to pan. Pour wine over chicken. Continue baking until juices run clear when chicken is pierced in thickest part of thigh and legs can be moved easily, basting chicken with pan juices, about 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Surround with olives using slotted spoon. Degrease pan juices. Pour juices over chicken and serve.

BROCCOLI WITH BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 sec. or until tender.
• Add broccoli and olives; cook and stir 4 min. or until heated through. Remove from heat.
• Stir in grated topping.

MARINATED BLACK OLIVES (TAPAS)

Steps:

• Place the olives in a bowl.
• Mix in the garlic, chiles, pepper, lemon, parsley, bay leaves and salt; transfer to a jar into which they just fit (and that had a lid which tightly closes).
• Pour over the vinegar and the reserved brine to cover olives.
• Shake well and let marinate at room temperature for 2 weeks.

SAUTEED BLACK OLIVES WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Rinse and drain olives; you can pit them or not, whichever you prefer. Combine tomatoes and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, add garlic, and cook over medium-low heat until just starting to brown, 2 to 5 minutes.
• Add olives and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, cook over medium heat until juices thicken a bit and flavors are combined, 5 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Just before serving, stir in the parsley.