All olives take on a deeper flavor when marinated in herbs, garlic, citrus and oil. The combinations are endless so don’t be afraid to experiment and always use a very good extra virgin olive oil. Mixed them up ahead of time for best results - they keep several weeks in the refrigerator. Here are some of my favorite mixes.
Provençe Mix
1/2 cup each: green Picholine, black Niçoise, black dry-cured and
black Nyons
1 tsp. dried herbes de Provençe
3 strips lemon peel
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Moroccan Mix
2 cups black dry-cured olives
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground ancho chile
1/2 tsp. minced orange or tangerine zest
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
All Green Mix
2 cups green olives such as Picholine or Luques
Mix the following in a food processor or spice grinder to make a
paste, than toss with the olives:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. minced lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Recipe by Jane O'Riordan, Domaine de la Terre Rouge