Marinated Olives
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Marinated Olives
Marinated olives are one of my favorite sides and garnishes around the holidays. Serving marinated olives like this at a dinner party or holiday gathering is a great way to balance out the array of traditional sweet treats that abound this time of year. Having this savory dish along with the inevitable sweet-things is a great way to please every palette.
Although I’ve written out the exact directions in my recipe below, this recipe can be swapped out for whatever herb or citrus you have on hand. There is no need to make an extra trip to the grocery store if your ingredients don’t line up exactly. Sometimes I only use oranges as my citrus, for example. This year I had extra thyme saved from my summer garden so I doubled the amount in this dish. You really can’t go wrong!
Ingredients
4 cups Kalamata and Castelvetrano Olives
2 Oranges, zest & juice
1 Lemon, zest & juice
1 Lime, zest & juice
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons each; sage, rosemary, thyme
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
Drain olives from the brine they were packed in. Place olives in a large bowl.
Zest citrus and add to the bowl with the olives. Then, slice each citrus in half and squeeze juice into the bowl as well. (Reserve citrus rinds for stovetop potpourri. You can find my recipe for that by clicking here).
Peel garlic cloves and add whole cloves to the mix.
Finely chop herbs and add to the mix.
Add olive oil and gently stir mixture until incorporated.
Place olive mixture into a sealed container and place in the refrigerator overnight to seven days for flavors to marinate.
How to Serve
Olives are best when served room temperature or even warmed. Before serving, simply place marinated olives in a serving bowl and set on the counter until they reach room temperature. Or, for a hot dish, sauté marinated olives over low heat for 5 minutes before serving. Then, add an extra citrus zest on top as a garnish to give olives a pop of color (the zest used before refrigerating will have dulled in color during its time marinating). Serve marinated olives as a side, on a charcuterie board or add to your favorite savory dish. Enjoy!
How to Gift
Marinated Olives make a lovely hostess gift, especially around the holidays. Your host will have the opportunity to either serve immediately to guests or saved for a later occasion. To gift, simply place olives in a widemouth mason jar. I like to use a bamboo lid and tie with my favorite cotton ribbon. Isn’t it just so cute tied up with a bow? Cheers, friends!
