Gourmet Green Olives Food

UNBELIEVABLY CREAMY GARLIC & GREEN OLIVE PASTA

Steps:

• Put on a big pot of water to boil.
• Pick out your pasta, cook it al dente and keep it hot You can use spaghetti, capellini, vermicelli, or linguini, whatever you prefer.
• After you've made this once, and you know how long it takes for you to make the sauce, you make everything come up ready at the same time.
• Get some green olives.
• Any kind you want, really.
• I just get a bottle of cheap salad olives.
• There are usually a lot of pimento pieces floating around in there.
• We like the color, but I'm afraid the ol' Frugal Gourmet would NOT approve.
• You can get a bit fancier if you want.
• Chop up the olives a bit, not tiny.
• Next the garlic.
• OK, you HAVE to use fresh for this, no powder, not even the jar of pre-chopped.
• Those are okay for some things, and I do use them often.
• However, if you use anything other than fresh garlic in this recipe, you will not be impressed, and you will never make this again.
• I will weep.
• Don't do that to me.
• Take your fresh garlic clove, wrap it in that flat rubber disc you use to open jars.
• Just roll it up in there, then roll it back and forth on the countertop a few times.
• Unwrap it, and the peel should be off or mostly off.
• Do this with lots of garlic cloves.
• LOTS.
• At least a couple per person you're feeding.
• Slice the garlic, but not too thinly.
• In a hot non-stick sauté pan, put a little olive oil, the fresh sliced garlic and a lot of chopped green olives.
• Be generous.
• A handful per person is a good start.
• Sauté the garlic and olives just a bit, being careful not to let the garlic brown, or it may become bitter.
• Add some light cream, and bring to a simmer.
• Cook over low heat until the liquid has been reduced by almost half, and it is thick, stirring very often.
• Pour this over the hot pasta, sprinkle generously with parmesan, chopped parsley (fresh is best, but I usually only have dried) and black pepper, preferably fresh from the pepper mill.
• Toss.
• Serve immediately.
• Bow.
• But be humble.

CHICKEN WITH GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Pat chicken dry.
• Add to skillet and brown well on all sides.
• Add onion, garlic, bay leaves and season to taste.
• Cook 2 minutes.
• Pour in wine and cook until evaporated.
• Blend in tomato paste and paprika.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Add broth; cover and cook 15 minutes.
• Add olives and cook until chicken is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley.
• Great served with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

GREEN OLIVE SOUP

Steps:

• First make a roux with the 3 tablespoons of flour and 4 tablespoons of olive oil added to a saute pan and cooked until it darkens. Make this roux first so that it will be cool when you are ready to add it to the soup.
• Soak the olives in cold water for 1 hour (this helps to remove some of the salt). Drain and coarsely chop the olives. Heat a saute pan and add 3 tablespoons of oil, onion, and garlic, along with 2/3 of the olives. Saute until the onions are transparent. Puree the mixture in a food processor along with 1 cup of the stock. This much of the recipe can be made up to two days ahead if needed.
• Place this mixture into a 4 quart saucepan and the rest of the stock. Simmer for 20 minutes and add cream. Whisk in the roux a little at a time and simmer, stirring constantly until thickened. Add pepper to taste and remaining chopped olives, Tabasco, and sherry.