Marinated North African Olives Food

WARM MARINATED OLIVES

Steps:

• Drain the green and black olives from the brine or oil that they're packed in and place them in a medium bowl. Add the orange zest, garlic, fennel seeds, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the olive oil over the mixture, add the thyme sprigs and toss to combine.
• Transfer the mixture, including the olive oil, to a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Lower the heat and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the olives and garlic are heated through and fragrant. Serve warm right from the pan or transfer to a serving dish. Offer a small dish for the pits.

MARINATED OLIVES

Steps:

• Place olives in a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over olives and stir. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days before serving, stirring several times each day. , Olives may be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Serve with a slotted spoon.

OLIVE MARINATE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the flavors mingle.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature as an appetizer or accompaniment to cocktails.
• Variations.
• French (Olives marinées): use black niçoise olives, thyme and a little lavender.
• Greek: use black Kalamata olives and dried oregano and thyme.
• Italian (Olive marinata): use chopped rosemary, thyme and peppercorns.
• North African (Mslalla): use oil-cured black olives and substitute lemon juice for the red wine vinegar. Stir in cumin seeds, coriander seeds, lemon and orange zest and crushed red pepper.
• Spanish (Aceitunas aliñadas): use paprika, cumin seeds and peppercorns.
• Here is a list of the most popular herbs and seasonings mixed with marinated olives. Mix and match to suit your own taste:Bay leaves,Cardamom seed,Cracked black pepper,Crushed red pepper,Cumin seed,Fennel seed,Lavender,Lemon, lime or orange zest,Oregano,Paprika,Rosemary,Sun-dried tomatoes,Thyme.

MARINATED NORTH AFRICAN OLIVES

Steps:

• combine everything in a glass jar.
• add the olives and toss to coat.
• refrigerate for 3 days.
• lasts for 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

MARINATED OLIVES

Steps:

• Put the olives in a shallow bowl, add the lemon strips and herbs; season with salt and pepper. Toss gently with your hands to combine. Cover with olive oil and let marinate for 30 to 45 minutes. Serve as a noshing platter alongside the fried zucchini flowers.

BLACK OLIVES WITH HARISSA

Steps:

• In a colander rinse olives under cold water 1 minute and in a large bowl cover with cold water. Soak olives 4 hours to remove excess salt and drain well. To make the harissa: In a mortar with a pestle, an electric spice grinder, or a cleaned coffee grinder, grind seeds fine. If using mortar and pestle, add chiles, garlic, and salt and pound, to taste. If using a spice or coffee grinder, transfer seeds to a small food processor and add chiles, garlic, and salt. Grind mixture to a paste. Add pepper and oil and pound or puree to a coarse paste. In a large bowl stir together the harissa and olives and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight. Olives may be prepared 1 week ahead and kept chilled, covered. Serve olives at room temperature.
• Roasted Peppers: Using a long-handled fork, char peppers over an open flame or on a rack set over an electric burner, turning, until skins are blackened, 4 to 6 minutes. (Or to broil peppers on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat, turning every 5 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes, or until skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Keeping peppers whole, peel them, starting at blossom end. Cut off pepper tops and discard seeds and ribs.

MARINATED OLIVES

Steps:

• Combine the olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves and garlic in a small saucepan and heat just until warm over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds.
• Place the olives in a wide mouthed jar and pour in the olive oil mixture. Shake the jar to coat the olives. Refrigerate for two hours or for up to two weeks. Shake the jar a few times a day to redistribute the seasonings.