Marinated Olives

By Martha Rose Shulman

Marinated Olives
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
5 minutes, plus at least 2 hours' refrigeration
Rating
4(240)
Comments
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These are inspired by Patricia Wells’ “Chanteduc Rainbow Olive Collection” in her wonderful book “The Provence Cookbook.” It is best to use olives that have not been pitted.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 cups, serving 12
  • ¼cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 5bay leaves
  • 2large garlic cloves, peeled, green shoots removed, thinly sliced
  • Strips of rind from 1 lemon (preferably organic)
  • 1tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • ½teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2cups imported olives (black, green or a mix) (about ¾ pound)
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    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.

  2. Step 2

    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.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: These will keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
240 user ratings
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Comments

Bonnie

Add the juice of a half lemon . It makes all the difference. A splash of chardonnay is a nice touch too. This is a wonder recipe. I wont eat olives any other way. I add rinsed dill gerkins, pearl onions, button mushrooms and sometime cubed eggplant to the marinade. Devine.

Judy

Very nice. These are also good with a little added orange juice and orange rind and baked at about 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes or so.

Jean

Can add 2 whole small dried red chilis and substitute lemon juice for the vinegar

Virginia

Question: Do the olives have to be imported? I just bought two cans of olives (with pits) at the store. One can was black olives and says "product of the USA" and the other was green olives labeled, "Grown in California." Will these work for this recipe?

Suzi

I make these with various seasonings and herbs and they always work out well. I use fresh herbs, today it was parsley, basil and rosemary with sprinkles of crushed red pepper. I leave the herbs whole, in small sprigs so they can easily be picked out before serving. We prefer it that way.

Lillian

What's the reason for using olives that haven't been pitted?

Leland

In my experience, the pitted olives tend to fall apart

Juliet

Lillian, olives with their pits still in tend to be firmer. The pitted olives are sort of soggy.

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