Quick Seasoned Olives
It will be the shortest and easiest recipe I have ever posted on my blog and also the quickest appetizser I can imagine. The only reason I have decided to post it is the number of people I see on my market buy horribly expensive, seasoned olives, stocked and prepared in very dubious conditions. I admit I also used to buy them, convinced the marinades were complex and required long weeks to acquire the desired taste.ย Luckily, I quickly realised I was wrong. A good olives marinade can be very simple and even though seasoned olives taste better after a couple of days, those served almost straight away are very satisfying too. A strong, garlicky marinade means even the cheapest olives (like the ones above) can be transformed into a flavoursome appetiser, although, of course, the higher their quality, the better the final taste will be.
My favourite combination is very simple and calls for easily stored ย ingredients. I also I sometimes add a bit of chili if my guests like fiery food too. The flavours are simple and go perfectly well with most drinks. If you decide to leave the olives for a couple of days, make sure you shake the container at least twice a day.
Preparation: 15 minutes – several days
Ingredients (makes an appetiser for 3):
about 150 g drained olives (or 250g if they still have pits)
1 big garlic clove, crushed or grated
1 heaped teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
(chili in powder)
Combine everything in a bowl. Cover and put into the fridge for 15 minutes (or several days). Serve.
First off, I have to tell you what a gorgeous picture this is. I just love the olives set off against the brilliant blue. And what an interesting shape vessel. Second, I have to tell you that, next to chocolate, olives are quite possibly the thing I adore the most in food life. In fact, our family has a LONG history of olive loving and snatching at holidays, etc. For my 14th birthday, a bunch of girlfriends got together and bought me a massive jar of olives (the biggest I’ve ever seen). I would not only eat the olives between classes but also the juice (yikes, addict comes to mind). I can think of no better paring than garlic – yeah garlic – and love the inclusion of thyme. What a thrilling post Sissi! ๐
Kelly, you cannot imagine what a pleasure it is to read your comment! I was worried by both the photo and the recipe itself, and you say you like both! I think I will have a very good mood tonight. I am glad you like the bowl/plate. I have fallen in love with it! I have bought it at a Japanese shop and when I saw the colour I wanted to empty their stock. (I try to avoid their bowls department, because I want to buy all!). Now you have given me an excellent idea for a gift for my husband. He is in heaven when I bring a one liter jar, but if I ever see a really huge one, I will remember your 14th birthday. I must ask him if he also drinks the juice (I don’t remember, but wouldn’t be surprised). Thank you again for your kind words!
I’d be a happy lady with just having these to munch on the whole day! I love olives and each time I get to a buffet salad table … it seems like I’m the only one who does… I’m not complaining. I’m going to make these soon. They usually don’t get to even reach a bowl … I’d eat them straight from the can. But I think this sounds good enough to discipline me for a few moments to get the herbs and spices on. It won’t get to the fridge.
Thank you, Ping. I make these very quickly and even quicker put into the fridge (the cover is obligatory, otherwise whenever I open the fridge I feel the enchanting smell and take some olives!).
I like how you think! Flavoring Olives is SO simple, and you are right, so many people go for them “already done up” because they think it’s easier! Really it’s just a waste! Thanks for spreading the knowledge! ๐
Thank you, Jessica. It is also very cheap and… clean.
This is great, simple is good. I have never thought to marinate olives at home. I prefer to buy and eat the unmarinated stuff. I’ve tried olives stuffed with tasteless anchovies, heatless chillies etc and gave up buying pre-marinated stuff. Its crap. BTW in the Middle East I tasted olives and my first remark was ‘its slightly bitter’. The guide said really good quality olives should be slightly bitter.
BTW, I thought I would see a drinks recipe today. But thats OK, this one is a drinks condiment so you are forgiven, only just:)
Thank you, Mr. Three-Cookies. I am sorry it’s not the first time I disappoint you by the lack of Friday drink post. However, as you have guessed this is almost a drink recipe (you imagine I don’t have these olives with a cup of tea tonight ๐ ) I also hate the stuffed olives and never buy them. I can very well imagine that the better ones are bitter because my favourite, green olives, are always a bit more bitter than the black ones.
Olives with a cup of tea – could be interesting but I will wait for you to test it! Some of the supermarkets here sell higher quality marinated olives that you pack yourself (unlike the jarred and canned stuff). That one is actually not bad. I don’t know if they marinate it themselves
Mr. Three-Cookies I don’t think you should count on me with this test ๐ When I see my seasoned olives, tea is the last beverage I think about (and believe me I think about a beverage at once!).
Good to know Sissi! My husband is a big fan of olive, though I’ve never even thought about marinating them myself!
Hi Sissi
I’m a BIG live fan but believe it or not I have never seasoned olives. Just like you I was imagining it takes forever and buying them from the store seems such an easy way to enjoying them!
And the garlic flavor, oh man, that sounds so good! Can’t wait to nibble on some!
Thank you, Roxana. I was right then thinking I was not the only one imagining the complicated methods!
I love this idea!
Thank you.
I so want to make these!
It only takes a couple of minutes ๐
Love easy recipes like this, Sissi. Sometimes they’re the best! No foofy ingredients, etc. I’m sure these were delicious.
Thank you, Caroline. I shouldn’t boast, but they always taste delicious (I am finishing them today).
I love simple recipes like this! And this is a great way to save money too! Often the flavoured olives are so much more expensive!
Thank you, Shuhan. Here seasoned olives are probably 10 times more expensive!
I agree that olives and cheeses are some things we can marinade at home with our own ingredients and recipes and they taste just as good if not better than those at expensive delis. One of my fave is goat cheese with slices of lemon, rosemary, thyme and good EVOO. It such a great snack with rice crackers or at picnics!
I have never marinated cheese. It sounds like an excellent idea (although I see marinated feta I never buy it, not to mention copying it). Thank you for the great recipe (I have never seen hard goat cheese here though…).
So quick and jet so tasty! Perfect… and I looooove olives ๐
Thank you, Giulia. (If you didn’t like olives, it would bit as if you said you didn’t like coffee ๐
Yummy! I had some warmed olives at the movies last night, soooo good! Love!
Thank you, Martyna. Olives in the cinema! I wish it existed here!
Love to nibble on this with wine and cheese
I think I don’t need cheese, but wine is necessary.
I have never tried to marinade olives myself because like you I always thought that it would be too complicated to prepare, besides we have many Turkish shops which sell beautiful olives marinade, but you make me want to try making this at home to…:-)
Thank you, CG. You should try them (maybe they would fit in one of your bentos?). It takes a couple of minutes and almost no money at all (here Turkish market stall ell also olives, but horribly expensive!).
You should try making it one day, it takes just a couple of minutes (maybe it would fit into one of your beautiful bentos?). Here Turkish market stalls also sell seasoned olives, but very expensive.
Heh – I to always thought it would take many days/weeks to achieve the desired results. I love all the different types of olives from the deli counter. This makes me want to try and experiment myself now! Thanks for the idea ๐ By the way – if you let them marinade over some days, what happens if you don’t shake them?
Thanks, Charles! If you don’t shake them from time to time, some olives will simply be more marinated than others.
What a perfect presentation of olives Sissi. I love this unique shape bowl (looks also Asian to me) and olives are shining! I’ve never prepared olives myself as my husband is not into olives much. I like how you can easily prepare this and use it as appetizer at a party (so not just my family but others can eat it). Have a wonderful Sunday Sissi, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! You should have told us fans!!! ๐ Now everyone knows I hope! Hehee =P Have a fabulous year ahead Sissi!
Thank you so much, Nami! The bowl comes from my Japanese shop (I have two blue bowls like this one and one green; when I saw the blue ones I wanted to buy ten, so that I have them for the rest of my life, even when some are broken ๐ ) I love their bowls!
Thank you for your birthday wishes. I am sorry I haven’t said anything, but as I get older birthdays get sometimes depressing and I don’t want to “boast” I got one year older ๐ (I didn’t know I had fans!!! You are so sweet!).
So simple and fantastic. I did this once at a party and no one ate them. This was great for me, because I love olives and had them all week!
I was also very happy last time I made them because even though my guests liked olives, I made a huge batch and then had them for several days with my evening glasses of wine ๐ What is more they tasted better every day!