BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE
September 2023
Elevating your charcuterie board to a whole new level, my warm Herb and Citrus Marinated Olives with Rosemary and Thyme are the essential dish for any gathering. Yet, their charm and usefulness doesn't stop there. Since they come together in just about 10 minutes, you’ll whip them up any time you’re asked to bring a dish. I'll admit they’ve come to my rescue on many a hectic weeknight, serving as a simple yet indulgent dinner-for-one alongside a crusty baguette and a glass of wine.
For the herbs, I reach for fresh - not dried - Rosemary and Thyme. Their robust and earthy notes harmonize beautifully with the briny richness of the olives, and a touch of sweetness and acidity from fresh orange juice and zest, making these olives absolutely irresistible.
Spend a few minutes preparing your ingredients, and this will come together very quickly. Pare the orange and squeeze the juice…
For the herbs, I reach for fresh - not dried - Rosemary and Thyme. Their robust and earthy notes harmonize beautifully with the briny richness of the olives.
Peel and smash the garlic clove, and strip the leaves off the rosemary and thyme sprigs. You’ll also want to drain your olives if they’re swimming in brine.
Warm your olive oil over very low heat. You’re looking to gently draw out the oils in the garlic, herbs and citrus; you don’t want to fry them. Just as you start to see a slow bubbling, add the garlic, herbs and citrus peels or zest, and let them sit for about 5 minutes, then add in the white wine vinegar and freshly-squeezed orange juice. Mind the heat to keep the oil from getting too hot. It may go without saying, but a good quality extra virgin olive oil is best here; one that you would use in a vinaigrette or to finish a dish.
Add the olives to the oil and stir, letting them gently warm through, and season with a pinch of salt as needed. They olives will quickly absorb the flavors of the herbs and citrus. I like to use a mix of Castelvetrano, Cerignola and Kalamata olives, for a variety of textures and taste. Castelvetrano olives are a meaty and buttery, while the kalamata olives are strong and bitter, and the giant Cerignola olives can be sweet and mild, and colorful.
Pitted or not, it’s up to you. You’ll notice that I used a mix of both here, which I don’t recommend, but this batch wasn’t being served to guests, so I didn’t need to worry about surprising anyone with a pit where they didn’t expect one.
Serve the olives warm, or cool and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. They're best served warmed, but I dare you not to sneak a few every time you open the fridge.
Rosemary, Thyme & Citrus Marinated olives
Season: Any
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
½ cup of good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 sprigs of fresh rosemary, about 1 tbsp of leaves
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, about ½ tbsp of leaves
1 or 2 strips of peel from one large orange or 1 tbsp of zest
Juice of one half orange, about 2 tsp
2 tsp white wine vinegar
3 cups mixed olives, like Castelvetrano, Kalamata and Cerignola
Salt to taste
PREPARATION
Prepare your ingredients: Using a vegetable peeler, pare the orange peel to pare a large strip, or use a microplane to zest, then squeeze the orange and set aside 2 teaspoons of juice. Drain the olives from their brine and set aside. Strip the leaves off the rosemary and thyme sprigs, and peel and smash the garlic clove.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on low. Stir in the smashed garlic clove, orange peel, rosemary and thyme sprigs. Warm for about five minutes, or until garlic, orange and herbs become fragrant and the oil begins to gently bubble, but not simmer. Stir in the white wine vinegar and orange juice. Add in the olives and heat until they are just warmed through, and season with salt to taste. Serve warm, or transfer to a heat-safe, airtight container and use within three days.
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