How to make your own marinated green olives
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If you've followed this blog for a while, you know my husband is Calabrian. And he has a fondness for "wog food" (his words not mine!!!!). In fact, the highest praise he can give a meal is to imitate Homer Simpson and say "Mmmmmmm.... woggy!".
This is one of his favourite "woggy" weekend projects. I've previously posted his marinated black olive recipe. But the recipe for marinated green olives is slightly different, so if you see green olives at the greengrocer or farmers market this is the recipe for you!
Ingredients
Fresh green olives
Salt
Chillies, chopped
Fennel seeds
6-8 garlic cloves, sliced
Water
Method
Bash each olive with a hammer. Yes, I'm serious. It can actually be very therapeutic; a great way to get rid of pent-up frustrations!
Then pull the "bashed" olive apart and remove the seed.
Now soak your olives to remove the bitter tannins:
Place your olives in a bowl, bucket, jar or fermenting crock* and cover with water. My fermenting crock comes with a weight to place over the olives to keep them submerged. If you don't have a weight, use a plate to keep the olives submerged.
The soaking water will discolour and get a scum on it - that is the bitter tannins releasing!
Pour off the water once or twice a day every day for about 1-2 weeks until the water is clear.
When the soaking water is clear you are ready to brine your olives!
Place the olives in a large jar or fermenting crock* with the chilli, garlic, fennel seeds and 2 tablespoons of salt.
Fill to top with water.
Seal jar and leave in a cool place.
Every 5 days for the first 15 days, pour off water and add a new brine (salty water) mixture to our jar/crock.
Then keep in a cool place for a further 2 months. Check the taste at this point and if necessary leave for another 1-2 months. Let your taste buds guide you!
Once they are brined to your preferred taste, store in the fridge and enjoy!
NOTE: These are traditional home-brined olives. They won't taste like the vinegary store-bought olives.
