Warm Marinated Olives
Ina Garten, America’s beloved Barefoot Contessa, recalls that many years ago, her husband, Jeffrey, took her to Milan, a city that she adores. “There is a specialty food store there called Peck, which had a roticceria (rotisserie store) with all sorts of meats twirling over the largest wood-burning fire you’ve ever seen,” she says. “On the counter was a display of every roasted Italian vegetable imaginable, including warm roasted olives, which I’d never seen before.” Ina created her own recipe for warm olives that was published in her book Cook Like a Pro. She likes to serve them with cocktails before dinner, and they’ll make a simple and delicious appetizer on Thanksgiving Day. “They’re so much more flavorful than olives straight from the fridge!” Ina adds.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (11 oz./345 g) large green olives with pits, such as Cerignola
- 2 cups (11 oz./345 g) large black olives with pits, such as Kalamata
- Zest of 1 orange, peeled in large strips
- 4 large garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tsp. whole fennel seeds
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup (5 fl. oz./160 ml) good quality olive oil
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
Directions:
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 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. 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/25-cm) sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Reduce 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. Serves 10.
Pro tip: This dish depends on the flavor and texture of the olives. Use high-quality olives with pits rather than the canned, pitted ones.
Make ahead: Combine all the ingredients, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week. Sauté before serving.
Reprinted from Cook Like a Pro. Copyright © 2018 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House.
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