Marinated Olives

Photo: flickr user EraPhernalia Vintage (here more often recently)

Ingredients

8 ounces pitted green olives, (about 1 ½ cups)

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

OR 1/2 tsp. dried

3 tablespoons fresh mixed herbs, such as

thyme, oregano, chives

OR 3 tsp. dried

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

teaspoon paprika

teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

teaspoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic

teaspoon salt

3 mediums bay leaves

lemon peel, (1 by 3-inch piece)

Olive oil to cover

Preparation

MAKES 1 1/2 CUPS DAIRY-FREE

Good quality olives are now sold in most supermarkets and you can make them even more interesting with this flavorful marinade.

Put olives into medium bowl. Add rosemary, herbs, fennel seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, and garlic and mix thoroughly. Pack seasoned olives into a pint jar, layering them with bay leaves and lemon peel. Pour oil over olives to cover, then tightly cover jar. Refrigerate for at least 4 days, shaking occasionally.

To serve, drain olives, discard peppercorns, bay leaves and lemon peel.

Serve at room temperature.

NOTE: To pit olives, make a slit down one side of the olive. With a heavy cleaver or rolling pin, smash the olive on a cutting board two or three times, turning the olive over between turns. Remove pit.