Warm Olives with Preserved Lemons

Ingredients

• 2 kg kalamata olives
• 1 ltr vegetable oil
• small head of garlic
• 1 chilli
• sprig rosemary
• small bunch of thyme
• Cannonhill Preserved Lemons

Method

This simple dish is often over looked because of its simplicity. It makes a wonderful pre starter to any meal or worked into a main meal. Here we are simply serving the olives with preserved lemons and good quality bread.

The Olives

The most important step here is to take care of the olives properly, by this, I mean taking the time to marinate before hand to give a smooth flavour and remove the taste of the brine from the olive.

Strain and wash olives thoroughly to remove all brine. Drip dry. Place garlic, chilli and herbs in a mortar and pestle with a little salt, pound lightly to break up. Place these ingredients into a pot with oil and place on medium to low heat. Allow to warm and for the flavours to infuse into the oil (about 20 min). Place drained olives into the infused oil and leave on the heat for a further 10 minutes. Cool. You can use them straight away but for best results put them in a sealed container and refrigerate for 3 weeks as this will deepen and round off the flavours for a smooth tasting olive.

To Serve

Place 1 cup of marinated olives into a pan with one thinly sliced petal of Cannonhill Preserved Lemon and gently heat. Season lightly and serve with toasted batard.

This is so divinely simple but the flavours are truly wonderful.

Works well with

Fish, chicken, lamb, tomatoes.