Black Olives Recipes

Steps:

• Place olives, Parmesan cheese, and garlic (if using) in a food processor. Add olive oil slowly while running. Process until smooth.

Steps:

• Slit the olives down one side.
• Cover with cold water and leave to soak for 17 days to eliminate bitterness.
• Change the water every day, then soak in salt water for 3 days, stirring occasionally.
• You make the salt water by mixing the salt with enough water so an egg will float in the brine solution.
• Drain, then soak for 3 days in 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water, making sure the olives are covered at all times.
• Drain and add the garlic, pickling spice, chillies and thyme.
• Pack in sterile jars and pour on olive oil to cover.
• Seal and leave for at least 4 weeks.
• The oil will take on an olive taste and can be used in salads.

Steps:

• In a colander rinse olives under cold water 1 minute and in a large bowl cover with cold water. Soak olives 4 hours to remove excess salt and drain well. To make the harissa: In a mortar with a pestle, an electric spice grinder, or a cleaned coffee grinder, grind seeds fine. If using mortar and pestle, add chiles, garlic, and salt and pound, to taste. If using a spice or coffee grinder, transfer seeds to a small food processor and add chiles, garlic, and salt. Grind mixture to a paste. Add pepper and oil and pound or puree to a coarse paste. In a large bowl stir together the harissa and olives and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight. Olives may be prepared 1 week ahead and kept chilled, covered. Serve olives at room temperature.
• Roasted Peppers: Using a long-handled fork, char peppers over an open flame or on a rack set over an electric burner, turning, until skins are blackened, 4 to 6 minutes. (Or to broil peppers on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat, turning every 5 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes, or until skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Keeping peppers whole, peel them, starting at blossom end. Cut off pepper tops and discard seeds and ribs.

Steps:

• Place the olives in a bowl.
• Mix in the garlic, chiles, pepper, lemon, parsley, bay leaves and salt; transfer to a jar into which they just fit (and that had a lid which tightly closes).
• Pour over the vinegar and the reserved brine to cover olives.
• Shake well and let marinate at room temperature for 2 weeks.