Warm-Marinated Greek Olives with Citrus and Oregano

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Supermarket olives get the taverna treatment: a mix of Kalamata, Castelvetrano and cracked green olives bathed in olive oil warmed just enough to bloom garlic, dried oregano, fennel seed and strips of lemon and orange zest. Five minutes of work, twenty minutes of resting, and you have a mezze bowl that tastes like it came off a $6 appetizer menu on the Aegean. Serve with warm pita, feta and a cold glass of anything.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Kalamata olives, drained
• 3/4 cup Castelvetrano or other buttery green olives, drained
• 3/4 cup cracked green Greek olives or Halkidiki olives, drained

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest removed in wide strips, plus 1 tbsp juice
• 1/2 orange, zest removed in wide strips
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed
• 1/2 tsp coriander seed, lightly crushed
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp fresh oregano or flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt, optional
• warm pita or crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Drain all three kinds of olives in a colander and rinse briefly under cool running water to wash off the brine, which is often harsh and overly salty. Shake dry and spread on a clean kitchen towel; pat off excess water so the marinade clings. Transfer to a medium heatproof bowl.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of the lemon and half the orange in wide strips, taking as little white pith as possible. Set aside 1 tablespoon of juice from the lemon.
3. In a small skillet or saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil, sliced garlic, dried oregano, crushed fennel and coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and the lemon and orange zest strips. Set over the lowest heat and warm for 4 to 5 minutes, until the oil is hot to the touch (about 160–170°F) and the garlic is fragrant and barely beginning to color at the edges. Do not let it sizzle hard or the garlic will turn bitter.
4. Pull the pan off the heat and let the oil sit for 1 minute, then stir in the red wine vinegar and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice — it will hiss slightly.
5. Pour the warm marinade over the olives and stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, so the olives absorb the citrus and oregano while the oil cools.
6. Taste an olive before serving. If they read flat, add a pinch of flaky salt; if too sharp, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Scatter torn fresh oregano or parsley over the top and serve at room temperature with warm pita, discarding the bay leaves as you eat.
7. To store, transfer olives and all the oil to a jar, cover, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving so the olive oil loosens and the aromatics wake up.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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