This is the third or fourth time I’ve faced the task of writing about olives, but this time, it’s different. This time, I’m different. For 28.2 years of my life, I thought olives were nothing short of repulsive. Then, I made Alison’s Skillet Chicken with Sumac and Olives, and something started to change. I not only liked the briny pop of flavor in that dish, I actually found myself thinking about it afterward. Those reflections led me to make the dish a second time, which led me to order an olive plate at a restaurant a few weeks ago, which led me to ask my mother-in-law, Queen Olive Lover herself, if we could have an olive happy hour on a Sunday afternoon! I have converted, folks. I’m a believer. I like olives.
Needless to say, my excitement levels for this appetizer were far higher than when I first saw the recipe at the start of the project. The adventure began with halving and thinly slicing both a lemon and a navel orange. The other halves should be saved for juicing. In a small pot, I let the citrus slices, red chile flakes, and grapefruit peel sizzle in some olive oil. This helps the elements release their flavors a bit before the olives join. Once the olives got in there, I turned the heat to the lowest setting and let them hang out for a little under an hour.
Alison calls for Castelvetrano olives, which are my favorite. Their strong buttery flavor is perhaps their most distinct quality, next to their firmness. I much prefer these to brown or black olives – both of which I’m still working on liking more. I buy these olives at the Whole Foods olive bar because I just pay for what I need. I could get a large jar of them at Costco for a cheaper ounce to dollar ratio, but I know they’d go bad before I could eat them all.
The olives need to cool to room temperature, which takes about an hour. Then the reserved citrus halves get squeezed over the pot of olives to impart more flavor before plating – citrus peels and all.
I served this as an appetizer, but also brought it to the dinner table where my guests continued to snack on them throughout the meal and even afterward. To my tastebuds, the orange juice was a bit too strong and sweet, and I missed the olive’s buttery dominance. But my guests seemed to really enjoy this take on olives, and there were hardly any leftovers. Next, I’d like to try a simpler olive recipe that involves rosemary or thyme, or some combination of herbs as the added flavor. If you have a beloved recipe like this, would you send it my way?
105 recipes cooked, 120 to go.
An All-OutAlison Meal featuring Clam Pasta, Spring Peas, and Citrusy Olives.
