Last Updated on December 7, 2018
Marinated Olives – Sometimes Simple Things are the Best:
You may remember I wrote about an Olives from Spain event a couple of weeks ago. I promised to publish some of the lovely recipes we were given for making marinated olives and I’ve been meaning to do just that ever since.
What really struck me is that these are a great way to turn that half opened jar of olives you used to cook with into a really special appetiser. The recipes that Omar Allibhoy shared with us are all very simple and work best if you make them up in advance. So, I’ve been using up my olives to prepare a few of them for when I get back from holidays.
The recipe I liked best at the Olives from Spain event was made with Seseme seeds, lemon juice and mint.
Here’s how to make these

- 1 jar Green Spanish Olives
- 100 ml Mild Spanish Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
- 1 Lemon
- 3 sprigs Mint
- 3 sprigs Thyme
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Drain the olives and place in a small bowl with the olive oil
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Toast the sesame seeds lightly over a high heat for no more than a minute stirring constantly then add to the bowl while still warm and mix well
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Crushtthe herbs between your hands so that they release a bit of extra flavour, then add to the bowl
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Zest the lemon and add that in to the bowl before squeezing and adding the juice to olives
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Leave to stand for at least twenty minutes before eating.
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These can be stored in the fridge in a tightly sealed container or jar for up to two weeks.
Now, Omar was keen to stress that you can invent your own marinade. Obviously, the length of time they keep for will depend on the ingredients you use. So, his recipe for an oregano and chilli marinade has a fridge life of a month, while the recipe above and the one for black olives with onion and fennel can only be stored for two weeks. You should, obviously, adjust the quantities of herbs and spices to suit your own palate. But, you end up with VERY posh olives much more cheaply than the deli counter variety and made with all the things you like best yourself!


this might be better with a dash of Tabasco!