Place all olives in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to remove brine surface. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. If using large Cerignola whole olives and you prefer less bite, gently score each olive once with a small knife or lightly crush with the flat of a chef's knife so marinade can penetrate.

If olives are very salty, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry. For moderately salty olives, a 10–15 minute soak is sufficient.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice and red wine vinegar until combined.

Add sliced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, whole peppercorns, lightly crushed fennel seed and sea salt. Stir to distribute aromatics evenly.

Taste a small drop of the marinade and adjust seasoning: add up to another 1/4 tsp salt or 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar if you want brighter acidity.

Combine and marinate

Put the dried olives into a clean, wide-mouthed jar or an airtight container. Pour the marinade over the olives, making sure the aromatics are distributed through the jar and the oil covers most of the olives. Add lemon slices and orange strips tucked between olives if using.

Seal the jar and let cool to room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate. For best flavor let olives marinate at least 24 hours; they will improve over 2–5 days. Shake or stir the jar once a day to redistribute flavors.

Olives can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks. Bring to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving to let oil loosen and flavors bloom.

Finish & serve

Just before serving, transfer olives to a shallow bowl. Spoon some of the marinade (including garlic, herbs and peppercorns) over the olives and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serve with crusty bread, sliced baguette, or as part of an antipasti/dinner spread. Provide toothpicks for easy picking.