House Olives Recipe

Preheat and prepare olives

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Rinse the olives under cool water and drain thoroughly in a sieve. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Smash garlic

Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the side of a knife (leave skins on if you prefer milder flavor) and peel if desired. This releases aroma without becoming overpowering when roasted.

Combine in roasting dish

In a medium ovenproof baking dish (about 9x9 inches or similar), combine the drained olives, crushed garlic, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, whole cinnamon stick, orange and lemon peels, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, coarse sea salt, and black pepper. Pour in the white wine and then pour the extra-virgin olive oil over all ingredients so olives are mostly submerged.

Roast the olives

Place the dish in the preheated oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the oil is hot, fragrant, and the garlic is tender and slightly golden. Avoid over-roasting so olives do not shrivel excessively — they should remain plump and glossy.

Cool and infuse

Remove the dish from the oven and let the olives cool to room temperature in the oil. As they cool, the citrus, cinnamon and herbs will further infuse the oil and olives. Leave the cinnamon stick and bay leaf in while cooling for deeper flavor.

Trim and dress

Once cool (about 20–30 minutes), transfer olives and oil to a serving bowl. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and any large woody stems from herbs. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice over the olives and scatter chopped parsley on top.

Adjust seasoning

Taste an olive and adjust seasoning as needed: add flaky sea salt for finishing saltiness and a pinch more red pepper flakes if you want heat. Gently toss to combine so the herbs and citrus coat the olives.

Serve

Serve warm or at room temperature as a tapas dish. Provide small forks or toothpicks. Leftovers can be refrigerated in the oil for up to 5 days; bring back to room temperature before serving so the oil becomes fluid and the flavors reopen.