Olives Recipe

Prepare olives

Rinse the Mantequilla and Picholine olives briefly under cold water and drain in a sieve. If using whole olives with pits and you prefer, lightly crush 10–15 olives with the side of a knife or a mallet to help the marinade penetrate (optional). Place all olives in a medium mixing bowl or jar.

Combine marinade ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, finely chopped preserved lemon rind, thinly sliced garlic, aleppo chili flakes, fresh thyme leaves, chopped rosemary, orange zest (if using), kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until evenly emulsified.

Marinate olives

Pour the marinade over the olives and toss gently with a spoon or shake the jar to coat all olives evenly. Transfer the olives and marinade into an airtight jar or container if not already in one, ensuring the olives are mostly submerged in oil. Seal and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, ideally 24–48 hours, to develop flavor. Shake or stir once or twice during the first day to redistribute the marinade.

Bring the marinated olives to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving — this lets the olive oil soften and flavors open up.

Taste and adjust: if the olives need more heat, sprinkle the extra aleppo flakes; if they need brightness, add a squeeze of lemon. Drizzle the teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the olives, sprinkle the chopped parsley, and serve in a shallow bowl so the oil pools for dipping.

Storage: keep refrigerated in their oil and marinade for up to 2 weeks. Always ensure olives remain covered by oil to preserve quality; allow to come to room temperature before serving after refrigeration.