Easy Marinated Green Olives

Easy Marinated Green Olives

All you need is 4 simple ingredients:

• 1 10-ounce jar of pitted green olives, drained
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, thyme and minced garlic together until well blended. Add the olives and stir to coat.

Cover them tightly and place them in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. The flavors of the marinade will seep into the olive’s flesh and infuse it with flavor. Take them out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to serve. This allows the olives to come to room temperature.

Enjoy!

Creative Ways to Customize The Recipe

You can customize the flavor of your marinated green olives by adding other herbs and spices. Choose one or two teaspoons of any dried herb like oregano, thyme, rosemary, or even a pinch of dried chili flakes. Add any spices such as cumin, coriander, and cinnamon for an extra boost of flavor. Always marinate the olives overnight to really let all the flavors blend together.

Add citrus juices like lime, lemon or even orange juice to balance out the flavors of your marinade. You can also splash in a tablespoon of vinegar, such as balsamic or white wine vinegar. Use extra-virgin olive oil. This will give your olives an authentic Mediterranean flavor and make them tender and juicy.

In addition to green olives, this recipe can be used to flavor black olives. Greek Olives can be used as well.

GENERAL TIPS FOR COOKING WITH HERBS

When using fresh herbs, be sure to bruise them first to release the essential oils in the herbs. Fresh herbs can be substituted for dried herbs and dried herbs can be substituted for fresh herbs. Just be sure to adjust the proportions accordingly. The general rule is to use at least twice as much fresh herb as you would dried herbs.

Dried herbs should be stored in opaque glass containers in a cool, dark location. Light and heat affect their storage life. Herbs should not be stored over the range, although that is where they invariably end up!

If you are just starting to cook with herbs, start slowly. Add a small amount to the recipe at a time and then taste. Add more herbs if you wish, just remember you can always add more but you can’t remove the excess if you’ve added too much!