These warm olives with citrus peels, garlic and rosemary elevates this traditional tapas dish with botanical notes of juniper, marrying the rosemary and citrus.
Have you heard of the olive theory? It's from an episode of How I Met Your Mother, based on the newly engaged Marshall and Lilly; Marshall hates olives and Lilly loves olives, and it's their perfect balance of opposites attract that makes them a great couple.
When I first met Philip he didn't like olives – not on a cheeseboard, not in puttanesca and definitely not by themselves, where I could eat an entire jar of olives and still have room for another half jar. But as our relationship grew Philip's test grew and he eventually came to love the salty, savoury, with the texture of a pickled vegetable, olive.
While there's nothing easier than a bowl of olives, there's also nothing more delicious than a bowl of olives and a glass of wine. But with a little more effort, a few cloves of garlic and a splash of gin, you can transform this simple appetizer into the star on any mezze board or cheeseboard with this simple Warm Olives with Citrus and a Splash of Gin recipe c/o Heartbeat Kitchen via Snixy's Kitchen.
Tip: Pay close attention to the heat of the olives. Over-heating them will result in the bitter notes taking the forefront, making the dish sharp and pungent.
A quick 20 minute stove top recipe, these warm olives with citrus peels, garlic and rosemary elevates this traditional tapas dish with botanical notes of juniper, marrying the rosemary and citrus. Instead of using one specific type of olive, we hit the olive bar at our local market and gathered a few different sizes, shapes and colours, each taking on the flavours of gin in different ways.
What we love most about this recipe is the illusion to you guests that you slaved all day in the kitchen or travelled all the way to the Mediterranean to for these warm olives. Find Snixy Kitchen's Warm Olive recipe here.
Bon appetit,
Chef Sous Chef
Warm Olives with Citrus and a Splash of Gin
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup high quality olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic cut in half vertically
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon peel thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon orange peel thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 oz gin
- 2 cups mixed olives
Instructions
- No. 1 | Add olive oil and garlic into a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Once the ingredients begin to heat up and bubble, stir in the citrus peels, peppercorns and rosemary and heat for two minutes.
- No. 2 | Add the gin, orange juice and olives and stir to coat. Lower the heat and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, until olives are heated through. Turn off the heat, and allow to cool slightly, 5-10 minutes.
- No. 3 | Serve on a cheese board, mezze board, and just eat them by themselves.
Jennifer says
I absolutely love this recipe. Such a great way to change up the typical olive flavour and eating them warm is so comforting!