A carafe of sangria with marinated olives with cheese. Doesn’t that sound like it’s straight off the menu from a trendy tapas bar in Barcelona? Well, because it is! Summertime al-fresco dinners in Spain must always begin with bowls of the freshest olives and small plates of nibbles that you wash down with pitchers of sangria. While we wish we were back in Barcelona, here’s how we try to create some of that magic at home.
This is a recipe that will become your go-to party trick. It’s a non-recipe recipe that can be made with minimum fuss, and it’s a crowd-pleaser too! I mean, who doesn’t like marinated olives with cheese?
It’s also beyond simple to make. You need to smash some garlic and remove a few lemon peels, throw them together with some olive oil and heat it gently until it’s infused with citrusy, garlicky flavours. Pour this infused oil over olives and let them hang out. And you’re done!
It goes without saying that you must use good quality olives for this dish — I prefer large green olives, or buttery Castelvetrano olives, and even kalamata olives. You can also use a mix of different varieties, but I recommend not going with all black olives. In addition, the cheese is just as important. For an appetiser so simple, don’t skimp with substandard cheese. Use the freshest, best quality chèvre (goat cheese) or feta available to you. I like the combination of either of these two salty cheeses with the marinated olives.
Once the olives have had a chance to sit in the infused oil for a bit, pour it over your cheese in a shallow bowl or plate. Finish with a few cracks of black pepper, and serve it with homemade crackers, or little chunks of sourdough bread torn into pieces and toasted with olive oil. It’s so quick to make, you’ll have it ready in minutes. The combination of salty fresh cheese, buttery olives, black pepper, and lemony grassy olive oil is divine. Save any leftover oil for another use, like for salad dressings, or to swirl into dips.
And don’t forget the sangria!
- 200g pitted whole olives (use green, kalamata, castelvetrano, or mixed)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: ½ teaspoon dried herbs or seasoning (thyme, chilli flakes, bay leaves etc)
- 150g fresh goat cheese, or feta cheese
- Generous amount of fresh black pepper
- To serve: crackers, or sourdough bread torn into chunks and toasted with olive oil
- Drain your jar of olives and place them in a bowl. You can use one variety, or a mix.
- Gently smash the garlic cloves with your knife to peel. Using a peeler, remove the peels from 1 lemon in wide strips.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, gently heat the olive oil with the smashed garlic, lemon peels, and any herbs if using. Bring to a simmer, cooking until the garlic is lightly browned. The idea is to go low and slow, as we don’t want to burn the oil. Turn off the heat and pour the infused oil over the olives. Stir to coat.
- Let the olives marinate in the bowl for at least 30 minutes before using. Alternatively, you can also transfer to a jar and let it marinate in the refrigerator for a longer period or overnight. These marinated olives will keep well in the refrigerator for a long time.
- Meanwhile, transfer your cheese to a shallow bowl or serving plate.
- Pour the olives with the oil mixture over the cheese and let it sit 10 minutes. You can remove the garlic cloves or let them be. Top with a generous amount of cracked black pepper, and serve with crackers or bread.
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