The first time I was in the South of France, I had the pleasure of visiting the huge food market in Avignon. Talk about a kid in a candy store! Cheeses, cured meats, artisan bread, legendary wine and barrel after barrel of more olives than I knew existed. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino explains it, the story of olives is a very old one indeed.
Olives are the fruit of the olive tree, known botanically as Olea europaea. They are a type of drupe, similar to peaches, plums, and cherries, characterized by a fleshy outer part surrounding a hard seed. Olives are often eaten as "table olives" after being cured in brine, and they are also a major source of olive oil.
BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION:
Olives are botanically a fruit, specifically a drupe, which is a fleshy fruit with a single hard seed.
Cultivation and Production:
Olive trees are cultivated worldwide, with major producers including Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Morocco.
Types and Preparation:
Olives come in various colors and varieties, with green and black olives being the most common. They are often cured in brine or oil and can be pitted or stuffed with other ingredients.
OLIVE OIL:
About 80% of harvested olives are processed into olive oil, a key component of the Mediterranean diet.
Culinary Uses:
Olives are used in a wide variety of dishes, including salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and pasta dishes.
Health Benefits:
Olives are a source of monounsaturated fats, fiber, and antioxidants, and are associated with various health benefits.
SPICED OLIVES
2 cups large green olives with pits, such as Cerignola (11 ounces)
2 cups large black olives with pits, such as Kalamata (11 ounces)
Zest of 1 orange, peeled in large strips
1 whole cinnamon stick
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Drain the green and black olives from the brine or oil that they're packed in and place them in a medium bowl. Add the orange zest, cinnamon stick, garlic, fennel seeds, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the olive oil over the mixture, add the thyme sprigs and toss to combine. Transfer the mixture, including the olive oil, to a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Lower the heat and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the olives and garlic are heated through and fragrant. Serve warm right from the pan or transfer to a serving dish. Offer a small dish for the pits.
PUTTANESCA SAUCE
Ingredients:
10 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
4 anchovy filets or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup dry white wine
1 can whole tomatoes, broken up and drained
¼ cup capers
½ cup large green olives pitted, such as Cerignola
1 cup large black olives pitted, such as Kalamata
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
In a large sauté pan over medium high, heat the oil until just smoking.
Add the onions and garlic and cook with constant stirring until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the anchovy and cook until they are broken into a paste, about 2 minutes.
Add the lemon juice, zest and white wine. Cook until reduced by have. Add the tomatoes and cook until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, with occasionally stirring, until the sauce begins to thicken.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook until warm through.
Season with salt and pepper and serve over warm pasta.
