Best Islay And Olive Recipes

Warm Marinated Olives image

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 20m

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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
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

Steps:

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, 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.

Islay and Olive image

Provided by Maggie Hoffman

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

8 pitted green olives
1 ½ cups vodka
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Islay Scotch (such as Laphroaig 10)
¾ cup dry vermouth (such as Dolin)
½ cup water
2 tablespoons olive brine
10 dashes orange bitters
Pinch fine sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
12 lemon twists
12 to 24 green olives (optionally frozen)

Steps:

At least 2 hours and up to 4 hours before serving, make the batch. Place olives in a 1-liter swing-top bottle. Use a small funnel to pour in vodka, Scotch, vermouth, water, and olive brine. Add bitters and salt, then seal, turning gently end over end to mix, and chill in freezer. (If you'd prefer to batch further in advance, refrigerate filled bottle, then place in freezer 2 hours or so before serving.)
Meanwhile, freeze additional olives for garnish, if desired. I like to place one in each divot of an empty ice cube tray to keep them separated.
To serve, add olive oil to cocktail mixture. Reseal and turn bottle gently to mix. Pour cocktail into chilled martini or Nick and Nora glasses. Express oils from a lemon twist over each cocktail and use twist as a garnish, along with a frozen olive or two.

Marinated Olives image

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 5m

Yield 2 cups, serving 12

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 bay leaves
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, green shoots removed, thinly sliced
Strips of rind from 1 lemon (preferably organic)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cups imported olives (black, green or a mix) (about 3/4 pound)

Steps:

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves and garlic in a small saucepan and heat just until warm over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds.
Place the olives in a wide mouthed jar and pour in the olive oil mixture. Shake the jar to coat the olives. Refrigerate for two hours or for up to two weeks. Shake the jar a few times a day to redistribute the seasonings.