Scotch Olives

This is a great recipe from Food and Drink Holiday 2014 that I tried.  I have made Scotch eggs before and this is an interesting version of that theme.  If you can’t find fresh Chorizo sausage, use the best sausage you can purchase.

3 Tbsp olive oil
9 medium size garlic cloves
18 medium size pitted green olives
375 g fresh chorizo sausage (about 3)
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
Chopped parsley to garnish

• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium low.  Fry garlic, turning once, until lightly golden on both sides but still firm, about 3 minutes total; remove from oil.  When cool enough to handle, cut each clove in half lengthwise.  Stuff each olive with a half clove of garlic; set aside.
• Remove chorizo from casings and turn out onto cutting board; discard casings and finely chop sausage.
• Working with a tablespoon measure, fill spoon with a slightly heaping amount of sausage.  Push olive into sausage; turn out into hands and work sausage around olive to enclose and form into ovals mimicking the shape of the olive.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining meat and olives.  (if making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.  Allow to warm up to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.)
• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Combine sweet and hot paprika in a small bowl.  Using a fine meshed sieve, dust olives with paprika.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until meat is cooked.  Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley; serve with toothpicks.

Deep Fried Olives

This was my first attempt at these (actually made them with my daughter and her boyfriend) and I thought they turned out well.  I used a goat cheese…because I love goat cheese.  They were a little fussy but turned out rather well.  The recipe is from Food and Drink Autumn 2011.  These are great for any get together.

8 oz pitted large green olives

STUFFING
125 g Brebis or soft feta or goat cheese
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
Pinch dried thyme
Pinch smoked Spanish paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper

BREADING
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (the finer the crumbs the better these will turn out)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
Olive oil for frying

1. Combine cheese, grated lemon rind, thyme, Spanish paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan in a separate dish.
3. Use a butter knife to fil cavity of each olive with cheese mixture.  Roll olives in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, dip in egg and rollin bread crumb-Parmesan mixture.
4. Add enough olive oil to fill pan 1/2 inch deep, heat to 350 F.  Fry olives a few at a time for 30 seconds, turning as needed or until golden.  SErve hot.

Serves 4 to 6

Chicken Olive and Arugula Sandwiches

Simple if you have some leftover roast chicken.

10 kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 crusty whole grain rolls, split in half
4 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bunch arugula, washed and trimmed

1. Blend together olives, light mayonnaise, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
2. Spread 1 tbsp of the olive mixture on one half of each roll
3. Add chicken and arugula.  Top with second half of the roll.

Orzo with Fresh Orange and Olives

This is a great side dish.  I really enjoy Orzo and this is a nice recipe to try it out with if you haven't used it yet.  Orzo looks like rice but is a pasta.  Most grocery stores will stock it.  I have used it in soups when I have some left over.  The black olives in this recipe contrast nicely with the plain pasta flavour.  This recipe is from Food and Drink 2011.

2 large oranges
1 tbsp butter
12 oz (375 g) orzo pasta, a scant 2 cups (do not rinse)
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 2/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
16 black olives, preferably Kalamata
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1. Section 1 orange by removing outer rind with a chef's knife.  Then, holding fruit in hand over a large bowl, cut between inner sections leaving rubbery membrane behind.  Squeeze juice from membrane behind.  Squeeze juice from membrane into a glass measuring cup.   Augment with juice from bowl of sections and from second orange as needed to equal 1/3 cup.  Cover and refrigerate for up to a day, if not using right away.
2. When nearly ready to serve, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until bubbly.  Stir in dry orzo, saute, stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes or until about half of grains are golden.  Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute.
3. Add broth, juice, salt (I omit the salt) and pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat so mixture gently bubbles.  Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until orzo is tender and broth is absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, pit 10 olives; cut into largish pieces.  Reserve remainder for garnish.  When orzo is cooked, stir in olives and chives; turn into warmed serving dish.  Garnish with orange sections and black olives. 

Mediterranean Potato Gratin with Olives and Lemon

A really different gratin with lots of flavour!  I used Gruyere cheese instead of the Comte cheese.

3 lbs (1.5 kg) thinly sliced red potatoes (unpeeled)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced onions
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 tsp herbes de Provence
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup coarsely chopped black olives
1 tsp grated lemon rind
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Comte Cheese
1 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Place potatoes in cold salted water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes or until tender, and drain well.  Reserve.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for 2 minutes or until limp.  Add tomatoes, herbes de Provence and garlic and cook another 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken stock, olives and lemon rind and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 1 minute to combine flavours and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Oil a 9 inch ovenproof gratin dish.  Place one-third of potatoes on base, season with salt and pepper, cover with half of sauce, top with another one-third of potatoes, then remaining sauce and finish with remaining one-third potatoes.  Sprinkle top with cheese and dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is slightly browned.

Serves 6 to 8