Preserving Olives.
For about 5 Kg of fresh green olives.
Make a cut through the flesh right down to the seed along both sides the length of the olive.
Take about 8 litres of water and add a half handful of butchers coarse salt. You need enough water to cover the olives, so for smaller/larger quantities, reduce/increase the amount of water and salt proportionally. But do not over-salt. A bit under is better than over.
Cover the cut olives with the brine solution. Drain the solution each day and rise the olives with clean water.
Add fresh brine, covering the olives. Repeat this for ten days, test the olives at this stage to see if all bitterness has been removed. If not brine for a further 3 days and test again.
When the brining is completed to your satisfaction, drain the olives and bottle in screw top jars into which 20mm of good quality olive oil has been added.
Then prepare one of the following:
Take about 8 litres of water and add a half handful of butchers coarse salt. You need enough water to cover the olives, so for smaller/larger quantities, reduce/increase the amount of water and salt proportionally. But do not over-salt. A bit under is better than over.
Cover the cut olives with the brine solution. Drain the solution each day and rise the olives with clean water.
Add fresh brine, covering the olives. Repeat this for ten days, test the olives at this stage to see if all bitterness has been removed. If not brine for a further 3 days and test again.
When the brining is completed to your satisfaction, drain the olives and bottle in screw top jars into which 20mm of good quality olive oil has been added.
Then prepare one of the following:
- A 50-50 mixture of water and a good quality brown vinegar and fill to cover the olives. The oil floats to the top, sealing the contents.
- Some herbs or other flavouring ingredients such as, chilli flakes, garlic etc may be added to taste at this time.
- A brine solution of 100g salt per 1 lt water bought to the boil and then cooled before pouring over the olives and oil in the jar.
Put the lids on the jars and let stand for 45 days, after which you may enjoy your own olives, fresh from your pantry. (Oorsprong van resep onbekend.)
