The olives are a great source of monounsaturated fats that encourage the production of good cholesterol (HDL) that fight against cardiovascular disease. They are also rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, and beta carotene; they contain mineral salts such as calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and sodium.
We need to preserve them from getting all these benefits and eating them even when not in season. If we buy olive oil and olives (organic, as we always suggest) from some producers, the main difficulty we would go against is preserving them because the olives, both green and black, are not suitable to be eaten fresh. Let’s find out together how to cure olives and keep them long over time.
How to cure black and green olives
Olives are the perfect preparation for appetizers and many delicious dishes. Let’s see some methods for curing black and green olives:
Black olives: How to cure them
The black olives are, in fact, the evolution of green olives ripened for a longer period, respecting nature, climate, and cultivars. This prolonged time on the plant allows the fruit to evolve towards its sweeter notes and lighter flavor, diluting, almost eliminating the bitter and spicy points.
How to cure black olives in the oven
To cook olives in the oven, we recommend choosing ripe olives when harvesting. Choose the ones that seem most healthy. How to proceed?
- Cut them in several places (usually three) and then put them in a colander together with the coarse salt.
- Create several layers: salt, olives, salt, and olives. In this way, the olives will lose the vegetation water and will have to be left in this position for about a week.
- Subsequently, they must be abundantly rinsed with white vinegar at low temperatures.
- Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and sprinkle it with olive oil (a drizzle).
- Then, carefully arrange the first layer of olives.
- Place your pan in an oven at about 150 ° C and leave it in until the olives start to shrivel.
- Once these are wrinkled, remove the pan from the oven and put the olives in containers (better glass) together with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil (buy olive oil in bulk from Prema bros), perfect for preserves.
- Close everything tightly and put it in the fridge.
- The olives thus prepared will be perfect during delicious and tasty aperitifs accompanied by simple bread topped with a drizzle of raw oil, but also for appetizers.
How to cure black olives in salt
The preparation of the olives in salt is simpler, you need:
- Black olives
- Chili pepper
- Salt
- Zest of lemons
Method
1. A container alternates a layer of olives, an abundant one of salt, chili pepper, and lemon zest.
2. The compound must rest for about three weeks, but care must constantly be taken to eliminate the released water.
3. Once the indicated period has passed, the olives must be washed and stored in hermetically sealed containers.
How to cure black olives in oil
It is another good way to cure olives in oil. To prepare a kilo of olives in oil you need:
- Chili pepper
- Black olives
- Garlic
- Fennel
- Oregano (quantities depend on personal tastes)
- 100 gr of coarse salt
Method
1. All the ingredients must be mixed and added to the olives together with a little water.
2. They must rest for 10 days in a cool and dry place.
3. Every day they need to be mixed.
4. The importance of salt should not be underestimated because it is used to sweeten olives.
5. After this period, the olives must be placed in the sun, covered with a tea towel to dry.
6. At this point, they must be passed in hermetically sealed jars and covered with extra virgin olive oil.
Green olives: how to cure them
”Green olives can accompany aperitifs, snacks, salads, appetizers, or they can be the secret ingredient of particular dishes, but how to cure them? Here are some tips for curing freshly picked green olives”.
Cure the green olives in brine
Green olives to be cured with water and salt are also known as pickled olives. It is recommended to use green olives, that is, not ripe because they have a firmer pulp.
1. The first phase requires that the olives are left to soak for about a month, taking care to change the water every day. This stage is essential for sweetening the olives.
2. After this period, it is necessary to prepare the brine, which is the mixture of water and salt, which must completely cover the olives.
3. For every liter of water needed to cover the olives, 100 grams of salt must be used.
4. It is possible to reduce the quantity of salt, up to 8%, but in this case, the maturation times are lengthened. Bring the water to a boil and add the salt.
5. The brine must be cooled.
6. At this point, the olives are put in hermetically sealed jars covered with the brine.
7. Once closed, the jar must be left to mature for about 4 months.
8. If you wish, you can add fennel, chili pepper, and bay leaf to the brine.
Crushed green olives to be cured in oil
For this recipe, you will need:
- Large green olives
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White vinegar
- Sterilized jars
- Hot pepper
- Origan
- Garlic
Method
1 The most practical method of crushing green olives to be preserved in oil involves the use of a meat tenderizer and a good cutting board.
2. Wash the olives and remove the deteriorated ones.
3. With a meat mallet, mash the olives. At this stage, it is better to place a tablecloth on the table and on the wall closest to the operation to protect them from the splashes generated by the pulp.
4. Eliminate the core.
5. As you crush the olives and remove the core, transfer them to a bowl full of water.
6. Add the salt to the water, one tablespoon per liter.
7. Keep the olives thoroughly, adding a weight on the surface of the container (a stopper, a plate, a bowl).
8. Change the water twice a day and, each time, add a little salt.
9. Do this for 10 days. On the seventh day, try to taste them, and if they are still bitter, keep waiting.
10. When the green olives are no longer bitter, drain the water and, with a press (potato masher), squeeze the olives well to remove all the excess water. This operation is essential to allow the conservation of the olives in oil.
11. If you intend to season the olives to be preserved, at this point, you must add the aromas.
12. Mix everything with the white wine vinegar; calculate one glass of vinegar for every two kg of olives.
13. Stir and cook for a few hours.
14. Press the olives again in the press to eliminate the vinegar.
15. Potted the olives and compress as much as possible to eliminate the air.
16. Cover with extra virgin olive oil. Wait several hours, add more olive oil.
17. Store in a cool place.
18. The crushed olives in oil can be consumed even after a few days.
What kind of olive cure technique do you use? Tell us about it in the comment box! If you want to buy extra virgin olive oil to cure the olives, buy it from.