I just had some of the most delicious marinated olives, and I could not keep myself from asking for the recipe. All the while wondering if I would ever get around to making the mixture to marinate them. Only then to find out that the owner of the restaurant actually shakes up the containers that the olives are housed in twice each day for three days. Added work in the kitchen never makes things more likely for me to become involved.
Alas, I am having house guests this week, and what would happy hour in Portugal be without couvert – fresh sliced bread, olives, and if you are truly in luck, marinated veggies (such as carrot, celery, beet and cauliflower). So, I did it to the best of my ability, since I did not have the forethought to write down the exact amount of ingredients, much less the amount of olives to work with. What I did was empty the juice from a can of olives, throw together ½ a cup of red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil a teaspoon of honey, salt and pepper to taste, and a heaping table spoon of garlic. Yes, I did shake them up 2 times a day, believe it or not. And they are fabulous. Maybe they are a one off, or a new staple. It will depend on how much praise I get from my guests over them.