🫒 How to Prepare Green Olives
📝 Ingredients:
- 2 kg fresh green olives
- Enough water for soaking
- Coarse salt (100 g per liter of water)
- Lemon slices
- Garlic cloves
- Bay leaves
- Coriander seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar per jar (optional)
🥣 Instructions:
1️⃣ Score the Olives
Wash the olives well. Using a knife, make 2–3 small slits in each olive, or gently crush them slightly so they can absorb water.
2️⃣ Remove the Bitterness
Place the olives in a large bowl filled with water.
- Change the water daily for 5–7 days.
- Taste one after day five. If the bitterness is gone, move to the next step.
3️⃣ Prepare the Brine
For every 1 liter of water, add 100 g coarse salt (about 2 level tablespoons).
Stir until the salt dissolves completely.
4️⃣ Pickling
Place the olives in clean jars and add:
- Lemon slices
- Garlic cloves
- Bay leaves
- A few coriander seeds
Pour the brine over the olives until they are completely covered.
You may add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to help preserve them.
5️⃣ Fermentation Time
Close the jars tightly and store them in a cool, dark place for 3–4 weeks before eating.
🫒 How to Prepare Black Olives
Black olives usually do not need to be scored.
Method:
- Wash them well.
- Place them directly in brine (same ratio: 100 g salt per liter of water).
- You may add a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent mold.
- Leave them to ferment for about one month.
💡 Important Tips for Successful Pickling:
✔️ Always keep the olives fully submerged in brine.
✔️ If a light white film appears on top, remove it as long as the smell is not unpleasant.
✔️ Use coarse salt without iodine.
✔️ Do not fill jars completely to the top — leave a little space.
