When Corey and I were traveling in France, each day was a new adventure. The simple task of grocery shopping became an exciting expedition. What unknown treasures would we delight upon? What tasty morsels would we discover? One day we ventured into a Middle Eastern market and discovered barrels upon barrels of olives and at incredible prices. We were beyond thrilled and quickly purchased several varieties. My favorite by far were the Moroccan olives.

The spiciness of the Moroccan olives pairs well with refreshing white wines and mild cheeses. Tart lemons, spicy harissa, briny olives, and herb-infused tomato paste all contribute to making these Moroccan olives incredibly flavorful. Once the olives have been eaten, the leftover sauce tastes great on slices of baguette. Moroccan olives can be made ahead of time and in fact taste better with age. They’re great as an appetizer or as a snack. The vibrant red sauce, bright yellow lemon slices, and green olives make for a beautiful presentation.

Preparing the olives:

Slightly Cracked Green Olives

The olives need to be slightly cracked to best absorb the sauce. Olives are stubborn at times. When I first started to smash the olives with the side of my kitchen knife, several escaped my grasp and shot across the room in dramatic protest. I soon got them under control by pressing the side of my knife firmly over the olives and lifting only my hand to smash them vs the whole knife.

Moroccan Olives Simmering

The Addition of Tomato Paste Thickens the Sauce

The Finished Moroccan Olives

 Clockwise from top: blue cheese, chicken liver pâté (not as delicious as foie gras, but still tasty), and goat cheese

Make these spicy Moroccan olives, sip on wine, and nibble on cheese. You won’t be disappointed! Bon appétit!

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Spicy Moroccan Olives

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Serves	2 cups
Region	Moroccan
Website	Epicurious

Lemony tartness, spicy harissa, briny olives, and herb-infused tomato paste all contribute to making these Moroccan olives incredibly flavorful.

Ingredients

• 10 Ounces green olives (with pits) in brine (such as picholine or Cerignola)
• 4 Cloves garlic (sliced)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Teaspoons tomato paste
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons harissa (increase for more heat)
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 lemon slices

Directions

Step 1

Lightly smash olives (olives should crack open slightly).

Step 2

Cover olives with water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then drain.

Step 3

Cook garlic in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in water, harissa, thyme, and olives and simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened and coats olives, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon slices. Transfer to a shallow dish and marinate, chilled, at least 24 hours.