Housefinders Peloponnese tips! If you already live in the Peloponnese (specially Mani area) you probably have your own olives and maybe also your own recipe for pickled olives. But if not, and if you are looking for some proven recipes, and if you can buy fresh olives in grocery stores near you, I will be happy to share with you those two recipes for pickled olives on the traditional way and on the swedish way. Our Kalamata olives are from our own garden in Nomitsi, Mani!
Pickled olives on the traditional way, recipe from Mani, Peloponnese
Every greek family have their own recipes of course! Below the recipe from Elias Family. Use the herbs you like or make your olives without any: they will be tasteful any way!
- Ingredients salt brine: fresh large olives with core, water, salt, white wine vinegar
- Ingredients marinade: olive oil, garlic cloves peeled and sliced, fresh and chopped thyme, rosemary, red chili
Step one
- Cut a small but deep cross at the end of the olives where the stem has sat with a sharp knife or press them with a glass jar so they crack
- Put the olives in cold water. Place a plate with a weight on top so the olives are pressed down
- Leave them for 10 days and change the water once or twice every day. Taste an olive. If it is still very bitter, continue with the same procedure for another 10 days
Step two
- Make a layer of 1 part salt and 10 parts water. Stir until the salt has dissolved and leave the olives there for 5-10 days. Stir every day
Step three
- Rinse the olives. Make a layer of 1/3 white wine vinegar and 2/3 water and leave the olives there for 2 days. Now the bitterness of the olives should be gone and it’s time to add them
Step four
- Place the olives in jars together with sliced garlic and sprigs of thyme and / or some rosemary. You can of course use other herbs or other things such as whole dried or crushed chili. Top up with olive oil and some vinegar
Leave in a dark, cool place for at least 2 months, preferably until next year, before eating. The longer they stand, the more taste and less bitterness they get.
Pickled olives in the swedish way, recipe from Jenny Neikell
Below the recipe from Jenny Neikell. Jenny “Surtanten” Neikell is an internationally award-winning author, lecturer and product development consultant and expert in fermentation and preservation (link).
Ingredients: fresh large olives with core, water, sea salt, reed wine vinegar. The recipes are calculated for 1 liter of fresh olives
Step 1: 1 liter of fresh olives, 3 liters of water
Rinse the olives, cut them with a sharp small knife 2 times lengthwise all the way to the core.
Put the olives in a clean glass jar with a rubber ring and metal stirrup, pour in 3 liters of water. Let stand 3 days at room temperature. Shake the jar every day or put a weight on the olives so they are kept below the surface. Pour off the water and rinse the olives. Wash the jar and pour back the olives.
Step 2: 4 liters of water, 180 g (12 tbsp) sea salt
Dissolve 45 g of salt in 1 liter of water, pour the brine over the olives in the jar. Let stay for 1 week at room temperature, shake the jar every day or put a weight on the olives so they are kept below the surface. Pour off the brine and rinse the olives. Wash the jar and pour back the olives. Repeat this procedure 3 more times with fresh brine.
Step 3: 1 liter of water, 45 g (3 tbsp) sea salt, 1 dl vinegar
Pour off the brine and rinse the olives. Put them in a clean jar with a lid. Mix water, salt and vinegar, and pour the liquid over the olives. If you want, you can add some spices such as rosemary and black pepper. Put the lid on. Place in the fridge and let stay for at least 2 weeks before tasting. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.
