The Elegant Olive

From calamata to Sicilian, crunchy olives add rich taste and texture to exotic Mediterranean fare.

Not long ago, when most of us thought of olives, we recalled only those pimento-stuffed cocktail olives scattered between the pickled onions and gherkins on a party tray or the tiny black slices strewn on pizzas. Well, for a fruit that’s been grown in the Mediterranean for thousands of years, it has certainly taken a long time for the world’s full variety of olives to reach our deli shelves.

Thankfully, today we can enjoy a wealth of richly flavoured olives direct from the sunny groves of the Mediterranean. And although olives are most often eaten out of hand, they also add unique taste and texture to any number of creations, from sauces and pizzas to salads and martinis.

For our collection of six fresh olive recipes, we’ve chosen some popular olives that are readily available in the deli section. Keep in mind, however, that substituting another variety or colour than the one suggested will likely produce distinctly different results. Here’s a tip: If the recipe calls for Greek calamata olives, feel free to substitute with Alphonso; where the recipe calls for Sicilians, substitute with Manzanillas from Spain.

You may want to taste different varieties for yourself to discover how each olive’s sweetness, piquancy, spiciness or saltiness can enhance your dish. Each type offers its own special flavour and can bring a whole new dimension to your recipe.

Recipes in this article:

• MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE WITH CRACKED GREEN OLIVES
• TUSCAN BEAN, OLIVE AND TOMATO SALAD
• CHOPPED OLIVE AND GARLIC SPAGHETTINI
• ROASTED VEGETABLE SPANISH RATATOUILLE
• GRILLED LAMB KEBABS WITH TOMATO OLIVE AÏOLI DIP
• OLIVE SPIRALS

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