Making your own marinated olives allows for more variety that just buying pre-marinated olives. This is my recipe, but make your own bespoke recipe using the spices and herbs you prefer.

Ingredients

• 2 cups black or green olives (or a mix of both)
• 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons frehs herbs (marjoram, thyme, oregano, parsley)
• 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled and thinly sliced
• about ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Place 5 or 6 olives together at a time on a chopping board, then lightly bruise them with a wooden rolling pin, but do not crush.
2. Pare the rind off the lemons and shred; alternatively you can do this with a zester. Finely chop the herbs.
3. In a lidded container, put the olives, lemon rind, herbs, chillies and garlic and cover with olive oil. Leave to marinate in a very cool place, preferably not in a fridge, for at least 24 hours before serving.
4. Drain to serve (you can reserve the oil for cooking). Serve olives with drinks and be prepared to become addicted!