Marinated Spanish Olives

These marinated olives make a great party appetizer. Spanish olives are a green variety - buy large ones for this recipe, since they come in varying sizes.

Ingredients:

• 24 unpitted Spanish olives
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional for garnish)

1. Crush the coriander seeds and rosemary with a mortar and pestle - you don't need them to be finely ground, just slightly crushed.

2. Combine the coriander and rosemary in a bowl with all the remaining ingredients except the rosemary sprigs.  Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours, but bring back to room temperature before serving. Add rosemary sprigs for a pretty garnish if you like.

Note: you can even prepare and refrigerate these olives up to a full week ahead, and the flavor will only get better over time.

A perfect nosh with a bubbly glass of Spanish cava:

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (4 olives), Calories 49 

Tasting Notes:
A delectable appetizer, with big flavor; you really only need to nibble on a couple olives to whet your appetite, which is exactly what an appetizer is supposed to do. The rosemary was my favorite part, and also the flavors of the vinegar and coriander, and the meaty olives underneath. Sips of cava were creamy and refreshing compared to the natural brininess of the olives, so I highly recommend it.

Rating:
3.5