Hot Cheese Olives Recipes

WARM MARINATED OLIVES

Steps:

• Drain the green and black olives from the brine or oil that they're packed in and place them in a medium bowl. Add the orange zest, garlic, fennel seeds, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the olive oil over the mixture, add the thyme sprigs and toss to combine.
• Transfer the mixture, including the olive oil, to a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Lower the heat and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the olives and garlic are heated through and fragrant. Serve warm right from the pan or transfer to a serving dish. Offer a small dish for the pits.

BAKED CHEESE OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a small mixing bowl, combine cheese and butter or margarine. Stir flour and cayenne pepper into the cheese and butter mixture. Blend well. Wrap a tablespoon of dough around each green olive. Arrange the wrapped olives on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

FRIED OLIVES

Steps:

• Pour the olive oil into a medium saucepot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer. Place over medium heat and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Set up a dredging station by placing the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Working in batches, drop the olives into the flour and roll until evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour and place the olives into the egg. Coat the olives in the egg and lift out, allowing any excess egg to drip off. Roll the olives in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Set aside a baking sheet.
• Once the oil is hot, carefully add the basil leaves and lemon peels, being aware that the oil may pop. Fry just until crispy, about 30 seconds. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Working in batches, fry the olives until the breadcrumbs are crunchy and the cheese is soft, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly.
• Put the olives on a serving platter and crumble the fried basil and lemon zest over top. Sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper.

HOT CHEESE OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter until creamy in a large bowl. Add cheese and mix well. Stir in flour, salt, cayenne and work until smooth. Beat egg with 2 tablespoons cold water, add to dough and mix until just incorporated. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove dough and flatten out a piece about the size of a walnut into a thin round. Place an olive on top and shape the cough around the olive, pinching to repair breaks. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and olives. Bake until dough sets, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot. Note: Roll dough into balls and press flat with the bottom of a small glass, then fold in olives. Goes faster.

WARMED SPICED OLIVES

Steps:

• Toast fennel seeds in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add lemon zest, bay leaves, olives, oil, and Aleppo pepper and cook, stirring, until just warmed through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm.