Fennel and orange – marinated olives

2
Points®
Total Time
6 min
Prep
6 min
Cook
0 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy
A slightly sweet, slightly spicy snack, these olives will transport you to the shores of the Mediterranean. Curls of orange zest and tiny, anise-scented fennel seeds dress up standard olives, and the quick, exotic marinade works equally well on green or black olives. Toasting the fennel seeds in a hot, dry skillet for a quick 30 seconds before using them will intensify their flavor. You can use pitted or unpitted olives with equal success here. If you do use unpitted olives, be sure to set out a small dish for the pits. The olives make for a healthy, can't-eat-just-one snack, and are an ideal addition to your cocktail party bar.

Ingredients

Olives

½ pound(s), brine-cured black and/or green varieties

Raw orange peel

¼ tsp, 2 (2-inch) strips, removed with a vegetable peeler

Garlic

1 clove(s), crushed with the side of a large knife

Olive oil

½ tsp

Fennel seeds

tsp, crushed

Red pepper flakes

tsp, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Stir together all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 day or up to 1 week.
  2. Discard the garlic; transfer the olives to a serving bowl. Serve at room temperature. Yields about 4 olives per serving.