Olive Time

Broken Green Syrian olives

photo by Eyal Warshavsky

I just love olives, especially green Syrian broken olives cured with salt, garlic and lemon. It takes a minimum of about three weeks from the time I close the jar until I start eating them, and some will say they are still too bitter at that point. But I love that bitter salty taste, with a hint of hot pepper.

 October and November are olive harvest time. Right after the first rain, I used to take Shira to the tree that grew under my grandmother’s home in Jerusalem and pick olives off the tree. Then we would crack each one with a rock or just use a knife to make a small incision.

Once at home, the olives go in a bowl with fresh water for about three days, changing the water every day. 

photo by Eyal Warshavsky

On the fourth day I take a clean jar and put the olives in it  for two kilos of olives I use  six to eight garlic cloves , one medium sliced lemon, and two or three chile peppers.  

Then I prepare a solution of water and salt.  Here I use a fresh egg as my measure: after mixing the solution in a bowl or pitcher, I place an egg in the water. If the egg remains roughly in the middle – not floating to the surface, but not sinking – I’ve got the right amount of salt for the process. Once the solution is balanced, I pour it on the olives, and top it off with some olive oil to prevent contact with air. Then I close the jar tightly, and wait.

photo by Eyal Warshavsky

After about three weeks I start tasting. Since I do not make more than three kilos of olives,  after two months I run out , and I go back to buying my olives in the market, and wait for next year’s olive harvest.

Do try this at home!!!!