Marinated Olives with Lemon

Simple can be best.

A cup of black coffee, roasted from the perfect beans.

A stroll though the farmers' market on a Saturday morning.

Chocolate peanut butter cookies just out of the oven.

A fresh, green salad overflowing on my plate.

Homemade pillows. Lots of them. In various sizes and patterns.

And these olives, marinated for a few days (or for two or three weeks) with lemon, olive oil, garlic and pepper. The lemon lingers in the background. It's present without being overbearing.

These olives come together in a few minutes, and then get thrown in the refrigerator until you need them. They need some time to come to room temperature before you eat them so the oil melts.

They make the perfect addition to a make-ahead appetizer table.




Marinated Olives with Lemon
recipe adapted from Saveur

Ingredients
1 pound green olives, not pitted
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves (pressed lightly to crack them)
Freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, sliced in quarters and into wedges

Crack olives slightly, putting light pressure on them with your palm. Transfer to a bowl or tupperware. Add olive oil,  lemon juice, garlic cloves, ground pepper and sliced lemon. Stir well.

Cover the container with a lid or with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, or up to 4 weeks.

The olive oil will solidify a bit in the fridge. Pull the olives out a few hours before you plan to use them, and allow them to come to room temperature before serving.