Lots of restaurants put a dish of olives on the table, which always seems like a great idea. The bummer is that the olives usually aren’t marinated very well and so they’re boring. These olives are different: I use all different colors and sizes and add yummy things like big pieces of citrus zest, fennel and coriander seeds, garlic, herbs, and even a little kick of crushed red pepper. The secret is to first warm everything together slowly so the flavors marry; then, once they’re marinated, stir-fry them in a SCREAMING hot pan until they blister and frizzle on the outside. (And here’s a tip: These olives will hold forever in the fridge and it’s just as easy to make a lot as a little—so whip up a big batch, and you’ll always have some on hand.) These are SOOOOO delicious you want to eat them right away, but watch out—they’re hot stuff!

　　

Ingredients

serves: 4 to 6

　　2 cups olives, all the same or a mix of sizes and colors

　　1 tablespoon fennel seeds

　　1 tablespoon coriander seeds

　　1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

　　2 cloves garlic, smashed

　　Zest of 1 orange, removed in wide strips with a peeler

　　Zest of 1 lemon, removed in wide strips with a peeler

　　2 bay leaves

　　2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

　　1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients over low heat and warm everything until it bubbles gently, like a Jacuzzi. Continue to cook the olives in their warm oil bath for about 20 minutes; they should be very aromatic. Turn off the heat and let everything cool to room temperature (this will take about an hour). If you want to do this step ahead of time, put the olives in a jar in the fridge until you’re ready to fry them—the olive oil will solidify but don’t worry; it will melt when reheated.

　　

Step 2

When you’re ready to serve the olives, bring a large sauté pan to high heat—you want to get it EXTREMELY hot. Add the cooled olive mixture to the pan, shaking it every few seconds until the olives blister on the outside, then remove from the heat.

　　

Step 3

Put the olives and all the other good stuff in a dish and serve immediately, but remember—inside the hot olives is hot olive oil, so be careful!

　　Cook Like a Rock Star