Olives are tasty and nutritious. They are an important component of Mediterranean cuisine.

Ready to be eaten
In autumn and winter, olives are abundantly available in the market. This is a cheap option to cure batches of olives. Preserve them and enjoy for months to come. You can also make different combinations of flavors.
Here's a simple way to make your own flavored olives.
Time: 2 weeks
Materials
250 gram black olives
3 spoons salt
2 spoons vinegar
1/2 spoon extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves crushed
Few slices of lemon
Jalapenos (optional)
Knife
500 gram capacity bottle
Water
Method
Spread the olives on a paper and discard ones that are torn, wrinkled or squished.
Take in a colander and wash thoroughly.
With a knife, make vertical slits on the olives, till the knife touches the pit.
Take a tub, add the olives and submerge them in water. You may use some weight to keep the olives below water all the time.
Change the water everyday. Repeat this for 1 week. This procedure will help take the bitterness away.

After day 3

After day7
Now, the olives are ready to be assembled in a jar. In a clean jar, place a slice of lemon. Now top it with the olives. When you have placed half the olives, add 1 more slice of lemon, one crushed garlic clove, jalapeno (optional) , followed by the remaining olives.
Take about 250ml of water, mix in the salt and pour this over the olives, leaving space from the top.
Now add the vinegar and more salt water if there is space. Lastly, add a squirt of extra virgin olive oil and close the lid.
Keep this assembly for 1 week. Everyday, shake the contents of the jar (without opening) make it upside-down, so that it mixes as evenly as possible.

Assembly in the jar
After 1 week, taste an olive to check, if it is bitter, leave for few more days. If it tastes fine, they are good to go.
IMPORTANT NOTE If the contents start fizzing or smelling weird, then discard it. That's why, it is very important to inspect each and every olive before you start the process. Also, this method works for black olives. I have not tried with the green ones (they are more bitter)
Categories
#Food
#DIY
#Health
#Olives