Sadly, this fantastic black gold treat is no longer available.
So, I've been researching recipes.
I've found one so far that looks promising. But I'm going to have to play around with it since it has additional ingredients besides just kalamate olives.
So if anyone has recipe ideas, I'm all ears!

Just an idea for a really delicious olive treat: my dad would saute a thinly sliced onion in olive oil and then add Kalamata olives or black Sicilian olives, a little sugar and some balsamic vinegar. Mix all together and stir over low heat until olives are heated and flavors combined. Serve at room temperature. It is really good even if not exactly what you're looking for.

Thanks for that recipe tip, Nancy.
I'm always looking for something new to add to my appetizer list.

I made a sweet olive jaom about 3 years ago for an IACP presentation.

To make the olives less bitter,
boil them three times in water, changing the water each time ( like you would d for candied peels)

then as for candied peels, boil the olives in a simple syrup, ( sugar and water boiled together, usually equal parts, 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar)

I also added lemon zest to to mine.

I made mine a puree and served it as a jam.
REcently I bought tiny french olives preserved whole in a sweet syrup to serve with Cheese.
LOVE IT

Diva, this is what I ended up doing (last night), but I decided to mix the olives with FIGS
I had about 18 figs that were getting pretty soft. So I chopped them and added them with one peeled diced apple to the olives as they boiled in the syrup.
Then I processed the whole batch into a rough jam and used a heat bath to preserve in jars.
I ended up with three 16 oz jars plus about 8 oz left over for immediate use.

Here are the approximates:
- 3 cups good quality pitted kalamate olives boiled three times in fresh water to remove some of the saltiness.
- simple syrup using 1 1/2 cups sugar and water infused with the peel of one lemon. (strain lemon peel)
- 2 cups diced figs (stems removed but not peeled)
- one diced apple

Gently boil the fruit together in the syrup for about 10 minutes (or until you get the consistancy you prefer). Careful not to let stick or burn.

Pulse briefly in food processor. Don't puree. You want to see a few chunks of apple and olive remaining. The fig will have already melted down, but the seeds will still add a great texture.

Preserve by your favorite method (canning or freezing)

Here is a photo of the finished product. I enjoyed it for breakfast this morning on toast with aged pecorino.

Deborah Horn
In a previous life I was an Umbrian sunflower farmer. I want to do a past life regression and stay there.
-----------------------------------
www.petsburg.com
My blog: Old Shoes - New Trip

lovely!
very MEditerranean

I bet some rosemary would be lovely too!

That sounds a bit like the amazing Fig and Olive Tapenade from the Jimtown store in CA.

Fig and Olive Tapenade
Makes about one cup

If using a mortal and pestle, I find it easier to hand chop the olives a bit first before giving them a good pounding.


1/2 cup (about 3 ounces, 90 gr) stemmed and quartered dried black figs (use dried Black Mission figs, if available)
3/4 cups (180 ml) water
1 cup (about 150 gr) black olives; Niçoise, Nyons, or Greek, rinsed and pitted
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1/2 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
1/2 cup (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
black pepper and salt, if necessary


1. In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer the figs in the water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.

2. If using a food processor, pulse the pitted olives, drained figs, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary or thyme to create a thick paste. Pulse in the olive oil until you've achieved a chunky-smooth paste. Season with black pepper and salt, if necessary. (The spread can be thinned with a bit of the reserved fig poaching liquid.)

3. If using a mortar and pestle, mash the olives with the mustard, garlic, capers, and fresh rosemary or thyme. Pound in the drained figs. Once they are broken up, add in the lemon juice, olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and fig juice, if necessary.


Serve tapenade with slices of baguette or pita triangles that have been lightly brushed with olive oil and perhaps sprinkled with salt and fresh thyme, or a dusting of chili powder, then toasted on a baking sheet in the oven until nice and crisp.

A tip from Carrie is to make this tapenade at least one day before you intend to serve it, which allows the flavors to meld and develop.

Dive, would you put the rosemary in the preserves, or would you garnish with it?

Jerry, That sounds like a delicious savory alternative to the sweet jam recipe.

Wouldn't it be fun to create an "all-olive-all-the-time" appetizer platter featuring Nancy's father's recipe, my sweet jam, and your savory one?

I would mince it up and let it candy in there!
I have had candied rosemary in chocolate bars too.

go lightly
I don't care for raw rosemary