Olives make a great savoury snack if you’re looking for an alternative to something sweet to help fight that afternoon energy slump. They are so versatile and it’s easy to put your own twist on them by mixing together a few of your favourite ingredients. If you’re craving a getaway or suffering from a bout of holiday blues, create your own delicious authentic Spanish-style feast in your own home by marinating your own olives with a mix of Mediterranean flavours and creamy manchego cheese.
I really love getting experimental with different flavours in the kitchen, changing things up to suit my own tastes and stretching my creativity. Olives are such a staple ingredient in a lot of homes across the country, however, so many aren’t sure how to use them. They can be thrown on to salads and pizza straight from the jar, but taking some inspiration from the Spanish family tradition of marinating olives I like to tailor them to my own tastes by developing my own marinades.
Craving a get away or suffering a bout of holiday blues? Create a Spanish-style feast by marinating olives with a mix of fresh Mediterranean flavours.
- 380 g Fragata Pitted Black Olives
- 170 g manchego cheese cubed
- 6 cloves of garlic peeled
- 2 red chillies deseeded and diced
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 250 ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
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Remove the rosemary from the stalks, before adding to a large bowl with the other ingredients.
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Stir together well and transfer to a preserving jar.
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Keep refrigerated and use as needed. Enjoy!
Fragata have a great range of olives which they harvest in Spain, I used their green pitted olives for my Citrus Marinated Olives, but this time thought I would road test their black pitted olives – they didn’t disappoint. I love that deep saltiness of black olives, which compliments the creamy manchego cheese and fragrant rosemary. There is a mild kick from the red chilli, which helps to cut through all of those big flavours.
This olive marinade is very reminiscent of a beautiful Mediterranean holiday. The produce and flavours of Mediterranean food are second to none, so simple and fresh. Trying to capture a bit of the world that I love in a jar is what inspired this particular olive marinade. Spanish tapas is one of my favourite things ever, and I think these would take pride of place on a table full of gorgeous tapas to serve to your guests over the summer.
For more details on Fragata and their olives, please visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.
If you could capture a bit of the world that you loved in a jar, what would it be?
*This recipe was commissioned by Fragata, but all opinions are my own.
I’ve never been a fan of olives, but my wife adores them! She can eat them all evening, so this could be great for her!
I travel to Spain very often and one of my guilty pleasures is eating as much marinated olives as I can. It’s so nice to end up a hot day somewhere at a terrace, with a pint of beer and a plate of olives. I had no idea I could make my own at home, here in the UK.
What a beautiful scene you have described. Yes, it’s so easy to make your own.
Oooo yes this looks absolutely delicious! I flipping love olives.
Haha! Thank you Jo.
I never liked olives until this year when we went to a tapas restaurant and had a platter started which had marinated olives,as I sat there telling my husband he can have them he told me to try them as they were lovely. I think I ate most of them they were very similar to this with the cheese and garlic. I have been craving them ever since. Thank you I will be trying these x
I got my parents into olives a couple of years ago and I think I need to share this with them as I think it would be definitely up there street.
Olives and manchago cheese is a such a good combo And they go down well at parties for sure.
I’m not a big fan of olives, but this looks delicious! Especially with cheese! Yummy!
I really wish I liked olives, I have to say the images you took make them look tasty though hah x
LAURA | Laura Thinks About
Thank you. Perhaps if you mixed them with a marinade of your favourite ingredients you could like them.
Perfect recipe for this hot sticky summer weather. Yum I’m hungry. xx
I love snacking on bits and bobs when it’s hot.
I simply love olives and these marinated Spanish olives look yummy and easy to make 🙂 x
Thanks, so easy to make.
This looks so yummy and is something me and my hubby would love to eat. We are olive and cheese fans! The photos are amazing too!
Yay! Great to hear and thank you. ?
I love Olives, this looks so yummy! I might make these for my other half!
I hope he enjoys them.
So many times have I picked up a tub of these babies at the supermarket but it didn’t occur to make them at home. Great idea!
They’re so easy to make. Definitely worth tying to mix your own.
My mummy is a massive fan of olives and loves Spanish tapas. Grandma on the other hand prefers olives with feta cheese. Either way it’s perfect for the heat and this time of the year, especially dinning alfresco x
Oh I will have to try them with feta cheese, so yummy!
My wife LOVES olives…. definitely going to show her this recipe, I am sure she would love this.
Thank you. I hope you’re wife likes it.