Whether you love them or hate them, olives have found their culinary place in Mzansi’s homes, restaurants and at parties. Master taster and advisor to the South African olive industry Linda Costa has a few tips and tricks you can use for picking out the best olives for your table.
Costa is a health coach and offers advice on the nutritional benefits of olive oil and olives in the everyday diet. She is also an accomplished producer of table olives and olive oil at Devon Valley Olive Tree Nursery on the Awakening Farm just outside of Stellenbosch.
Costa uses the acronym T.A.S.T.E for picking the perfect South African olive.
Get TASTE-Y
T for Taste
Olives are a multipurpose fruit that can be used in an array of dishes such as spreads, salads and cocktails. They can be bitter, sweet, or even salty, Costa says. “Once olives have undergone a slow, natural lactic acid fermentation, the flavours should become wonderfully integrated and not taste too acidic.”
A for Appearance
Ever heard of eating with your eyes? Costa believes that table olives should always have some sort of visual appeal. “They should have a good uniform size and good healthy colour. They should also be quite firm to the touch and not mushy, discoloured or bruised. The skin should be smooth and shiny,” she explains.
S for Smell
Although their aroma is not often spoken about, this also plays an important culinary role, says Costa.
“Any aroma should be clean and attractive, with any added herbs and spices being just sufficient to add to, rather than overpower, the overall aroma of the olives.”
T for Texture
A good olive will have a firm flesh, but not a rough texture on the palate. The flesh should detach from the pit quite readily. “A naturally fermented olive will be microbiologically stable, and its texture will be preserved without the need for additional acidity.”
E for Experience
Costa says the fruit is diverse and versatile. “Don’t be shy in adding all kinds of olive products to your meals,” she says. “Whether you are stuffing them, eating them au natural, using spreads and tapenades, tossing them into salads or plopping then into your martinis, the sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent flavours of table olives are an essential ingredient in any home cook’s arsenal. They’re the perfect addition to your feasts. Enjoy the experience!”
And if you are not up to munching on whole olives, award-winning chef Zola Nene shares her recipe for a spinach and mushroom tart.
Make olives the star and try award-winning chef Zola Nene’s spinach and mushroom tart, infused with extra virgin olive oil.
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Ingredients
- ÂĽ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 250g sliced mushrooms
- 2 tbsp Zola’s Feast Flavourbomb Spice Mix
- 400g chopped spinach
- 250g cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 4 sheets phyllo pastry
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ÂĽ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Place a baking tray into the oven.
- Place olive oil, rosemary and garlic into a saucepan, then heat gently until garlic begins to sizzle.
- Turn off the heat, then set aside to infuse.
- Heat another 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add mushrooms, then sauté on high heat until mushrooms begin to brown on the edges.
- Add the spice mix, then sauté for a few seconds.
- Add the spinach and toss well until wilted and any liquid from the leaves is evaporated.
- In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and cheddar, then season with salt and pepper to taste, before mixing in the eggs.
- Mix in the spinach mixture and stir well to combine.
- Brush each sheet of pastry with the garlic & rosemary infused olive oil, then stack them in a criss-cross pattern.
- Grease a 20cm loose-bottom round cake tin with olive oil, then line with the stacked pastry.
- Add the filling, pressing down to avoid air pockets.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden, and the filling is set with no jiggle.
- Leave to cool to room temperature before slicing to serve.
- For the tomatoes, whisk together the mustard, honey, lemon juice, olive oil and parsley. Add the tomatoes, season to taste and toss well.
