Black olives.
Olives have a distinct flavor and are almost always salty when purchased. This gives them a very strong salty taste. A good olive marinade can work with this flavor and help bring it out. Marinated olives can be used as an Italian antipasto, sandwich, appetizer or table sauce. There are a variety of different marinades, each adding a different flavor to the olives.
An olive branch with black olives.
One important thing to understand when trying to find the best olive marinade is that it will take a while for the marinade to soak into the olives. A very strong marinade may only need to be kept in the refrigerator for an hour, while a more subtle marinade may take up to eight hours. Allowing enough time for the marinade to mix with the olives will bring out the true flavor of the dish.
Olive oil, when combined with vinegar, garlic, and spices, forms a light marinade.
A basic olive marinade for a dish that isn’t too spicy might include olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and basil. This mix accentuates the slightly fruity flavor of the olives, while extracting some of their salt in the oil. For a little heat, red pepper flakes can also be added.
Another type of olive marinade that accentuates the fruity flavor of the olives consists of lemon and coriander. In addition to pepper, oil and vinegar, lemon slices are added to the mix. The chopped coriander is sprinkled in the oil and the olives are allowed to macerate for up to six hours.
A more flavorful olive marinade can be made with garlic, thyme, and allspice. Start with an olive oil base before adding all three seasonings, along with the parsley and pepper. The honey and orange zest help balance the flavors. It should be consumed as an aperitif.
A Spanish olive marinade that might be better for grilled meats consists of basil, garlic, lemon, and onion. Instead of adding oil and vinegar to this marinade, simply place all the ingredients in the original brine that the olives came in. The result is an olive with a strong and tasty flavor.
Black olives have a distinctly different flavor than green olives. An olive marinade for this type of olive should be a bit stronger than for the green variety. One example mixes chili flakes, rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, and bay leaves in olive oil. A little red wine vinegar is added and the whole mixture is kept in the fridge for at least two days before serving.