Branch out with Olives

Curing the Fruits:

A vital 1st step as the soaking leaches the bitterness from the fruit.

Green Olives:

Wash the fruit place it an earthenware, enamel or plastic container. Whack the fruit with a mallet or rolling pin or cut a cross in the base of the fruit with a sharp knife. Plunge into basin with cold water. Each day drain with cold water. After a couple of days, taste the fruit. If still bitter, continue to process until most of the bitterness is gone.

Ripe olives:

When using riper fruit, which are purple or black, layer them with coarse salt in large container. Leave for 5 to 6 days, pouring of any liquid that collects around the olives. Rinse well and soak for 3 days in cold water, changing the water each day.

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