Moroccan Spiced Dry-Cured Olives

🫒 Moroccan Spiced Dry-Cured Olives -- for Tony

For about 2 cups dry-cured black olives, toss together:

• 2 cups dry-cured black olives

• 3 tablespoons really good olive oil

• 1½ tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon rind

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¼–½ teaspoon harissa, depending on how much heat you want

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

• A little fresh orange zest

• Optional squeeze of lemon

Warm the olive oil very gently with the garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika—just 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.

Take it off the heat and stir in the harissa and preserved lemon. Toss with the olives and let them sit for at least an hour, although I'd make them several hours ahead.

Just before serving, add the cilantro, parsley and orange zest.

Don't add salt! Dry-cured olives and preserved lemon already bring plenty.

And Trisha, these are nothing like the Castelvetranos. They're wrinkled, chewy, intensely savoury and almost wine-like, with that gorgeous Moroccan combination of preserved lemon + cumin + harissa + herbs.

I'd serve them at room temperature rather than warm.