An Olive in Every Pot

With their intense flavors, olives can be touchy to cook with. Too often, people use them only as one-note flavor accents--much like capers. But cook a couple of these recipes and see the variety of effects that are possible.

In the Minorcan-style duck, the bitterness of the green olives--mellowed through long cooking--cuts the bird’s fatty richness. A more traditional Mediterranean combination of black olives, tomatoes and fresh herbs adds pungency to a veal stew.

Though the cauliflower and zucchini salads may sound similar, a close look shows vast differences. In the first case, black olives are combined with a gutsy combination of anchovies and capers to create an antipasto that fairly shouts. In the second, a fine note of dill mixed with lemon, sharp cheese and mild hard-cooked egg plays up the sweetness in simply cooked zucchini.

Finally, the black olive puree has an intriguing lemon flavor--despite the fact no lemon is used. Because the flavor is so different, it would be wonderful as part of an appetizer assortment that also features the slightly sour green olives that preceed it.

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This is one of those dishes that even the jaded palates in The Times Test Kitchen can’t resist. When added to the cooking liquid and brought to a boil, the olives thicken the sauce and flavor it spectacularly. The recipe, from Carlo Middione’s “The Food of Southern Italy” (William Morrow: 1987), is adapted from a Minorcan specialty that uses olives from that island. Those aren’t easy to get here in Southern California, so Middione suggests using Greek Nafplion olives for their slight tartness. Barring that, he says any light, small, firm, cracked green olive “with character” will work. The only olive he doesn’t advise is the Spanish olive, Manzanilla.

MINORCAN-STYLE

DUCK WITH

GREEN OLIVES

1 1/4 cups finely chopped onions

1 head garlic, roasted, halved crosswise

1 large stalk celery, chopped

2 bay leaves, crumbled

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 vanilla bean, chopped

1 (5-pound) duckling, fresh or thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped, peeled, seeded tomatoes

3 tablespoons dry Marsala, Sherry or Madeira

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cloves

8 large shallots

1 1/2 cups small light-green cracked olives

Combine onions, garlic, celery, bay leaves, parsley, salt, paprika, white pepper and vanilla bean. Mix well.

Empty cavity of duck. Reserve giblets for another use. Cut off wings at second joint. Roughly chop wings and neck. Set aside. Remove loose fat from cavity, neck and tail. Cut out fat under wings. Rinse duck and pat dry.

Stuff duck and sew up opening. Truss duck to keep shape. Refrigerate uncovered until 1 hour before cooking.

With tines of fork pierce duck skin every inch. With small paring knife, make deep slits in thick, fatty areas. Place duck in wide skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brown duck all over in expressed fat and oil. Transfer, breast-side-up, to 5- to 6-quart casserole, either earthenware or enameled cast-iron.

Brown wings and neck bones in medium skillet. Then add to casserole. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet, raise heat and add tomatoes. Mash tomatoes and saute until lightly scorched (to enhance flavor and sweetness). Scrape tomatoes and brown bits into casserole. Quickly deglaze skillet with Marsala and white wine. Add to casserole. Add cloves and shallots.

Cover casserole with circle of parchment paper or foil and tight-fitting lid. (Or earthenware dish filled with cold water that fits snugly over casserole.) Cook over low heat 2 1/4 hours, or about 25 minutes per pound of stuffed duck. Do not raise temperature.

Let duck stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, strain cooking juices, pressing duck gently to extract juices. Skim off fat. Then reduce juices to 1 cup in saucepan over medium heat. Cut duck into quarters. Discard backbone, wings and stuffing. Set in cool place. Cover pan juices. Blanch and pit olives. Duck can be made several hours ahead of time to this point.

In saucepan combine juices and olives. Bring to boil. Then simmer to blend flavors and thicken sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cover and keep warm. Rub duck skin with remaining olive oil or rendered duck fat. Place duck under broiler to reheat thoroughly and crisp skin. Place duck in warmed serving dish. Pour sauce over. Serve at once. Makes 4 servings.

Note : Olives need to be blanched once to remove saltiness from brine. Cover olives with water, bring to boil. Then boil 1/2 minute. Drain, cool and pit if desired. To pit cracked olive, tap each with light mallet. Pit will pop out.

Each serving contains about:

1,426 calories; 1082 mg sodium; 233 mg cholesterol; 132 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams protein; 1.22 grams fiber.

Variation:

After stuffing, duck may also be roasted at 325 degrees for 90 minutes. Use roasting juices to make sauce as directed above.

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This is a delicious use of olives and veal, a wonderfully rich stew that could quickly become a favorite dish for any cook--or eater--who tries it. The recipe comes from “Faye Levy’s International Jewish Cookbook” (Warner Books: 1991).

VEAL WITH OLIVES,

TOMATOES AND

FRESH HERBS

2 pounds boneless veal shoulder

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 teaspoon dried, crumbled

1 cup water

1 bay leaf

1 cup pitted brine-cured black olives, drained

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Cut veal into 1- to 1 1/4-inch pieces and pat dry. Heat oil in heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add veal in batches and brown lightly on all sides. Transfer browned veal pieces to plate. Add onion to casserole. Cook over low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until tender.

Return veal to casserole, reserving juices on plate. Add garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring 1/2 minute. Stir in tomatoes, marjoram and thyme. Bring to boil. Add reserved juices from plate, water and bay leaf. Bring again to boil, stirring. Cover and cook about 1 hour, or until veal is just tender when pierced with knife.

Remove veal from casserole with slotted spoon. Boil cooking liquid, stirring, until reduced to 2 cups. Drain liquid from meat. Add to casserole as liquid reduces. Discard bay leaf.

Return meat to sauce, add olives, and heat over low heat 1 to 2 minutes. Stew can be kept, covered, 2 days in refrigerator. Reheat over low heat, covered. Remove casserole from heat and sprinkle with parsley. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve stew from enameled casserole or from heated deep serving dish. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

397 calories; 1,015 mg sodium; 146 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams protein; 2.79 grams fiber.

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Cooks in southern Italy combine cauliflower, anchovies and olives to make a light and interesting antipasto or side dish. This version comes from Middione’s “The Food of Southern Italy.”

CAULIFLOWER SALAD

Water

Salt

1 large head cauliflower, rinsed, trimmed and cut into small pieces

8 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

3 tablespoons capers

12 Gaeta olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Dash red pepper flakes

In large pot boil water with salt added. Add cauliflower and cook about 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain. Spread cauliflower on large platter to cool.

Place cauliflower in large salad bowl. Add anchovies, parsley, capers, olives, pepper to taste, olive oil and red pepper flakes to taste. Mix salad. Serve salad cool. Makes about 8 cups, or 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

110 calories; 313 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.59 grams fiber.

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This recipe, from Diane Kochilas’ “The Food and Wine of Greece” (St. Martin’s Press: 1990, $14.95), features a flavor combination that is also a favorite marinade for fish and some meat dishes (sometimes with a touch of chopped garlic). Latholemono is also a standard dressing for salads and greens.

ZUCCHINI AND

OLIVE SALAD

2 medium zucchini

2 to 3 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

5 to 6 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped dill

15 cracked green olives

2 teaspoons grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

Latholemono

Rinse and trim zucchini. Steam zucchini whole 3 to 4 minutes, until bright-green and firm. Cool, cut into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. Cut rounds into quarters.

Combine zucchini, eggs, green onions, dill and olives in serving bowl. Mix cheese into Latholemono and pour over salad. Serve either at room temperature or cold. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

157 calories; 216 mg sodium; 107 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.49 grams fiber.

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LATHOLEMONO

3 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin

1 1/2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice

Oregano, chopped parsley, dill or thyme

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste with herbs, salt and pepper in jar. Shake well. Use immediately.

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This method for curing olives comes from Mary Laird Hamady’s “Lebanese Mountain Cookery.” Lemon zest gives the olives a nicely sour pungency.

CURED GREEN OLIVES

Green olives, cracked, drained

Vinegar

Water

Lemon zest

Thyme leaves

Put olives in jar. Fill half with vinegar and half with boiled water and lemon zest and thyme to taste. Let cure. Olives will be ready to eat in few days. Yield depends on amount of olives used.

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This recipe is also from “The Food and Wine of Greece.”

BLACK OLIVE PUREE

2 cups Kalamata olives, rinsed, drained and pitted

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon ground mint

1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon ouzo or vodka, optional

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Green olives or parsley sprigs, optional

With mortar and pestle or in food processor, blend Kalamata olives, onion, mint, orange zest, ouzo and thyme to smooth paste. Spread evenly in small bowl. Let stand 2 hours in refrigerator before serving. Garnish with few green olives. Makes about 1 cup.

Each 1-tablespoon serving contains about:

40 calories; 379 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 1 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams protein; 0.45 grams fiber.

Pottery dishes holding baked olives and black olive puree from Royal Cathay showroom at the Los Angeles Mart. Props for remaining photos, this page, from Archipelago showroom at the mart.