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content/olives.md

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+---
+title: "Brine Curing Olives"
+tags: ['olives', 'curing', 'brine', 'fasting', 'mediterranean']
+date: 2023-05-20
+author: "rat-blue"
+---
+
+Olives are typically brined in 3 ways. Either by curing in lye, in brine, or in water-then-brine. This recipe concerns the latter, as its a quick way to make tasty olives that aren't overly bitter or salty.
+
+## Ingredients
+
+- Raw black olives
+- Water (Non-chlorinated is preferred)
+- Kosher salt
+- Olive oil
+- Garlic (Optional)
+- Rosemary (Optional
+- Thyme (Optional)
+- Anything else you want to add to the brine such as lemon peels, bay leaves, or vinegar (Optional)
+
+## Directions
+
+1. Wash and dry your olives thoroughly
+2. Break the skin of the olives - this will allow it to soak up the water / brine more efficiently. This can be done by either using a knife to make a small slit along the side of the olive, by using the spiked side of a meat tenderizer, or simply crushing the olives slightly with a heavy object.
+3. Place the olives in a large sterilised jar/container (can be done by simply rinsing with hot water) and fill with cool water. Place something on the top to ensure that the olives do not float, as this may lead them to becoming mouldy. You can use a partially inflated balloon or sandwich bag half filled with water to achieve this.
+4. Let them soak for 14 days or until the olives lose most of their bitterness. Remember to change the water every day, and try to keep them in a cool dark place. Take note of how much water it takes to fill the jar with the olives in it, as you will need to make enough brine to fill the jar later.
+5. Once you have finished giving the olives their water bath, remove and dry the olives, and thoroughly wash the jar.
+6. Boil some water over a stove and add the kosher salt, making a 10:1 ratio of water to salt. 
+7. Add your crushed garlic cloves, along with the rosemary, thyme and anything else you want to add (lemon peels and a touch of vinegar can be nice)
+8. Allow the brine to cool, then put the olives into the jar and pour in the brine solution.
+9. Top off the jar with a 5cm layer of olive oil. This creates a barrier between the olives and brine to the air.
+10. Close the jar but do not seal. Leave the jar for a minimum of 1 month in a cool dark place, such as a garage or cupboard.
+12. Once the olives are cured, you can either leave them in the brine in airtight jars or preserve them in olive oil.