Middle Eastern Marinated Olives

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 lb olives, your choice or 1 lb pitted small to medium green olives or 1 lb oil-cured black olive (such as nicoise, about 3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 bay leaves

Recipe

• 1 rinse the olives, then soak in cold water for at least 4 hours, drain.
• 2 combine the olives with the remaining ingredients.
• 3 cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day and up to 1 week.
• 4 serve at room temperature.
• 5 variation; add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.