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Freakishly Delicious Olives, Warmed by the Fire

Olives in a saucepan over a campfire stove.
Photo by Maya Visnyei

Burbled gently with rosemary, chile flakes, and a squeeze of orange juice, these heat-and-serve olives become something else entirely. The warmth and gentle smoke of a campfire transforms them into the stone fruit they are—juicy, savory, deliriously fresh, superb with icy drinks after a long day outdoors.

Any leftover oil is solid gold for frying fish or meats or dressing vegetables.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Cook It Wild' by Chris Nuttall-Smith, one of our top cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

At home

1½ cups firm, green, pit-in olives, rinsed of brine
1 tsp. chile flakes
1 sprig rosemary
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

At camp

Prepared olives
1 large garlic clove
1 small orange

Preparation

  1. Mix and pack

    Step 1

    In a leakproof container or resealable bag, combine the olives, chile flakes, rosemary, and olive oil and transfer to the refrigerator.

    Do ahead: Kept cold, olives keep 1 week.

  2. Add the flavorings at camp

    Step 2

    In a small pan, add the prepared olives and set over low heat. Smash and peel the garlic, then add to the pan.

    Step 3

    Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, cut the rind off the orange and add the peel to the olives, along with 2 tablespoons of the orange’s juice.

  3. Heat and serve

    Step 4

    Let the olives bubble gently for at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes. When they’re warm and the smell is glorious, remove from the heat, squeeze in a bit more orange juice, and serve.

Cook It Wild-COVER.jpg
Cook It Wild copyright © 2023 by Chris Nuttall-Smith. Photographs copyright © 2023 by Maya Visnyei. Illustrations Copyright © 2023 Claire McCracken. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House. Buy full the book from Amazon or Clarkson Potter.
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