MARINATED OLIVES

START RECIPE THE DAY BEFORE PREP TIME 5 MINUTES READY IN 24 HOURS SERVES 8 KEEPS FOR 1 WEEK

MARTINI OLIVES

Rinse and drain a 370ml can of anchovy-stuffed green manzanilla olives; combine in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon extra-dry vermouth, 1 tablespoon gin and ½ cup olive oil. Cover; refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 week.

FENNEL, MINT & ORANGE OLIVES Combine 1 cup Ligurian olives, 1 trimmed, thinly sliced baby fennel bulb, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, 2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns and 1 cup olive oil in a medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 week. OLIVES WITH SAFFRON & CHEESE Combine 1 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1½ cups coarsely chopped pecorino or manchego cheese, ½ teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads and 1 cup olive oil in a medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 week.

OLIVES WITH CAPERBERRIES & SHERRY VINEGAR

Combine 1¼ cups Sicilian green olives, 1 cup drained caperberries, 5 sprigs fresh lemon thyme, ¼ cup sherry vinegar and ¾ cup olive oil in a medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 week.

CHILLI OLIVES

Combine 1¼ cups kalamata olives, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind, 2 halved fresh small red chillies, 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ¾ cup olive oil in a medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 week. We recommend buying unpitted olives for marinating, as they tend to be less salty and have a superior texture and flavour to pitted. But always warn your guests – a broken tooth is the pits! – and provide a separate bowl for disposing of the pits.

Manchego (Spanish) and pecorino (Italian) are hard, sheep-milk cheeses available from delis and some supermarkets. If you wish, you can use parmesan instead.