Chorizo-stuffed Fried Green Olives

These meaty gems are filled with a spicy chorizo sausage then crumbed and fried. Definitely worth the effort.

36 very large pitted green olives

1 soft cured spicy chorizo sausage (about 100 grams), skin removed

½ cup plain flour

sea salt and ground pepper

2 large eggs, size 7, beaten

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

vegetable oil for frying

Stuff the cavity of each olive with chorizo, completely filling it.

Roll the olives in paper towels to dry the outside.

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Put the egg in another dish and the breadcrumbs into a third. Roll the olives first in flour, then the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs, to fully coat. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat 3cm of oil in a small deep saucepan to 170°C. You’ll know the oil is hot enough when a cube of bread dropped in turns golden in 60 seconds.

Carefully add the olives, in batches, and cook for 1 minute until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the olives are cooked then serve warm. SERVES 6