Make Ahead

Roasted Honeybell Orange Olives

February  4, 2011
4.7
3 Ratings
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Serves about 6
Author Notes

I wanted to take this challenge down to the essence of ingredients, olives and citrus. Just before looking at what this week's challenge was, I was trolling my Amazon wishlist. One of many tagged books is entitled "Olives and Oranges" by Sara Jenkins (Porchetta, NYC), and Sandy Fox (editor of La Cucina Italiana) and it spans the Mediterranean in cuisine and has the MOST beautiful photo of oranges and olives front and center. Having never opened it, all I need was that photo for my recipe to start writing itself in my head. It is also helpful that my sister bequeathes Honeybell oranges on my parents during the winter months and they generously share them with me. I used a mix of olives in this, green and kalamata mostly. - testkitchenette —testkitchenette

Test Kitchen Notes

Not being beneficiary of honeybell oranges, I was lucky enough to score a Cara Cara orange for this amazing recipe. I was a little nervous the olives would cook to a pulp after an hour and a half, but for some mysterious reason they did not. They just became infused with the wonderful orange flavors. Serving this alongside some lovely french bread with a bit of ricotta made us feel like we on a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean. Two thumbs up! —wssmom

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Ingredients
  • 3 cups olives, I used a mixed bag, so choose to your liking
  • 3/4 cup dried figs, quartered
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
  • zest and juice of 1 juicy and sweet orange
  • 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 300F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour into a foil lined baking sheet (one with sides). After zesting and juicing the orange and toss the orange half that has been zested juiced in with the mixture. Enclose olive mixture with foil and seal.
  2. Bake for an hour. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. Cool a bit and serve along with bread smeared with ricotta or mascarpone.

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8 Reviews

testkitchenette February 27, 2011
Thank you wssmom for a wonderful review. I've made them again and blitzed them in the food processor until like a tapenade...very delicious also!
dymnyno February 5, 2011
Great ingredients...I love dates(especially Medjool). I am confused about the line..."toss the oranges half..." Are there sliced oranges in this too? or just juice and zest?
testkitchenette February 5, 2011
I will clarify in the recipe...after zesting and juicing the orange I tossed in the empty peel of the orange with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks for your lovely comment!
aargersi February 5, 2011
This sounds wonderful! Dang - another cookbook to buy ...
mrslarkin February 5, 2011
hk, this sounds yummy! That's one of my many cookbooks. I agree - it's loaded with great inspiration for this week's theme.
testkitchenette February 5, 2011
Thank you drbabs and healthierkitchen! The book will be ordered soon! The olives are even better after hanging out in their juices overnight!
drbabs February 5, 2011
wow, sounds delicious
healthierkitchen February 5, 2011
It is a great book - I took a look at it last night too! When you can, it is worth getting. Your recipe sounds delicious. The combo with the ricotta pulled me in!