There is a lot to be said about food waste lately. Some have strong opinions about waste, others do not. But one thing is certain. There are a few things in our kitchen that do go to waste and can be useful. Pickle juice, brine, stale bread. Here at Oliveology we love discovering creative ways to use these neglected leftovers.
Being so passionate about our olives, we always wondered if there is anything exciting one can do with the liquid that is left in the pot (after we have happily eaten these little bursts of flavour). Autumn is now in its full swing and we feel slightly nostalgic about Greek summer afternoons by the sea. Those moments of leisurely sipping ouzo, a small plate of olives on the side, the warm afternoon sun and good company…
When we open a tub of dark brown Kalamata olives with ouzo (Great Taste awarded!), the aroma of Greek summer fills the kitchen.
As we nibble on these fleshy olives, the ouzo aftertaste develops into a eureka moment. There is no way we will let this beautiful liquid go to waste. We will use it for cooking! After all our liquid marinade is made using our organic olive oil, vinegar, ouzo, star-anise, fennel seeds and lemon.
Sear an ethically sourced cod fillet in that aromatic liquid, and once slightly golden, transfer into a baking dish. Top each piece with a few slices of lemon, white wine if you wish, caramelised fennel (yes, we did use the liquid from our tub for that too!) and the remaining olives (although we know you’ve probably nibbled most of them by now) Cook uncovered in the oven for 8-12 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
Sprinkle some fennel tops on top, drizzle extra virgin olive oil and generously squeeze some lemon juice. Maybe add some more olives, they are after all so hard to resist. And there you go, a simple, healthy dinner and zero waste from our olives. You can even wash the pot and reuse it. 🙂
