Queen Green Olives with Preserved Lemon, Coriander Seeds and Feta
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Queen Green Olives with Preserved Lemon, Coriander Seeds and Feta

This olive recipe is perfect with a crisp white or a chilled sparkling wine. As it marinates in the fridge, the fragrant toasted coriander seeds infuse the olives and feta. Best made a day ahead.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 2 preserved lemons (specialty stores; keeps in the fridge once open)
  • 1 block of Greek feta, not the creamy type*
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 × 370g jars large green olives in brine, drained*
  • ½ cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Toast the coriander in a frying pan until it smells delicious and you can see it beginning to brown.
  2. Scrape the preserved lemons of their flesh and discard it, then rinse. Dice the preserved rinds.
  3. Cube the feta so each piece is about half the size of an olive.
  4. In a large bowl, gently toss all the ingredients together.
  5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve as needed. These keep well for two weeks; to keep them longer, cover with olive oil and store until the feta's expiry date.

Makes: 4 cups

Notes

Add these to the table with a stack of picks, a bowl of pistachios, and a few empty bowls for olive stones, pistachio shells and used picks.

I used Zany Zeus Classic Feta (the block weighed 168g). For olives I've used Sandhurst Whole Sicilian and Ghiotti Green Giant — look for a large, stone-in green olive if you can't find these. Preserved lemons are in some supermarkets and standard at specialty stores.

The Pairing

Bright, briny and herby, these love a crisp white or a chilled sparkling. Browse the sparkling collection or an aromatic Pinot Gris or Riesling.