Provencal Olives Recipes

PROVENCAL OLIVES

Steps:

• Place the olives in a heat proof bowl.
• In a small heavy iron skillet (or other heavy skillet), toast the fennel seeds on low heat just until golden and aromatic.
• Set them aside to cool.
• In a small nonreactive saucepan, bring the vinegar, oil, garlic, rosemary, peppercorns, and orange peel to a simmer.
• Crush or coarsely grind the fennel seeds and add them to the marinade.
• Simmer for at least 5 minutes and then pour over the olives.
• Cool, and cover and refrigerate.
• Allow the olives to marinate at least 24 hours and up to one week before serving.
• Serve at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

PROVENCAL CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add chicken, skin side down. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter. Pour off all but 1 1/2 tablespoons drippings. Cool skillet 2 minutes; return to low heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes and wine. Increase heat to medium; bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until tomatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
• Return chicken, skin side up, to skillet. Bring mixture to boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to plate. Add last 4 ingredients to sauce in skillet. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES (POULET PROVENCAL)

Steps:

• Preheat convection oven to 400°F or regular oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
• Toss together tomatoes, onion, olives, sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13- by 9-inch or other 3-quart shallow baking dish. Push vegetables to sides of dish to make room for chicken.
• Stir together minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, remaining teaspoon herbes de Provence, and remaining tablespoon olive oil.
• Remove excess fat from chicken and pat dry, then rub inside and out with seasoning mixture. Tie legs together with string, then put chicken in baking dish.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 hour in convection oven; 1 to 1 1/4 hours in regular oven.
• Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Serve with vegetables and pan juices.

CHICKEN PROVENçAL WITH OLIVES & ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Tip the chicken into a large bowl or dish and add the garlic, wine, 2 tbsp oil and the thyme. Season with 2 tbsp flaky salt and mix well until completely coated. Cover and chill for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight.
• Heat grill to high. Arrange the plum tomatoes on a tray, cut-side up, drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and grill for 15 mins, or until charred. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large casserole dish or flameproof roasting tin. Scrape the marinade off the chicken pieces back into the bowl and fry the chicken in batches for about 15 mins until the skin is golden and crisp - watch out, the oil has a tendency to sputter. Remove the chicken from the dish and pour off the oil. Place the dish back on the heat, add the tomato purée and cook for 2 mins, then add the herbs, fennel seeds, remaining marinade and chicken stock. Bring up to the boil, add the grilled tomatoes, then simmer gently for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Nestle the chicken pieces back into the dish, then stir them in to coat in the sauce. Scatter over the celery, button onions and artichokes. Bring up to a simmer, pop the lid on, then transfer to the oven and cook for 1 hr. Remove the lid and stir in the olives. Season to taste and leave everything to settle for 15 mins before serving straight from the dish.