Hello friends! Welcome to my new favorite salad dressing topping: Kalamata Olive Dressing. It’s made from simple pantry staples (as always, that’s a must!) so you can whip it up nice and quick and slather it on anything from salad greens to roasted potatoes to bread to etc. etc.
DISCLAIMER:
If you’re not a fan of Kalamatas, you may want to pass on this recipe because IT.IS.KALAMATA.FORWARD. If you’re still interested in making a dressing from olives and other briny bits (like capers!), just use your favorite mix (& make sure they’re all pitted! <— most important detail).
Back Story on My Love for Olives
Growing up I knew of two types of olives: the black pitted olives that came in the can and tasted vaguely metallic, and the green olives stuffed with vibrant red pimento that came in a jar and tasted satisfyingly briny. I was a green olive girl 100%. Both varieties would grace our Thanksgiving day table in separate fancy bowls, and we’d nosh away on ’em until dinner was ready. I used to put the black ones on my fingertips, but then I’m guessing all kids probably did that…
…didn’t they??!
I’m not sure how or why or when I branched out from there, but boy am I glad I did! (It probably happened in college, everything exciting happens in college.) These days there are so so so many options at the grocery store olive bar, we’re totally spoiled. Not to mention every single restaurant around seems to offer their own blend of olives as a small plate / appetizer. They go really well with a healthy glass of red wine…
Kalamata olives are my go-to choice at the store. I bring my own pint jar and fill it up at the olive bar (Thank you, Ballard Market!). I use Kalamatas in salads, pastas, sauces, on pizza! and now in our new favorite dressing.
Unlike me, Nick didn’t grow up with olives at the dinner table. When we first met, he detested them. They’re an acquired taste, I get it. But ten years later living with The Olive Queen and he’s come a looooong way. I’m so proud. I think it was the olives on pizza thing that did it. Now I want pizza…
Kalamata Olive Dressing = A Must Try
Look at that rich and beautiful burgundy color up ^ there! Dies.
We both love this salad dressing and I’ve been making it for a few weeks now. I use a hand blender and blitz it directly in a wide-mouth canning jar (so it’s easy to store any leftover dressing). Does anyone else make their dressings this way?
The salad is simple, and really holds up nicely to the thick salty tangy Kalamata dressing: fresh frisée, simple blanched Spring peas, an “8-minute” egg and some thinly shaved zucchini (first I’ve seen at the farmers market!).
We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
A simple yet satisfying meal-sized salad featuring farm fresh frisée, tender Spring peas, medium-boiled eggs and a uniquely briny, tangy Kalamata olive dressing. Pair with a slice of your favorite fresh bread and enjoy!
Ingredients
- About 2 tbsp olives
- Zest from one lemon (optional)
- Juice from one lemon
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup oil (we use either grapeseed or olive typically)
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 bunch frisée, trimmed and cleaned
- 1 yellow zucchini, shaved or thinly sliced into ribbons
- 1/2 lb English shelling peas, removed from their pods (reserve pods for broth or compost)
- 1/2 lb Snow Peas
- 4 eggs
- Flaked sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium sauce pan with salted water to a boil over high heat. Set a bowl with an ice bath next to the pot.
- Blanch snow peas for about 40 seconds, until bright green and just barely tender. Remove from water with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and plunge into ice bath. Once cooled, remove from the bowl and set aside to dry.
- In the same pot of boiling water, add your eggs* and cook for 8 minutes. Remove and plunge into ice bath, cracking the shells slightly. Peel when cool enough, and set aside in the fridge to chill (you can also leave them at room temp if you prefer).
- Blend all the dressing ingredients together in a small jar with a hand blender until smooth but still slightly chunky. Taste test and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add a bit of water if the dressing is too thick.
- Toss the frisée with about 2 tbsp dressing and portion onto plates. Cut eggs in half and place 2 halves on each plate. Assemble the rest of the ingredients on the plate (you can toss everything together if you want, I like to do mine deconstructed).
- Drizzle more dressing over the whole plate. Top with flaked sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper as desired.
Notes
*I use this lovely mint-green mandolin to get my zucchini ribbons evenly paper-thin.
*I place my eggs into the boiling water with this handy spider strainer.
Orcas Island
Nick and I escaped to Orcas Island, WA for Memorial Day Weekend, so you can certainly expect a lengthy, somewhat belated post with lots of scenic photos very, very soon! Stay tuned.
