Description
Delight your taste buds with these delicious Stuffed Castelvetrano Olives, filled with creamy Garlic and Herb Boursin cheese and infused with a fragrant blend of olive oil, garlic, and dried herbs. Perfect as an elegant appetizer or flavorful snack, this easy-to-make recipe offers a wonderful balance of briny olives and rich, herbaceous cheese, enhanced by a subtle kick of red chili flakes.
Ingredients
Olives and Filling
- 35 oz Castelvetrano olives (pitted, drained, about 45 large green olives)
- 5.3 oz Garlic and Herb Boursin cheese (at room temperature)
Infused Olive Oil Mixture
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tsp dried parsley leaves
- ¼ tsp to ½ tsp red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp dried thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp dried rosemary
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Herb-Infused Olive Oil: In a small saucepan, combine the extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic cloves, dried parsley, red chili flakes, thyme, and rosemary. Heat over medium heat until the mixture starts to sizzle, then allow it to simmer gently for 1 minute while swirling to evenly cook the garlic. Remove from heat, season with fine sea salt, and set aside to cool completely.
- Prepare the Olives: Drain the Castelvetrano olives thoroughly. If they are not already pitted, use an olive pitter or cherry pitter to remove the pits carefully. In case the olives have other stuffing, remove it using a skewer or chopstick to make room for the cheese filling.
- Fill the Olives with Cheese: Mash the Garlic and Herb Boursin cheese with a fork until smooth. Transfer the cheese into a piping bag or a large resealable plastic bag. Cut a small opening at the corner of the bag just wide enough to pipe the cheese into the olives. Stuff each olive from the bottom up, ensuring they are well filled with the creamy cheese.
- Assemble and Marinate: Place all the stuffed olives into a quart-sized jar—reusing the original olive jar works well. Pour the cooled herb-infused olive oil over the olives, fully submerging them. Cover the jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The olives can be refrigerated for up to one week.
- Serve: Before serving, gently turn the jar a few times to coat the olives evenly with the oil and herbs. If the olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator, bring the jar to room temperature to liquefy the oil for optimal flavor and texture.
Notes
- Castelvetrano olives are preferred for their mild, buttery flavor and firm texture, but you can substitute with other large green olives if unavailable.
- Adjust the amount of red chili flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- The infused olive oil can be used as a flavorful drizzle on salads or bread once the olives are consumed.
- Letting the stuffed olives marinate longer enhances the infusion of garlic and herb flavors.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature as an elegant appetizer or party snack.
