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Classic Pesto
This classic Italian sauce is so easy and versatile, you’ll want to keep some always on hand in the refrigerator. Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan cheese. It’s most popular use is tossed with pasta. Walnuts may be substituted for pine nuts in a pinch. Makes 3/4 cup.
Ingredients:
•2 tablespoons coarse-chopped
  walnuts or pine nuts
•2 garlic cloves, peeled
•3 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
•4 cups basil leaves
•1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan
  cheese
•1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
You will need a food processor or strong blender. With the motor running, drop the pine nuts and garlic through the feed chute. Process until finely minced. Add the olive oil and pulse three times. Add basil, Parmesan cheese and salt to the processor bowl.
Process until finely minced, scraping down sides.
Use within 1 week.

Lamb and Olive Balls
Ground lamb, feta cheese, olives, herbs and spices make piquant meatballs great in a sauce for pasta or simply as an appetizer. Makes 10 meatballs.
Ingredients:
•3 slices bread, country-style
  white or whole wheat
•2 pounds lean ground lamb
•1/4 pound feta cheese,
  crumbled
•1 cup black olives, pitted
  and chopped
•1 egg, beaten
•1/2 Tbs cinnamon
•1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
•3 cloves garlic, crushed
•1 bunch cilantro, chopped
•1/4 cup olive oil
Preparation:
Cut the crusts from the bread; soak the slices in water, wring them out, and crumble them. With your fingers, mix the lamb well with the bread, feta cheese, olives, egg, cinnamon, hot pepper flakes, garlic and cilantro. Form into 10 large meatballs.
In a heavy frying pan, cook the meatballs in the olive oil until crisp and brown on one side; then turn and brown the balls on all sides, no more than 10 min, over a fairly high heat.
The meat should be rare.

Enjoy Drakenstein Olives and Olive Oil with a wide variety of foods. It is ideal for enhancing salads, local, Italian and Greek cuisine, or even relax in a luxurious warm olive oil bath!

“Italians... seemed never to die. They eat olive oil all day long... and that’s what does it.”
William Kennedy

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Balsamic vinegar and olive oil is the base for this classic and flavourful salad dressing. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients:
•2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
•1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
•1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
•1 teaspoon light brown sugar
•1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
In a medium bowl whisk balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper until mixed. Gradually whisk in the olive oil
until smooth.

Black Olive Pate
If you love tapenade, you will love this olive pate flavoured with roasted garlic and Brie or Fontina cheese. Serve as a spread with Italian bread, zucchini rounds, crackers, or other fresh vegetables.
Makes 1-1/2 cups.
Ingredients:
•8 cloves of garlic, not peeled
•1/2 pound ripe Brie or Fontina cheese,
  cut in 1-inch cubes
•1 cup oil-cured Mediterranean or Greek black olives,
  pitted
•1/4 cup olive oil (do not substitute)
•Italian bread or raw zucchini slices
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Wrap unpeeled garlic cloves tightly in aluminum foil. Bake 30 min.
Remove from oven, open foil, and let garlic cloves rest about 10 min until cool enough to handle. When cool, pinch each clove from the root end and squeeze the garlic pulp into a small bowl. Set aside.
While garlic cloves are cooling, melt Brie or Fontina cheese in a double-boiler over simmering (not boiling) water, stirring until smooth.
Using a food processor or heavy-duty blender, puree olives, garlic, and olive oil about 15 sec.
Add melted cheese and pulse about 10 more sec
until combined.
Remove to serving dish and cover with plastic wrap touching the top of the spread. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Before serving, let pate rest for 30 min at room temperature.

Chilled Broccoli and Olive Soup
Leeks, broccoli, and olives form the basis of this cold, creamy soup. It is perfect for a warm day.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Ingredients:
•3 cups broccoli florets, rinsed
•1 cup water
•2 Tablespoons butter
•1 leek (some green top included), rinsed well
  and sliced
•3 cups chicken stock or broth
•3/4 cup olives
•Cayenne pepper
•1-1/2 cups half-and-half
Preparation:
Combine broccoli and water in a large saucepan, bring water to the boil, lower heat, cover, and steam for
10 min or till tender.
In the meantime, heat butter in a small skillet, add leek, and saute for 3 min.
Combine broccoli, cooking liquid, and leek in a blender or food processor, puree, and pour into a large saucepan. Add chicken stock and stir well.
Combine olives, cayenne, and half-and-half in blender or food processor, blend till smooth, add to broccoli mixture, and blend well with a whisk.
Chill soup overnight.

Mashed Potato Cakes with Olives
and Capers
Mashed potatoes are seasoned with capers and olives, mixed with egg, formed into patties, breaded, and fried. Makes about 4 cakes or 2 servings.
Ingredients:
•1 (1/2-pound) (baking) potato
•1 teaspoon drained bottled capers, chopped fine
•4 black olives, chopped fine
•1 large egg, beaten lightly
•1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
•1/4 cup olive oil
•Lemon wedges as an accompaniment
Preparation:
Peel the potato, cut it into 3/4-inch pieces, and on a rack in a saucepan steam it over boiling water, covered, for 8 to 10 min, or until it is very tender.
Let the potato cool for 5 min, mash it in a bowl and stir in the capers, olives, egg and salt and pepper to taste.
Scoop the mixture by 1/4-cup measures, form the scoops into 1/2-inch-thick cakes, and coat the cakes with the bread crumbs.
In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot, but not smoking, and in it saute the cakes, turning them once, for 4 minutes, or until they are golden. Serve the mashed potato cakes with the lemon.

Lamb Stew with Olives (Spezzatino di Agnello alle Olive)
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
•2 Tbs (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
•2 lbs (900 g) boneless shoulder of lamb, cut into 3 cm cubes
•Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
•2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
•1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped fresh rosemary
•1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
•1 can (425 g) whole tomatoes, chopped, with their liquid
•1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh parsley
•12-18 black olives, pitted if desired
Preparation:
Heat the oil in the bottom of a large, heavy pot over high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and, working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides in the oil, transferring it to a plate when it is browned.
Lower the heat to medium and saute the garlic and rosemary in the same pot for about 1 min. Add the wine and stir to dissolve the brown bits in the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomatoes and meat to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer covered, stirring occasionally,
until the meat is tender, 1 and a 1/2 to 2 hours.
Add the parsley and olives and cook for 5 min.

Olive, Rosemary & Onion Focaccia
Delicious yeast flatbread is rich with the flavours of rosemary and olives. Plan ahead to allow time for the dough to rise. The dough may be made 8 hours in advance and refrigerated. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients:
•2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
•1 teaspoon sugar
•4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
•1-1/4 teaspoons salt
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves plus
  whole rosemary leaves
•1/4 cup minced onion
•1/2 pound black olives, pitted and cut into slivers
  (about 1 cup)
•1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, or to taste
Preparation:
In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook stir together the yeast, the sugar, and 1-3/4 cups lukewarm water and proof the yeast mixture for 5 min, or until it is foamy .
Stir in 4-1/2 cups of the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and knead the dough, scraping down the dough hook occasionally and adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as necessary to form a soft, slightly sticky dough, for 3 min. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it to coat it with the oil, and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk.
Knead in the chopped rosemary, press the dough with lightly oiled hands into a well-oiled 15-1/2-by 10-1/2-inch jelly-roll pan, and let it rise, covered loosely, for 30 min. The dough may be made 8 hours in advance and kept covered and chilled.
Dimple the dough with your fingertips, making 1/4-inch-deep indentations, brush it with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and top it with the onion, the olives, the salt, and the whole rosemary leaves. Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of a preheated 400 °F oven for 35 to 45 min, or until it is golden and cooked through. Transfer the focaccia to a rack, let it cool for 10 min, and serve it, cut into squares, warm or at room temperature.