Olives & Gherkins

Olives and gherkins are the European cousins of South Asian pickles, preserved in brine or vinegar and eaten as a sharp, salty contrast to rich food. Cornichons are small gherkins picked young and pickled whole, crisp and tart. Pitted olives come ready to slice, in mild black or firmer, more bitter green. They sit within pickles, pastes and sauces.

Slice olives onto pizza, fold them into a Greek salad or a pasta with tomato and garlic, or add them to a mezze plate with hummus and flatbread. Cornichons go with cold meats and cheese, in a burger or a sandwich, or chopped into tartare sauce and potato salad. Green olives make a good snack with drinks, and black olives bring colour to a salad or a tray of roast vegetables.

Keep olives and gherkins covered by their brine after opening and store them in the fridge, where they last for several weeks. If the brine runs low, top it up with a little salted water. For Indian style pickles to set beside them on a sharing board, see pickles, and for a crisp garnish, fried onions.