Cato 15

 

 

Epityrum album nigrum variumque sic facito

Ex oleis albis nigris variisque nucleos eicito. Sic condito. Concidito ipsas, addito oleum, acetum, coriandrum, cuminum, feniculum, rutam, mentam. In orcuam condito, oleum supra siet. Ita utito.

 
 

 

Epityrum of green, black and varicoloured olives
is made like this

Remove the kernels from green, black or varicoloured olives. Season them as follows: chop them up, add oil, vinegar, coriander, cumin, fennel, rue, mint. Put them in a jar, with olive oil on top. Ready to use.

 
 

 

Notes

This is a very tasty 'tapenade' and attractive as well, because of the contrast between green and black. It is important to take good quality olives. Especially the black ones should be naturally ripened and preserved in salt, not the pitted ones you buy in a jar under liquid: those are artificially coloured, unripe olives and taste like cardboard. Chop the olives apart from each other to preserve the original colours as long as possible. Mix the herbs in a manner that none of the individual tastes dominates the others. The vinager -use sparingly!- attributes a freshness, that puts this dish in the right place, the gustatio.

With the indication 'variisque' olives are meant, that are beginning to ripen, which can make them look half black, half green. Those are, unfortunately, not available where I live. Neither are fresh olives, which is a pity as well, because this recipe is in all probability meant for freshly harvested olives. Our pursuit of authenticity has its limitations.