Sweet and Sour Green Olive Appetizer -- Zeitoon bi Hamod er Rummaan

This is my first post since May.  Life went into overdrive in June and is just now settling down!  Nothing bad, just very busy.  But enough of that, let's talk about recipes!

I was in the mood for something Arabic so I perused one of my fun books, The Arabian Delights Cookbook by Anne Marie Weiss-Armush.

ISBN 1-56565-219-3

Ms. Weiss-Armush, born American, was introduced into the food from the Middle East when she and her husband moved to Syria and she first met her mother-in-law.  She learned recipes and traditions from a variety of places in the Middle East during the 11 years she lived and traveled there.  This book was published in 1995.

This recipe, a type of mezzeh or appetizer, is one she and a friend concocted after having it at a Lebanese restaurant.  Look for the recipe on pages 47 and 48.

Sweet and Sour Green Olive Appetizer

1 cup green olives

1/2 small onion, slivered

3 tablespoons hamod er rummaan pomegranate syrup

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons brown sugar

salt

The onion is sitting on the blue lid.  

1.  Drain the olives of their brine.

2.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the olives.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving.


My Notes

While the olives were draining, I mixed the marinade.

I used about 1/4 of the onion you see in the picture.  I don't think I really slivered it but I did slice it thinly so the marinade could penetrate it.

I used about 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  This is what I thought would bring out the flavors without making anything taste salty.

Just the marinade

Once I had everything ready, I mixed the olives into the marinade.

Olives only slightly mixed into the marinade.

I then put them into a sterilized canning jar.  I sterilized it using the water and microwave method I have used before.  I am not certain it was really sterilized but it certainly was very clean!

I worried that the marinade didn't cover the top of the olives, so I turned it over and gently shook it during the first 24 hours in the refrigerator.

The Verdict

I waited a few days instead of just one to taste it.

Oh my, very good!  At first the onion flavor was dominant, which did not please me, but then the marinade and the sour of the olives came through.  It was a little too sweet, so if I make it again I will reduce the amount of brown sugar to 1 teaspoon and see how I like that.  It could be that the pomegranate syrup Ms. Weiss-Armush used wasn't as sweet as mine.

After a week or so the onion flavor mellowed and was more acceptable.  It should be a background flavor.  The little bit of crunch the onions added to the mixture was pleasant, too.

What I tasted was the slight chewy from the olives, the crunch from the onions, the sour and sweet from the pomegranates.  It was all very inviting and made me want to eat more.

One important note:  I stored the olives in the refrigerator, which caused the olive oil to harden.  The mixture tastes best if you allow the olives to come to room temperature before serving them.

Success!  I gave some to friends who also shared it with friends.  They gave me positive reviews and one person asked for the recipe.  I think it is time to make some more!