Hi friends,
I planted two years ago and may have early next year some barnea olives...
It wont be enough for making oil, but since I will also have some manzanillo, I thought I might start pickling the first few olives. No idea how many there will be.
My question is: could anyone help me and tell me what basic equipment I would need, and how to pickle olives with as little chemicals as possible, or still better, non at all?
Thank you!
Christa

Hello Christa,

There is a very simple way to produce pickled olives without the usage of chemicals, it's the traditional natural fermentation which as been around since the olive tree was domesticated. The only disadvantage of this method is that it will take a few months for the olives to be edible.
The traditional method is based on the washing of all the bitter flavor by the usage of water and conservation of the olives by natural fermentation with a Lactobacillus (the same bacteria that turn milk in to yogurt).

This is my personal recipe:

#1 - Make a few cuts in the olives pulp

#2 leave them in water for a week, changing the water every day

#3 pickle the olives in water with 3% salt
some lemon juice or vinegar (to lower the pH)
herbs (like rosemary, chilly pepper, pepper, salve, garlic)
and a spoon of natural yogurt (to inoculate the bacteria)

#4 wait 1 - 1 and 1/2 months and the olives are ready to be eaten.

Cheers,

__________________
João Correia
Cascais - Portugal
____________________________________________
msn: jorgegranja@yahoo.co.uk

skype: JoaoJCorreia

thank you so much Jorge - I'll try it and then tell you!
felices fiestas - XTA