Spicy Moroccan Olives (2 ways)

These delightfully spiced finger foods come right out of a recipe book my Uncle Dustin & Aunt Tracy gave me last year for my birthday; 500 Best Ever Recipes: Appetizers. It is featured on page 27 and each recipe has its nutritional information at the bottom of the page and I will include it at the end of the recipes. I made both versions of olives, one with Kalamata olives and one with a mix of green and tan olives. I don't care for olives outright, they have to be in food, but alone I just don't care for them, but everyone else seemed to really like them. By the end of the night they were all just about gone, as I had a pound of each one.

Spicy Herbal Marinade
1 lb. green or tan olives, unpitted (you can use any olive, even if already in a marinade, just rinse thoroughly)
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
good pinch of cayenne pepper
good pinch of ground cumin
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. lemon juice

Hot Chili Marinade
1 lb. olives, unpitted
4 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
4 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger root, grated
1 red chili, seeded & sliced
1/4 lemon, cut into thin strips

For both Marinades:
1. Crack the olives, hard enough to break the flesh but taking care not to crack the pits. Place in a bowl of cold water and leave overnight to remove excess brine. Drain thoroughly and divide olives between two jars.
2. Mix all the ingredients for the spicy herbal marinade in a jug or pitcher. Pour over the olives in the jars, (divide evenly between the two) and add more olive oil and lemon juice to cover if necessary. (I put each kind with a different marinade in bowls and just stirred them every 6 hours or so one day in advance).3. Make hot chili marinade the same way and put over olives in second bowl or jar. Store both in refrigerator for at least a week, shaking them occasionally.

NOTE: You can vary the marinades by experimenting with different herbs and spices. Trading lime juice for lemon juice and flavored vinegar. These marinated olives make great gifts.

NUTRITION INFO: 99 calories, 0.6g carbohydrates, 0.2g sugar, 0mg cholesterol, 38mg calcium, 1.5g fiber.