GAE53OR

Gaea Organic Green Olives Stuffed with Real Pimento
Unit Size: 295g
Outer Qty: 8

Certified DIO, organically grown and processed, Olympian sized green Halkidiki olives, hand stuffed with freshly cut natural red pimento served in a natural brine.  Delicious on their own or add to casseroles or salads.

FRIED FENNEL WEDGES WITH GREEN OLIVE SALSA

Green Olive Salsa

• 1 cup Organic Green Olives Stuffed with Real Pimento
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• finely grated zest of ½ lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons warm water

Fried Fennel Wedges

• 1½ cups panko crumbs
• 3 large bulbs fennel
• ¼ cup plain flour
• 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
• oil, for shallow frying
• sea salt
• 150g buffalo ricotta

For the salsa, put the olives, capers and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until chunky.  Add lemon zest and olive oil and whiz briefly.  Add a little warm water to thin the salsa to a 'plopable' consistency.  Alternatively, chop the olives, capers and garlic finely by hand and mix in the lemon zest, oil and water.  The salsa can be made a day ahead; cover and refrigerate until needed.

Blend panko crumbs to a fine crumb in a liquidiser or food processor.

Trim fennel bulbs, reserving a little of the feathery greenery, then slice thinly.  Dust with flour then brush with beaten egg.  Coat with crumbs.  Fry fennel in a frying pan, on both sides, in a little hot oil until a nice golden crust forms; keep the heat controlled so the crumbs don't burn.  Transfer to a cake rack and sprinkle with sea salt.

Stack a couple of slices of fennel on each plate.  Put a scoop of buffalo ricotta on top and a spoonful of the green olive salsa.  Sprinkle with chopped fennel greenery and serve immediately.  Serves 4 as a starter.