Thread: Olives too Saly? Osmosis to the rescue!

On Jul 10, 7:24*pm, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> I bought an obnoxiously large jar of imported Greek Kalamata Olives at
> Restaurant Depot. *6.6 pounds worth. *They were too strong of salt and
> vinegar. *So what I've been doing is transferring them to a smaller
> jar - about 10 ounces at time, and replacing half the brine with
> distilled water. *After 24 hours much of the salted water and some of
> the vinegar has been drawn out of the olives and replaced with
> unsalted water leaving me with highly edible olives.
>
> I leave the brine full strength in the jar as a preservative since
> this jar should last at least 2 years. *And I'm only watering down the
> temporary jar's worth at a time.
>
> So next time you a get a fruit or veggie in brine - or even a meat
> like pickled sausage and it's too strong, let osmosis be your friend.
>
> This would make a good Schoolhouse Rock opera: "Osmosis Moses, what's
> your doses?". *Or something like that.
>
> -sw


At the various mediterranean shops I've gone to there were always
some that were saltier than others. I would take them home and use
the water treatment same as you except I threw out all the brine. I'd
let them soak for a day or so. Then I'd put some olive oil in there
with some lemon juice and dried oregano and garlic sliced thinly. I
love the olives when they're oily but not salty. Sometimes they'd
actually have them at the store that way, covered with olive oil but
not as salty. I don't eat olives as much as I once did because I'm
missing 5 upper molars, 3 on one side, 2 on the other. I'm afraid I
might get an olive between two teeth and squeeze down to remove the
pit and wind up swallowing it as it jets out of the olive like a
rocket into outer space. I love them on a plate with hummous and
tabouli with some slightly toasted pita bread. What a great meatless
meal that is. Creates great turds too, by the way.

TJ

Steve wrote:

> I bought an obnoxiously large jar of imported Greek Kalamata Olives at
> Restaurant Depot. 6.6 pounds worth. They were too strong of salt and
> vinegar. So what I've been doing is transferring them to a smaller
> jar - about 10 ounces at time, and replacing half the brine with
> distilled water. After 24 hours much of the salted water and some of
> the vinegar has been drawn out of the olives and replaced with
> unsalted water leaving me with highly edible olives.

Sycophant has been doing that with green olives for years.


> I leave the brine full strength in the jar as a preservative since
> this jar should last at least 2 years. And I'm only watering down the
> temporary jar's worth at a time.

Try sealing some of that brine in a bag with a cleaned artichoke and then
simmering it until the artichoke is tender.

Bob

On Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:32:23 -0700, Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Steve wrote:
>
>> I bought an obnoxiously large jar of imported Greek Kalamata Olives at
>> Restaurant Depot. 6.6 pounds worth. They were too strong of salt and
>> vinegar. So what I've been doing is transferring them to a smaller
>> jar - about 10 ounces at time, and replacing half the brine with
>> distilled water. After 24 hours much of the salted water and some of
>> the vinegar has been drawn out of the olives and replaced with
>> unsalted water leaving me with highly edible olives.
>
> Sycophant has been doing that with green olives for years.

Who cares. I only buy certain brands of green olives and they are
fine as is. I don't buy **** olives.

> Try sealing some of that brine in a bag with a cleaned artichoke and then
> simmering it until the artichoke is tender.

Can't stand artichokes except the Kirkland/Cara Mia marinated hearts.

-sw