Olives

They’re ready to eat, but a quick rinse under cold water can remove some of the salty brine. Drain them well before adding them to a salad or chopping them into a sauce.

Drain and rinse them, then soak them in fresh cold water for 30 minutes to an hour, tasting as you go. Pat them dry before serving; soaking also softens their briny flavour.

Keep them refrigerated in their brine in a covered, non-reactive container, and use a clean utensil to take them out. If there isn’t enough brine to cover them, top up with a little water and vinegar rather than leaving them exposed to air.

Add them to puttanesca sauce, a tapenade, or a slow-cooked chicken or fish dish. For a quick pasta sauce, warm chopped olives with garlic, tomatoes and a splash of olive oil.

Pair their briny bite with firm cheese, roasted peppers, good bread and nuts. They also work well alongside hummus or other dips; serve them drained so their brine doesn’t make everything soggy.

They’re the fruit of the olive tree, with a stone in the middle, so botanically they’re a drupe. The green colour usually means they were picked before they fully ripened.

A small serving of about 30 g has 4.1 g of fat, mostly monounsaturated fat, the type also prominent in olive oil. Much of their punchy flavour comes from curing, not from added oil.