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Caramelised Olives

INGREDIENTS

• 300g pitted kalamata olives

• 1 cup raw sugar

• 3/4 cup water

METHOD

• Rinse and drain the olives and allow to dry. Fill your sink with cool water.

• In a medium pot, over low heat, mix sugar and 1/4 cup of water for 2 minutes. Stir constantly!

• Stop stirring and bring the heat to medium - over the next few minutes the caramel should start to bubble around the edges, and then gradually bubble inwards until the entire mixture is bubbling - you'll need to be patient.

• The mixture should slowly start to darken - it is imperative that you don't take your eye off this. You want to get the caramel as dark as possible without blackening - when it is a dark amber colour, remove the pot from heat and place into the cool water you ran earlier to stop cooking immediately. Stir in water before returning the caramel to the stove until just bubbling again - remove and set aside to cool. Pour the caramel over the drained olives and allow to marinate for anywhere from 30 minutes to a few days.

• When ready, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Bake marinated olives for 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold in an antipasto platter.