Celery, Fennel, and Black Olive Salad with Parmigiano Dressing

This crisp, creamy, and addictively good salad comes together in no time.

• 3-1/2 cups thinly sliced celery (sliced on the diagonal)
• 1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1 anchovy fillet, minced (optional)
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped

In a large bowl, combine the celery, fennel, and parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.


In a small bowl, mix the Parmigiano, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, and anchovy (if using). Whisk in the oil until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Toss the celery mixture with the dressing, fold in the olives, and serve.

Broiled Lamb Loin Chops with Olive-Mint Salsa

This vibrant salsa comes together in minutes, making the dish perfect for weeknight cooking.

• 1 cup jarred brined olives, rinsed, pitted, and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more for the pan
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 small shallot, minced (2 Tbs.)
• 1-1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Eight 1-1/2- to 2-inch-thick lamb loin chops, (about 3 lb.)

In a medium bowl, mix the olives, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the parsley, mint, shallot, vinegar, capers, and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.


Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Lightly oil the grate of a broiler pan and line the bottom of the pan with foil.


Rub the lamb chops with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and generously season all over with salt and pepper. Set the lamb chops on the prepared pan and broil until well browned, about 8 minutes. Flip the chops and continue to cook until the second side is well browned, about 3 minutes more for medium rare. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes.


Top each lamb chop with some of the olive salsa and serve.

Black Olive & Mint Pesto

• 1-1/4 cups pitted Kalamata olives
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. lightly packed choppped fresh mint
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the olives, olive oil, mint, shallot, and lemon juice in a food processor. Process, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after a couple of seconds, until the mixture is smooth. Season the pesto to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Broiled Lamb Loin Chops with Olive-Mint Salsa

This vibrant salsa comes together in minutes, making the dish perfect for weeknight cooking.

• 1 cup jarred brined olives, rinsed, pitted, and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more for the pan
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 small shallot, minced (2 Tbs.)
• 1-1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Eight 1-1/2- to 2-inch-thick lamb loin chops, (about 3 lb.)

In a medium bowl, mix the olives, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the parsley, mint, shallot, vinegar, capers, and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.


Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Lightly oil the grate of a broiler pan and line the bottom of the pan with foil.


Rub the lamb chops with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and generously season all over with salt and pepper. Set the lamb chops on the prepared pan and broil until well browned, about 8 minutes. Flip the chops and continue to cook until the second side is well browned, about 3 minutes more for medium rare. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes.


Top each lamb chop with some of the olive salsa and serve.

Toast Points with Black Olive Tapenade & Red Pepper Curls

• 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives (about 5 oz.)
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 small clove garlic, minced, sprinkled with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, and mashed to a paste
• 1 to 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe Toast Points
• 1/2 roasted red pepper (from a jar), thinly sliced

Finely zest the lemon half. Put the zest, olives, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor. Add the olive oil through the feed tube, pulsing the machine until you get a thick, uniform paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tsp.). Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.

To assemble, spread the tapenade on the toasts, slice each toast into four even triangles, top each with a slice of red pepper, and serve.

Green Olive Tapenade Toasts

If salt-packed anchovies and capers aren’t available, use brine-packed capers and oil-packed anchovy fillets, choosing the meatiest ones.

• 2 whole salt-packed anchovies or 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 2 cups (1 lb.) fruity green Frenchstyle olives, pitted
• 1/4 cup salt-packed capers, rinsed and finely chopped 6 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more for brushing
• 4 tsp. grappa (optional)
• 1 baguette or other good French bread, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch-thick slices

If using salt-packed anchovies, rinse them well with cold water. With the belly side up, run your finger from the head end down through the tail, removing the viscera and exposing the backbone. Lift out the bones. Soak the fillets in cold water for about 20 minutes and pat dry. Mince the anchovies.

With a chef’s knife or in a food processor, chop the olives to a slightly coarse texture. In a bowl, mix the olives, minced anchovies, capers, garlic, olive oil, and grappa, if using. Taste. Let sit for 1 hour to let the flavors develop.

Prepare a charcoal or wood fire. Brush the bread slices with olive oil and grill on both sides. (You can grill the bread in a broiler or on the stovetop using a ridged pan, if that’s easier.) Spread the tapenade on the toast.

Greek Salad Skewers

• One-quarter English cucumber
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 lb. feta cheese, cut into 16 small cubes
• 8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 8 ripe grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut four 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices from the cucumber and then quarter each slice. Set the cucumber pieces on a large serving platter and season with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Top each with a piece of feta and then an olive half. Stab a toothpick through a tomato half and then thread through one of the cucumber stacks, pushing the toothpick down to secure it. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with some more black pepper, and serve.

Greek Salad Skewers

• One-quarter English cucumber
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 lb. feta cheese, cut into 16 small cubes
• 8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 8 ripe grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut four 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices from the cucumber and then quarter each slice. Set the cucumber pieces on a large serving platter and season with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Top each with a piece of feta and then an olive half. Stab a toothpick through a tomato half and then thread through one of the cucumber stacks, pushing the toothpick down to secure it. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with some more black pepper, and serve.

Green Olive & Almond Tapenade

The saltiness of your olives will determine how many anchovies you use. For best results, make the recipe in the following amount, making additional batches if you want larger quantities. It will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

• 4 cups unpitted green, Mediterranean-style olives
• 4 to 6 whole salt-packed anchovies (or 10 to 12 oil-cured anchovy fillets)
• 1/4 lb. (about 1 cup) slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 Tbs. minced garlic
• 1 Tbs. capers, drained
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (optional)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pit the olives with a knife; set aside. If using salt-packed anchovies, wash the ­anchovies in several changes of ­water. Separate the fillets by running a knife or your finger along the backbone; remove any large bones. Put the ­pitted olives, anchovies, almonds, garlic, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor; process until a coarse paste forms.

It makes a tangy topping for savory tarts and pizza and is delicious tossed with pasta along with a little olive oil and some fresh goat cheese. Brennan also tucks this tapenade under the skin of a chicken breast as a flavor booster.

Lamb Niçoise Salad with Potatoes and Fava Beans

Leftover roasted lamb replaces the more typical tuna in this take on the classic Niçoise salad.Watch the video How to Shell Fava Beans for tips and tricks on how to easily get fava beans out of their tough skins.

For the dressing

• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 oil-packed anchovies, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 16 baby potatoes
• Kosher salt
• 2 lb. fava beans in the pod or 1/2 lb. haricots verts
• 16 cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1/4 cup Niçoise olives (about 20)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 lb. leftover roasted leg of lamb, thinly sliced
• 8 large caper berries

Make the dressing

Put the egg yolk, anchovies, garlic, and mustard in a food processor. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the mixture starts to thicken and emulsify (it should have the consistency of heavy cream), about 2 minutes. With the motor still running, add the lemon juice and 1 tsp. hot water. Continue to process until the mixture reaches a soft mayonnaise consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Make the salad

Put the onion in a medium bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry.


Put the potatoes in a large pot of wellsalted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes aretender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and when cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the reserved onion and a couple of spoonfuls of the dressing.


Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the fava beans from their pods and cook them in the boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Pinch the dull, olive-colored skin and slip each bean out (you should have about 2 cups beans). Discard the skins. (Alternatively, cook the haricots verts in the water until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.)


In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olives and season with a few grinds of pepper.


Arrange the potatoes and onions, tomatoes and olives, favas, and lamb on a large serving platter. Garnish with the caper berries. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: This recipe contains a raw egg. If that’s a concern, use a pasteurized egg.

Olive Tapenade Tart with Caramelized Red Onions

Tapenade is a savory condiment most often made from olives, capers, anchovies, lemon, and olive oil. Here, it’s used to delicious effect in a riff on the Provençal onion-olive-anchovy pizza called pissaladière.

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
• 2 medium red onions, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick (7-1/3 cups)
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup jarred brined olives, rinsed, pitted, and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• All-purpose flour, for rolling
• 1 sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 large egg

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil with the butter over medium heat. Add the anchovies, pepper flakes, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant and the anchovies begin to break down, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, let them cool slightly, and then gently stir in the parsley and 1/2 Tbs. of the thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


In a small food processor, pulse 3/4 cup of the olives, the garlic, lemon juice, zest, and the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and 1/2 Tbs. thyme into a coarse paste. Set the tapenade aside.


On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Dock the pastry by pricking it all over with a fork, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Spread the olive tapenade evenly on the pastry within the border. Top with the onions, dollops of the ricotta, and the remaining 1/4 cup olives.


In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1/2 tsp. water. Brush the pastry border with the egg wash and bake the tart until the pastry is puffed, deep golden-brown on the edges, and light golden-brown on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool briefly and serve warm.

Tapenade

Any type of olive can be used to make tapenade, but brine-cured black olives are the usual choice. For an especially robust tapenade, try a combination of half oil-cured and half brine-cured black olives.

• 1/2 lb. (1-1/2 cups) pitted black or green olives (such as Kalamata, Niçoise, or green Sicilian), rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained
• 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 medium clove garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Put the olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, and mustard in a food processor and pulse until smooth. With the motor running, add the lemon juice and oil. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Green Olive Spread

What makes this spread such a marvel is its “milk mayonnaise” base, an eggless emulsion of milk and vegetable oil. It creates a luscious, neutral canvas, allowing the flavor of the olives to take center stage. You can make the base of the spread 3 days ahead and stir in the olives when ready to serve.

• 2/3 cup whole milk; more if needed
• 12 large oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 2 small cloves garlic, smashed
• 16 fresh cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1-1/3 cups pitted brined green olives, rinsed if particularly salty, coarsely chopped
• 1 baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick and toasted

Purée the milk, anchovies, garlic, cilantro, and a pinch of pepper in a blender. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil through the feed hole in the blender cap.


Scoop the spread into a serving bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days. Just before serving, stir in the olives. The spread will thicken a bit more when the olives are added. If it thickens too much, thin it with a bit of milk.


Serve with the toasted baguette slices.

Warm Marinated Olives

Turkish bay leaves have a more complex, well-rounded flavor than the domestic variety. Here, they add a subtle, sweet astringency to a combination of green and black olives.

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 4 (3x1-inch) strips orange zest
• 3 (3x1-inch) strips lemon zest
• 1 Tbs. fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 large or 2 small dried Turkish bay leaves
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Generous pinch of ground allspice
• 1 cup pitted brined green olives, preferably picholine
• 1 cup pitted brined black olives, preferably Kalamata

Heat the oil and garlic in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat until the garlic turns golden, about 3 minutes. Add the orange and lemon zests, the rosemary, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and allspice and sizzle for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the olives and toss to coat. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for at least 2 days and up to 1 week.


Just before serving, gently reheat the olive mixture in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop the olives and aromatics into a serving bowl and pour a bit of the oil on top. Serve warm.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Spread

This spread is the perfect complement for Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches. You can find tapenade (black olive paste) in most supermarkets and in specialty food stores.

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (reconstituted in water and drained before chopping, if necessary)
• 3 Tbs. tapenade
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 scallion, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, mince the garlic. Add the tomatoes and olive paste and purée. Add the olive oil and vinegar and pulse to incorporate. Add the scallion, salt, and pepper; pulse until just combined.

Yukon Gold Rush Grilled Pizza

Potatoes, garlic paste, Gruyère, and black olives come together to create a sophisticated pizza.

• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, left unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 4 Tbs. olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 4 oz. thickly sliced pancetta, diced
• 1/4 cup uncooked cornmeal
• 1 ball (8 oz.) prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Roasted Garlic Paste
• 1-1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
• 1/4 cup Niçoise olives, drained and pitted
• Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 tsp. dried rosemary
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill as per the master instructions below

.Brush the sliced potatoes with 2 Tbs. of the oil and season with salt. Place them on the cooking grate over indirect heat, and grill until well marked and cooked through, about 20 minutes (or bake on a sheet pan in a preheated 350°F oven), turning them once. Reserve for topping.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then fry the pancetta, stirring, until crisp. Reserve for topping.

Sprinkle your work surface with the cornmeal. Place the dough in the middle of the surface. You can either roll out the dough with a rolling pin, stretch it out with your hands, or press it out from the center against the work surface. Ideally, you want a 12-inch, organically shaped piece of dough—round, square, or rectangular—1/2- to 1/4 -inch thick. Just before grilling, drizzle or brush both sides generously with the remaining olive oil.

Grill the first side of the crust following the instructions below. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side. Spread the entire surface with the garlic paste and sprinkle with half the cheese. Cover with the potato slices, placing them edge to edge. Sprinkle with the pancetta and the remaining cheese. Artfully arrange the olives and rosemary over the top. Finish grilling the pizza following the instructions below. Remove the pizza from the grill. Season with salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Master directions for grilling pizza

For Gas Grills

• Heat the grill by setting all the burners on high. After lighting, close the lid and leave on high for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat of all the burners to medium.
• Pick up the oiled dough by the two corners closest to you. In one motion, lay it down flat on the cooking grate from back to front (as you would set a tablecloth down on a table). Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes (no peeking!), then check the crust and, if necessary, continue grilling a few more minutes until the bottom is well marked and nicely browned.
• Use tongs to transfer the crust from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Close the lid of the grill. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side. Follow the specific recipe directions for adding any sauce, toppings, and/or cheese.
• Switch the grill to indirect heat by turning off the center burner(s) if you have a three- or four-burner grill. For a two-burner grill, turn off one burner.
• Set the pizza back on the grate over indirect heat (the unlit section) and grill, with the lid down, until the bottom is well browned and the cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. For two-burner grills, rotate the pizza halfway through the cooking time.
• Remove from the grill, garnish, and season as directed. Slice and serve immediately.

For Charcoal Grills

• Build a fire by lighting 50 to 60 charcoal briquettes in either a chimney starter or in a pyramid-shaped mound on the bottom grate of your grill. Once the briquettes have become gray-ashed (20 to 30 minutes or 450°F inside the grill), move them all to one side of the grill.
• Pick up the oiled dough by the two corners closest to you. In one motion, lay it down flat—over the side without briquettes—on the cooking grate from back to front (as you would set a tablecloth down on a table). Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes (no peeking!), then rotate the crust 180 degrees and continue grilling until the bottom is well marked and evenly browned, another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Use tongs to transfer the crust from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Close the lid of the grill. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side. Follow the specific recipe directions for adding any sauce, toppings, and/or cheese.
• Set the pizza back on the grate over the side without briquettes and grill, with the lid down, for 4 to 5 minutes. Rotate the pizza 180 degrees and continue to grill with the lid down until the bottom is well browned and cheese is melted, another 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from the grill, garnish, and season as directed. Slice and serve immediately.

Tapenade

Any type of olive can be used to make tapenade, but brine-cured black olives are the usual choice. For an especially robust tapenade, try a combination of half oil-cured and half brine-cured black olives.

• 1/2 lb. (1-1/2 cups) pitted black or green olives (such as Kalamata, Niçoise, or green Sicilian), rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained
• 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 medium clove garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Put the olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, and mustard in a food processor and pulse until smooth. With the motor running, add the lemon juice and oil. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Pasta with Sausage, Olives, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Cream

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1-1/4 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (can be the same wine as for the mussels, above)
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (about 6 oz.) oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 lb. dried farfalle or fusilli
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into bite-size pieces with a spoon, until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon off the fat if it's excessive. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the pan, until most of the wine is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the olives and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the cream, increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens slightly, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in 2 Tbs. of the parsley and 2 Tbs. of the Parmigiano. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to its pot, add the sauce and the reserved cooking water, and set the pot over high heat. Gently toss the pasta for 30 to 60 seconds and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among warm bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbs. Parmigiano and 2 Tbs. parsley.

Fire-Roasted Pepper Relish

This recipe calls for both parsley and cilantro but feel free to use other herbs like sliced chives or chopped basil.

• 3 red or orange bell peppers
• 1/4 cup pitted Niçoise or Kalamata olives, halved
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, very roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, very roughly chopped
• 2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallions
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeño or serrano
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus a squeeze of lemon juice
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare a hot gas or charcoal grill fire. Cut the tops and bottoms from the peppers and cut the peppers into 3 or 4 flat pieces, discarding the tops, seeds, and ribs. Grill the pepper sides and bottoms skin side down until blistered and charred all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with a plate. Let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel the charred skin and discard. Don’t be too concerned if flecks of skin remain attached. Cut the peppers into bite-size pieces or wide strips.

Put the pepper pieces in a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients, stirring well and seasoning to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Warm Spiced Olives

This recipe gives you two hors d’oeuvres in one—fragrant spiced olives and an infused oil that’s perfect for dipping crusty bread.

• 1 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 4x1-inch strips orange zest
• 1-1/2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups mixed unpitted olives
• 1 Tbs. Pernod (optional)
• Crusty bread

Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the coriander seeds. Transfer to a 1-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the olive oil, orange zest, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute after the oil begins to sizzle. Add the olives and Pernod, if using. Warm the olives through, stirring often, about 1 minute. Strain the oil into a small serving bowl. Transfer the olives to another serving bowl. Serve with bread for dipping.