Isn't it funny the way some things you really hate eating when you are younger suddenly become so delicious when you grow up ? Like mince pies, Brussels sprouts, and olives.

I now adore olives in any shape or form – I didn't always, unlike my husband who apparently as a baby used to crawl around the kitchen with a handful of olives, eating them one by one and spitting out the stones.

Big fat juicy black Kalamata olives in a Greek salad with cos lettuce, feta cheese and crunchy cucumber; green Spanish Manzanilla olives stuffed with anchovies enjoyed with a glass of crisp white wine or popped into a martini; small French Niçoise olives in a classic salad of new potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and tuna, or little black Italian Ligurian olives tossed with roasted red peppers, slices of chargrilled aubergine and shavings of Parmesan cheese – I never tire of them.

Olives can't be picked and eaten straight off the tree as they must be cured in brine (or salt) first, and it is this process where many olives absorb even more flavours, like the large Chilean Alphonso olives which are stored in a rich Chilean red wine or wine vinegar, or the French torpedo-shaped Picholine olives which are marinated in coriander and herbes de Provence, or the delicious Spanish black Empeltre olives which are soaked in sherry for extra flavour .

Green olives are picked while unripe, making them denser and more bitter than brown or black olives, which stay on the tree till fully ripened. They are a delicious source of antioxidants and are thought to have a positive effect on the cholesterol level in our blood stream and in helping to control blood sugar, as well as containing polyphenols, which are believed to help ward off cancer and act as an anti-inflammatory.

» Handy hints: Olives become bitter if cooked for too long so add them to hot dishes at the last minute.

» Olives will stay fresher for longer if they still have the stone in them, so if buying pitted or stuffed olives make sure they are good and fresh.

» Buy your olives from your local farmers' market where you will be able to sample and taste.

» Avoid those black olives from a 'well-known brand' that are sold in jars in supermarkets – they are dyed black and totally lacking in flavour.

» Get stoned - If you don't have an olive stoner at home, place your olive on a chopping board and bash with the flat side of a large knife blade, then pick out the stone.

OLIVE TAPENADE

A classic Provençal sauce that is so versatile. Stuff lamb with it (see opposite page), use it as a barbecue marinade for pork, lamb or chicken; or drizzle it over toast or roasted vegetables. Once made and poured into a clean jar, it will keep, sealed, in the fridge for a few months.

Ingredients

175g black or green olives, stoned/pitted

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 anchovies

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To make the tapenade, put the olives, garlic, anchovies and olive oil into a food processor and whizz for a few seconds till you have an almost fine purée. You can make it more chunky if you wish.

CHUNKY TOMATO, MARJORAM AND
OLIVE SALSA

This is a great healthy and gutsy sauce that is delicious with barbecued meat or with a roast chicken.

Ingredients

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

About 16 pitted green or black olives, roughly chopped

1 tbsp onion or spring onion, chopped

1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp chopped marjoram

Juice of half a lemon

Salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar

Mix all the ingredients together, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.

ROAST SHOULDER OF LAMB STUFFED WITH TAPENADE

This is a great classic Provencal recipe, using the fantastic combination of lamb with olives.
A shoulder will serve many people, about 8-10, depending on the size. Hogget, which is bigger, will also work well.

Ingredients

1 boned shoulder of lamb, about 3kg

A few tbsp of tapenade stuffing (see recipe on previous page)

Salt and pepper

Gravy:

850ml homemade lamb or chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas 4.

Score the skin of the lamb lightly then put the meat skin side-down on your worktop. Remove surplus fat from the inside, spread the olive mixture over the meat, and roll lengthways, tying at regular intervals with string. Sprinkle lightly with salt and roast in the oven, for about 11/4 hours. This will produce lamb with a fairly pink colour – cook it longer if you want it better cooked. Remove to a carving dish and allow to rest while you make the gravy.

To make the gravy, place the roasting tray on a medium hob, pour on some of the stock and using a whisk, dissolve the juices that were stuck to the bottom of the tray by mixing them with the stock. Pour into a jug, remove the fat, pour into a saucepan with the remaining stock, simmer until it has good flavour, season and serve with the lamb.

PORK MEATBALLS WITH A TOMATO AND GREEN OLIVE SAUCE

This is a great family dish that can be prepared in advance and reheated.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the tomato and green olive sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely grated

2 tins of tomatoes

16 green olives, pitted and quartered

A small bunch of basil, torn or sliced

For the meatballs:

450g pork mince

1 small red onion, finely chopped or grated

1 tsp freshly ground fennel seeds

To serve:

Spaghetti, for four people

4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan or Desmond cheese

To make the sauce, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the garlic and cook gently for a few seconds, then tip in the tomatoes and seasoning, and simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little, squashing down the tomatoes as you cook.

Meanwhile, to make the meatballs, place all the meatball ingredients in a bowl, season and mix well with your hands. Fry a little of the mixture in a hot pan to taste for seasoning. Form into walnut- sized balls – you'll get about 20.

Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil. Brown the meatballs all over – you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 20 minutes, adding the olives in for the last couple of minutes.

Stir in the basil then taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or sugar if necessary.

Toss with cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with grated cheese to serve.