Olive Puree Is a Great Marinade
Maybe it’s because I love my steak dinner martini, but salty, savory, slightly fruity olives have always seemed like a natural palate to a buttered piece of beef. Sprinkling one with tapenade is very good and delicious, but using mashed olives as a marinade is the next level.
Basically, you make an olive smoothie and then spread it over the intended piece of meat. You can use green olives, black olives, Kalamata olives, olives or nicoise olives. Olives with fillings such as blue cheese, garlic, or jalapenos are not only acceptable but also welcome. Sun-dried fruits give the meat a salty, slightly fruity flavor without overpowering it – it’s a cross between olive oil and real olives. To make your own steak pickled in olives, you will need:
- 1 steak of your choice (I tried this with an inexpensive top fillet, but I bet it will SENSE with a flank steak and of course it goes great with lamb).
- 1-2 cups pitted olives, depending on the size of your steak
- One or two sprigs of your favorite fresh herbs (optional)
Add olives and herbs to a blender and beat until you have a very unappealing olive gruel. It will smell good, but it will look terrible. Don’t let this hold you back. Place the steak in a freezer bag (or other shallow container) and pour the world’s worst smoothie on top of the meat. Refrigerate it for 4-6 hours, depending on the thickness of the steak. (Keep something an inch or less by the four o’clock mark.) Remove the steak from the refrigerator, dry the olives, and cook the steak as you would normally. I cooked mine in a skillet with butter and am happy to report that it was delicious.