Zeytoon Parvardeh: Persian green olives with walnut and pomegranate

Ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 2 US cups pitted plain green olives in brine, drained well (not canned black olives)
• 1 US cup walnut pieces, examined for shell fragments
• 1/2 US cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, rinsed and dried
• 1/2 US cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened or tart pomegranate molasses, then more only after tasting
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste, optional
• Salt only after tasting a coated olive; brined olives are already salty
• Flatbread for serving, optional

Method

1. Drain the pitted green olives thoroughly. Taste one plain olive before making the dressing so you know its starting salt level. If the olives are intensely briny, rinse very briefly and drain fully; avoid soaking them until all olive character disappears.
2. Inspect walnuts for any pieces of shell, then pulse in a dry food processor to small irregular crumbs, not nut butter. Add mint, basil and garlic and pulse in a few short bursts. Keep the mixture recognizably coarse rather than running the motor until entirely smooth.
3. Scrape the walnut-herb mix into a bowl and stir in four tablespoons pomegranate molasses, olive oil and lime juice. Taste a tiny amount. The molasses contributes both sourness and fruit richness; begin with this measured amount rather than assuming every brand's sweetness is the same.
4. Fold the drained olives into the coating with a spoon, leaving the olives whole or roughly chopping some if they are very large. Taste one coated olive and only then consider adding salt, extra molasses or black pepper.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Stir before serving cold, with optional flatbread. Return leftovers promptly to the refrigerator; the acidic dressing does not make this a shelf-stable preserve.