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Greek-Style Pickled Olives

Smear ripe black or green olives with coarse celtic salt and place them in a wicker basket, or in a wooden box with holes at the bottom to allow brine formed during pickling to run out.

Cover the olives with a half-inch layer of celtic salt.

Another method is to place alternate layers of celtic salt and olives in the box or basket.

Allow to stand in a cool place for 24 hours.

Thoroughly mix the salt and olives by hand once a week until they take on the characteristic "wrinkled" look.

This takes a month or six weeks, after which most of the bitter tannin in the fruit will have been absorbed by the salt.

The cured olives are packed in ceramic or glass jars, or small wooden barrels, mixed with more salt.

For eating, they are rinsed, then rolled or coated thinly with organic olive oil.

Sprigs of rue, the olive herb, or oregano (rigani) are often used.