Pop-eyed over olives

which contains an

explosion of flavour

I HAVE always loved olives, but whereas I used to far prefer green olives to black, during the last 15 or so years I find my taste has changed, and black olives are now my favourite. Black olives aren't always black, they can be brown or purple. And olives don't just vary in taste according to their colour, they vary enormously in quality, a fact that many people don't always realise. At the worst end of the scale are the olives (and I am referring to black olives, because I don't even buy green ones) which are uniformly pitted and preserved in a harsh brine.

These olives taste not at all of olive, but of their brine, and whatever dish they are used in will only taste of the brine, too.

Now, to a certain extent you can improve the taste and texture of these olives (if they are only ones you can buy, as will be the case if you live in a rural area) by rinsing them in a sieve under cold water. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible, and put them in a jar. Fill the jar with olive oil, add a sprig or two of thyme, a couple of peeled garlic cloves, and some peppercorns. Stir the olive around in the jar of oil, and even after only two days in this marinade the olives will have absorbed the flavours from the oil, garlic, and thyme, and will taste very much better than when they first emerged from their brine.

However, you can buy delicious olives. These come packed in olive oil, herbs, and sometimes, too, a small amount of brine - the brine will not be harsh, but much sweeter.

Occasionally, you can only buy such good olives in very large tins, but don't let this put you off - if you can bear the initial financial outlay, buy the tin and decant the olives into jars. Fill them up with olive oil (another financial outlay!) and add the garlic and thyme etc., as I have described. And don't think that this is pouring good olive oil down the drain, because you can use it to make French dressing, mayonnaise, or to cook with, so the oil will have a two-fold use. The only slight drawback to buying good olives is that you have to remove their stones - such olives never come pitted, but it is a matter of moments to cut the olive from the stone.

There are just so many recipes which are enhanced by olives, and they look so enticing with their glossy dark skins that they transform salads and all rice dishes. We use olives to a far greater extent in our cooking than we used to. I'm sure this is because better quality olives have become available and, for the most part, accessible, and we have all realised that olives aren't just for nibbling as an alternative to peanuts, nor for putting in cocktails such as dry martinis.

Whatever you make with olives as an ingredient, do be cautious with adding salt; olives vary in their saltiness (those from Greece are saltier than others) but if they are used in any quantity there will be sufficient salt in the dish via the olives for most palates.

Adding olives to a dish gives it an instant Mediterranean appeal. We think of olives in association with salads, tomatoey sauces, on the top of pizzas or tartes Provencales, but olives are very good, too, in long, slow-cooked meat or gamy stews. This may sound unlikely, but I got the idea many years ago from following a Boeuf en Daube recipe and have included olives ever since in a whole range of stew recipes when I feel inclined.

Here is a recipe which has been extremely popular within my own family and those of a great many friends. You can use a more expensive fish than hake, such as monkfish, and turn the dish into a dinner party main course. This dish is just perfect for a summer's day, whether eaten at lunch or supper, and although I prefer to eat it hot, it can just as well be served cold; in which case I pour a thin trickle of extra virgin olive oil over the surface before serving. It is good with either new potatoes or plain boiled Basmati rice, and a green salad.

HAKE WITH BLACK OLIVES

n Serves 6.

2 lbs hake, filleted from the skin, felt all over and any bones removed, and cut into pieces about two inches in size

3 tablespoons of good olive oil

2 medium onions, skinned and finely sliced

1 large clove of garlic, skinned and finely chopped

8 tomatoes, skinned, sliced in wedges and seeds scooped away, with a pinch of sugar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon (approx) of torn-up basil leaves - chopping tends to discolour the basil, because of the contact with metal

12-14 black olives of the best type, cut from their stones into chunks

HEAT the olive oil in a deep-sided frying pan, or a saute pan. Saute the sliced onions till they are very soft - about five minutes. Add the garlic, and stir for about half a minute, then add the fish, and stir gently till the pieces of fish turn opaque. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt and pepper, and olives. Cook gently for several minutes to allow the tomatoes to heat. Serve as soon as possible, or allow to cool and serve cold.