A staple of the Lebanese diet. Most Lebanese serve olives with every meal.

500 grams green olives
500 grams black olives
Lemon wedges
Brine:
2 tablespoons rock salt per cup of water

Green olives are picked before they ripen. To prepare green olives, wash and then soak in water for 2 days - this helps remove any bitterness. Change the water at least twice a day.

Place the olives in sterilized jars with lemon wedges and cover with brine. Add a little olive oil on top, and seal. Leave them at least for 1 month before eating.

To eat freshly-picked green olives, crack them with a mallet and coat them with a little salt - the cracking of the olive also helps remove bitterness. For a mouth-warming delight, try fresh green olives with buttered Arabic bread.

Black olives are picked at harvest time. Rub with coarse salt, cover with water and set aside for about 4 days. Place the olives with lemon wedges in sterilized jars and cover with brine. Add a little olive oil on top, and seal. Leave for at least 1 month before eating.