Olives with preserved lemon

Like many people over Christmas and New Year, you may have had quite a lot of cooking to do. So for this week's recipe let's do something very simple. I you like olives and you like the salty zingyness of preserved lemons, you will love these little monsters. They are quick and easy to make and the bright flavours dance around your mouth like a whirling dervish.

Ingredients

1 jar queen olives in brine

2 preserved lemons (more or less depending on the lemon size - I used Belazu lemons)

60 mls olive oil

2 sprigs rosemary

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Method

Rinse the olives and pat dry.

Scrape the flesh out of the preserved lemons and discard. Cut the lemon skins into thin strips..

Warm the olive oil and add the herbs. Heat very gently for approximately 5 minutes.

Take the oil off the heat and add the olives.

Leave to cool.

Push one or two pieces of preserved lemon into each olive and then put the olives back into the olive oil. Leave in a cool place until required.