Recipe: Olive Salad and Creole Olive Salad for Wanda

Olive Salad
Serves 12 (4 ounce portions)
*Barton Levenson devised this salad for Oakland s Gulf Coast Oyster Bar.

1/4 cup Roasted Red Bell Pepper (julienne, halved)
1/4 cup Roasted Green Bell Pepper (julienne, halved)
1/4 cup Roasted Yellow Bell Pepper (julienne, halved)
1/2 cup Cauliflower (florets)
1/4 cup Carrots (peeled, channeled, sliced)
1/4 cup Carrots (strings from channels)
1/2 cup Celery (deveined, sliced thin, bias cut)
1 cup Olives (small, pimento stuffed, crushed)
1/4 cup Artichoke Hearts (marinated, crushed)
1/4 cup Cocktail Onions (crushed)
4 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Capers (rinsed, drained)
1/4 cup Calamata Olives (pitted, sliced)
1/4 cup Italian Parsley (fresh, chopped)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Garlic (fresh, minced)
1 tbsp. Thyme (fresh, fine chopped)
1 tbsp. Sage (fresh, fine chopped)
1 tbsp. Rosemary (fresh, fine chopped)
1 tbsp. Oregano (fresh, chopped)
1 tbsp. Basil (fresh, chopped)
1 tbsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Pepper (coarse ground black)

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Marinate 20 minutes. A food processor may be used on pulse to rough-cut into large pieces.

Creole Olive Salad
From: Prime Time Emeril by Emeril Lagasse

1 cup pitted brine-cured black olives, such as Nicoise, sliced
1 cup large (queen) pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced shallots
2 tbsp finely chopped celery
2 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.) Olive salad is used to dress those wonderful Italian sandwiches called muffalettas. This mix is also used with Kicked-Up Fried Calamari. Yield: about 2-1/2 cups