Recipe: Marinated Olives and Feta

There is no shortage of South African cookbooks available. Today, I've taken a recipe from Braai in Style by Lannice Snyman. The recipe is for a very simple starter. This recipe makes a large batch; you can keep it in the fridge as it will be good for several weeks. You can easily halve the recipe if you prefer. Serve at room temperature as a snack, or scatter the mixture over a salad.

You can find the most fantastic feta cheese in South Africa. I eat it to excess every time I visit. It's thick and creamy and not nearly as salty as what I find in the markets here in the States. Be sure to sample some on your own trip to South Africa! Only use block feta in this recipe, not pre crumbled. While it might not be as good as the feta in South Africa, if you use quality ingredients throughout the recipe, the flavors will shine.

2 1/4c green olives
2 1/4c black olives
1 3/4c block feta cheese, cut into large squares
4 cloves garlic, skinned and halved
1 tbsp whole coriander, lightly crushed
2 fresh red or green chillies, hoalved and seeded
fresh rosemary sprigs
olive oil

Drain olives and place in a bowl with the cheese, garlic, coriander, chillies and rosemary. Toss gently to mix. Put the mixture into a large jar and fill to the brim with olive oil. Seal and refrigerate until serving.

Makes 3.3 lbs