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souri black olives 400g
£10.00
In stock
discover the taste of Lebanese olives
These souri olives are a variety common in Lebanon, and new to the UK. Picked later in the season than Zejd’s souri green cracked olives, they are cured in brine with pits intact to maximise their flavour. High in polyphenols, they add a rich umami flavour to dishes. **January 2025** all purchases qualify as an entry into our olive prize draw. 2 lucky winners will be notified at the end of January.serving suggestions
Remove the pits, chop roughly and add to wilted greens like kale, spring greens or Swiss chard. The brine is also flavoursome, add sparingly to stews for added depth of flavour. Refrigerate after opening.Products details
About souri black olives 400g
handpicked from Beino
Olives bruise easily, so harvesting by hand, although time consuming, means the olive is less damaged. This results in better quality olive oil and a healthier olive. The harvesting team in Beino are experts having worked for most of their lives with olives.
what’s the variety?
what’s the difference between black and green olives?
They’re both the same variety. The green is picked earlier in the season, when it’s unripe, while the black is picked later. It’s not black when picked, it’s a mottled purple colour when ripe. The extra sun and rain gives the olive a richer taste profile – so they taste very different. While the green one is “fresher” and “creamier”, the black one is almost “meaty”.
are they stored in olive oil?
No they’re stored in brine. Once harvested, the team in Beino, wash the olives thoroughly changing the water to make sure they are clean before being covered in salt. The olives are turned regularly in the salt over 4 or 5 days, and any resulting liquid is removed. They are then ready to be stored in a brine solution, when any bitterness has gone.
can you cook with them?
Apart from serving them for brunch or a mezze style meal, they’re wonderful cooked. Their rich flavour goes well with prawns, tomatoes and garlic. Try adding a handful, with a couple of tablespoons of the brine, when slow cooking a neck of lamb. Chopped and tossed in with kale, mushrooms and ricotta a bowl of spaghetti looks so much more interesting!
did you know?
Always so popular at a market, Zejd’s pomegranate tapenade is made from these crushed souri black olives. It’s also made with pomegranate molasses, rather than anchovies, which gives it depth and tanginess (and makes it vegan).
can I refill my jars?
We import all of Zejd‘s olive products from Beino, north Lebanon. They are all packed on site, and the quality of the products is checked before they’re sent to us.
So while we don’t do a refill service – we do suggest you use the jars! Perfect for dog treats, marmalade or storing rice, lentils and other kitchen ingredients.
what can I do with the olive pits?
We wash ours and then put them on a tray in the oven to dry. When we’ve got enough, we add some to the charcoal on the BBQ! They burn really well. Many years ago in Lebanon it was common for mountain people to burn olive pits in a brazier to keep themselves and the coffee warm!
About Shorkk
From Lebanon to Bristol with a hint of Scotland
Shorkk is a small, socially-minded business based in Bristol, with roots in Scotland and Lebanon, run by Miranda and Philippe el Khazen.
