The process that is taken to getting to the oil in the olive is very time sensitive. We’ll go through it here step by step. From when to pick the olives to getting to the gold.
The Growing Phases of an Olive:
Phase 1:
When an olive is small, oblong shaped and bright green, it is still young and not ready for picking. It will then get bigger and the colour will turn more yellow.
Phase 2:
A half-ripe olive is when you start seeing brown/black creep up the olive.
Phase 3:
At this phase, your olive is black.
Phase 4:
Your olive is wrinkly like a prune and is officially rotten.
The Method:
At phase 2, when the brown/black is halfway up the olive, the olive can now be crushed and pulp to make olive oil. You won’t get as much oil from the olive as if you wait a little longer, but you will get an excellent quality of oil.
Olives are washed thoroughly and then they are crushed and reduced to a pulp.
Olives are graded for quality and size. Large olives generally go for processing to become table olives (the kind that go on your pizza, in your salad or on your cheese board). A green olive is simply one that has been harvested before it has fully ripened.
The quality of the oil is dependent on the quality of the olives used.
Shortfalls include using olives that are too ripe, that have been oxidising too long (olives that have been picked/ harvested and not crushed in time. Ideally, Olives need to be pressed almost immediately).
Olives are washed and crushed (including their pips and skins) into a paste. It is then centrifuged (a machine with a rapidly rotating container that applies centrifugal force to its contents, to separate fluids of different densities (e.g. cream from milk) or liquids from solids) at up to 3000 rpm to separate out the components (Oil, water and pulp, which is called sansa or pomace).
Pickled Fish
Pickled Fish Ingredients 2 tablespoons Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil 5 large onions, cut into thin rings 1 x 3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
Olive Crusted Sole
Ingredients 2 x lemon sole, about 700g each, de-scaled 90ml Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus oil for brushing Salt and Ground Pepper Finely grated
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Kale
Sweet Potato Gnocchi Ingredients: 3 Sweet Potatoes (3 cups mashed, once cooked) 300 grams Ricotta Cheese 1 cup Grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Roasted Olive Dip
Roasted Olive Dip Ingredients: Roasted Olives ¼ cup of pitted whole black olives ¼ cup of pitted whole green olives ¼ cup Wilson’s
Traditional Cape Malay Pickled Fish
This Cape Malay-style pickled fish is made with aromatic spices and often eaten over Easter in the Western Cape. It will keep well in the
Onion Jam
Onion Jam Ingredients: 7 large onions 1/4 cup Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 cup Wilson’s Balsamic Vinegar 1/2 cup vinegar 3/4 cup sugar