Tangerine-Marinated Olives (Aceitunas Alinadas Con Mandarina)

Here's an enticing Moorish-inspired dish from Alicante. It's a great simple way to jazz up a bowl of olives. In Seville, a similar marinade would be made with the juice from bitter oranges-try it both ways. The longer the olives marinate, the tastier they get, so start ahead. Adapted from "The New Spanish Table" cookbook. Marinating time is not included in 'cook time'.

• Ready In: 5 mins
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2  cups  mixed cracked green olives
• 6  small garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press
• 2  tablespoons  grated tangerine zest
• 1⁄2 cup  fresh tangerine juice
• 4  thin lemon slices, cut in half and seeded
• 3 -4  tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, preferably aged
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2  small bay leaves
• 1⁄2 small  dried chili, such as arbol, crumbled (to taste)
• 1  pinch ground cumin

Directions

1. Place the olices, garlic, tangerine zest, and juice, lemon, vinegar, olive oil, bay leaves, chile and cumin in a large glass jar or bowl and stir to mix well.
2. Cover the jar and let the olives marinate overnight at room temperature, tossing occasionall.
3. For a richer flavor, let the olives marinate for up to a week in the refrigerator.