We've never met an olive we didn't like. And we especially like olives in stews, to which they contribute nuttiness and brine. You can go Italian or Moroccan, Lucques or Sicilian, beef, lamb or chicken. Even a fish and olive stew is fine, as long as it's delicious.
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The inside of a preserved lemon, rarely used, can be very gelatinous. But it's easy to scoop it out, and can even be pushed out with your fingers.
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A study in yellow.
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Somehow, Merrill is always stuck with browning duty. Amanda claims it's because she's so good at it. Mhmmm.
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We at food52 want to know if there's anyone out there who actually enjoys picking, washing, drying, and chopping herbs. If so, you're hired. Kidding. Kind of.
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Since this dish braises for a while (ours went over 2 hours) you can keep the pieces of fennel and celery root relatively large.
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Five points to the first person who guesses how Merrill is seasoning.
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The celery root looks prehistoric next to the perfect olives and the vibrant lemon.
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Since we browned the lamb in two different pots, we did the vegetables in two batches as well, combining them at the end.
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After some cooking, the olives lost their briney bite and took on a mild, vaguely artichokey flavor. They were fantastic.
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