Food Recipes Appetizers Meze Feta-Stuffed Marinated Olives 5.0 (1) 1 Review Fragrant za'atar, a spice blend ubiquitous in Israel and across the Middle East, flavors these briny, feta-stuffed olives with its notes of thyme, marjoram, sumac, and sesame seeds. Lemon, chile, and parsley cut through the rich, herbaceous flavors, adding a bright freshness to these easy, bite-size appetizers. By Adeena Sussman Published on October 14, 2021 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv Chill Time: 4 hrs Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 8 Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 small lemon 2/3 cup olive oil 1 fresh small red jalapeño chile (about 1 ounces), thinly sliced (about 3 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 ½ tablespoons za'atar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 ½ ounces block feta cheese, cut into 25 (about 1- x 1/4- x 1/4-inch) sticks 25 pitted large Castelvetrano olives (about 7 ounces) Directions Use a Y-shaped peeler to remove the lemon peel in 1 1/2-inch segments. Cut each lemon peel segment lengthwise into thin strips. Reserve remaining lemon for another use. Stir together lemon peel strips, oil, jalapeño, parsley, za'atar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside. Stuff 1 feta cheese stick into each olive, using the wide end of a chopstick, if needed. Add stuffed olives to za'atar mixture in bowl, and toss to combine. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. Let olives come to room temperature before serving. Make Ahead Olives can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Note Find za'atar online at kalustyans.com or at Middle Eastern grocery stores. Originally appeared: November 2021 Rate It Print