This week Jerry picked Olives as our featured ingredient for the Sunday Small Bites challenge. For me it was like getting a pass. All I had to do was go to the pantry and pull out a jar of my Kalamata Olive & Fig Jam.
I put a spoonful on a Scottish Oak Cake (to celebrate our recent trip to Scotland) and topped it with one of my very favorite Greek cheeses – Manouri (to pay homage to Jerry’s recent trip to Greece.)

Here is my recipe for Kalamata Olive & Fig Jam:
3 cups good quality pitted kalamata olives boiled in fresh water to remove some of the saltiness. (change the water three times).
Simple syrup made with 1 1/2 cups sugar and 3/4 cups water infused with the peel of one lemon. (strain lemon peel)
– 2 cups diced figs, stems removed but not peeled. I used Mission but you can use any type fig you prefer. (If you can’t get fresh figs you can substitute whole fig preserves and eliminate the simple syrup. Or you can substitute dried figs by boiling them in water first to reconstitute and then draining before using)
– one diced apple
Gently boil the fruit together in the syrup for about 10 minutes (or until you get the consistancy you prefer). Careful not to let stick or burn.
Pulse briefly in food processor. Don’t puree. You want to see a few chunks of apple and olive remaining. The fig will have already melted down, but the seeds will still add a great texture.
Preserve by your favorite method (canning or freezing)