Smoked Castelvetrano Olives

If you have guests who don’t love olives, this is the perfect snack. At Ilda, in Sylva, North Carolina, chef Santiago Guzzetti smokes these Castelvetrano olives over an open fire. The smoke of the fire and spice from the pepperoncini relax the flavors a bit to make them really mild. You can also smoke them over a smoker or gas grill outfitted with a smoking box. The secret is controlling the heat and placing the olives a little bit away from the direct flame. And, if you do love castelvetrano olives, smoke a slightly larger batch and use them in your next martini.