Fried Olives with Blue Cheese Aïoli

This appetizer might just disappear before you turn back around.

By Southern Living Test Kitchen

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Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christina Daley

Recipe Summary

total:
35 mins
active:
35 mins
Servings:
4
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These fried olives will be the underrated star of the appetizer spread. They make an easy, poppable snack—paired with a tangy Blue Cheese Aioli, these fried bites simply can't be beat. A coating of corn flour and cornmeal gives these fried olives an extra-crunchy texture, while smoked paprika and cayenne pepper spice up the shell. To make things extra-Southern, we're using pimiento-stuffed green olives. The olives themselves are buttery and salty, so there's no need to season the fried olives after they come out of the oil.

You can even recycle the frying oil night after night to make more of our favorite Hannukah treats, like Mini Sweet Potato Latkes or Cheesy Potato Croquettes.

Ingredients

Blue Cheese Aïoli
Fried Olives

Directions

  • Prepare the Blue Cheese Aïoli: Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, blue cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Chill until ready to serve. (Blue Cheese Aïoli can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

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  • Prepare the Fried Olives: Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a large Dutch oven; heat oil over medium to 350°F. Place ½ cup of the all-purpose flour in a medium bowl. Pour buttermilk into a separate medium bowl. Stir together corn flour, cornmeal, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and remaining ½ cup all-purpose flour in a third medium bowl. Working in batches, toss olives in all-purpose flour until well coated. Transfer olives to buttermilk, and toss to coat. Place olives in cornmeal mixture, and toss again to coat; transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  • Working in 3 batches, fry olives in hot oil, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 1 minute and 30 seconds; drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep warm in a 200°F oven. Allow oil to return to 350°F between batches. Sprinkle chives over Blue Cheese Aïoli. Serve with hot olives.

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