Fried Olives with Mushrooms

by Daniel Rogov

250 gr. mushrooms, cleaned and chopped finely
1 hot red pepper, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
250 gr. green olives, pitted and chopped finely
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
toast points or cocktail crackers for serving

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions until translucent. Add the mushrooms, hot pepper, black pepper and garlic and continue sauteeing until the onions are golden brown. Add the breadcrumbs and olives and saute for 2-3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. (Add a bit of olive oil if the mixture becomes overly dry). Serve hot on toast points or cocktail crackers.

Serves 4.

Daniel Rogov is the restaurant and wine critic for the daily newspaper Ha'aretz. He is also the senior writer for Wine and Gourmet Magazine and contributes culinary and wine articles to newspapers in Europe and the United States.