Brine & Bloom — Green Olive Spread with Toasted Walnuts
TRANQUIL • LUMINOUS • ROOTED
Stories from the studio, reflections on process, and the art of the handmade.
Green Olive & Toasted Walnut Spread
There are recipes that are delicious the moment they are made, and then there are those that seem to need a little time to become themselves. Brine & Bloom is very much the latter.
I first made this green olive spread as part of the Studio Pantry, a savory, intensely flavored mixture built around pimento-stuffed green olives, sharp cheese, Dijon and lemon. I loved the first version immediately. Since then, I’ve experimented with another variation with a combination of olives, and some additional ingredients, but I kept coming back to the original for its unmistakable green olive flavor.
There was, however, one idea from that second version that I wanted to bring back with me: toasted walnuts.
They turned out to be exactly what the original needed.
Green Olives, With a Little More Depth
The walnuts don’t change the character of Brine & Bloom. Green olives are still very much at the center. Instead, the toasted nuts add warmth, a little texture and an earthy richness that feels especially suited to the cooler months.
I toast the walnuts first, let them cool completely, and then pulse them rather finely in my small food processor. I don’t want large pieces of walnut competing with the olives. Finely chopped, they simply become part of the spread, adding another layer of flavor without announcing themselves too loudly.
I also discovered that the texture is best when I whip the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise together with an electric mixer before adding the remaining ingredients. It creates a lighter, creamier base while still leaving plenty of texture from the chopped olives, cheese and walnuts.
The Ingredient You Can’t Rush: Time
Perhaps my favorite discovery about Brine & Bloom has nothing to do with an ingredient.
It is time.
This spread is good when it is first made, but after a day in the refrigerator it becomes something quite different. The olive brine, Dijon, lemon, cheese, pepper and toasted walnuts seem to settle into one another, and the flavor becomes remarkably deeper and more intense.
By the second or third day, it may be even better.
For that reason, this is one of those rare things I would deliberately make a day before I plan to serve it. Not simply because it makes entertaining easier, but because the recipe genuinely benefits from the wait.
Before serving, I let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes so the cream cheese softens and all of those flavors can open up again.
A Green Olive Spread Made for the Fall & Winter Table
Brine & Bloom has become one of my favorite things to bring to a fall or winter table. There is something about the briny olives, sharp cheese and toasted walnuts that feels particularly right when the days begin to cool.
I love it with warm mini naan bread, but it is equally good with two of my favorite crackers: North Hill Bakery crackers and Rustic Bakery flatbreads. Add some sliced pear or apple, grapes and a good cheese, and it easily becomes the center of a simple grazing board.
And it doesn’t have to remain a spread.
Brine & Bloom is also wonderful folded into hot pasta. I especially like the idea of Etto Casarecce here, the curled shape gives the creamy mixture somewhere to settle while catching little pieces of olive and toasted walnut. Loosen the Brine & Bloom with a splash of hot pasta water, toss it with the pasta, and finish with a little freshly ground black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. It turns something from the Studio Pantry into supper with very little effort.
This is where the Studio Kitchen begins to come together: Brine & Bloom from the Studio Pantry meets pasta from our Foundations and becomes a simple Composition, something made ahead becoming the beginning of dinner.
That is exactly the kind of recipe I want in the Studio Kitchen: something made ahead and tucked into the refrigerator, ready to become an appetizer, a simple lunch, or an easy supper.
A little jar with more than one story to tell.
Studio Notes
For the best texture, drain the olives thoroughly and pat them dry before chopping. You want all of that wonderful briny flavor, but not excess liquid that can loosen the finished spread. The measured olive brine can then be added separately, giving you much more control over the consistency.
The olives can certainly be chopped by hand, but I often use my small food processor. Pulse them only a few times and watch them carefully. You want finely chopped olives with some texture remaining, not an olive paste. I use the food processor for the toasted walnuts as well, pulsing them until quite fine.
Whip the cream cheese and mayonnaise together first. I use an electric mixer to get the base smooth, creamy and slightly lighter before adding the remaining ingredients. Once the olives, cheese and walnuts go in, I prefer to fold them in rather than continue beating so their texture remains intact.
For the red pepper flakes I use La Boite, Aleppo Chili.
And perhaps the most important note: give Brine & Bloom some time. It is very good when freshly made, but after a day in the refrigerator the flavors become considerably deeper and more intense. If possible, make it a day before you plan to serve it. From my experience, I think it may be even better on the second day or third day.
Let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before serving so the base softens and all of those flavors have a chance to open up again.
Take It to Your Kitchen
I've included two versions of this recipe for you to enjoy.
Studio Page: A full-color keepsake designed for your Studio Kitchen collection.
Kitchen Print: A simple black-and-white version made for everyday cooking, easy printing, and slipping into a favorite recipe binder.
New to the Studio Kitchen?
If this is your first visit, I invite you to begin with Welcome to the Studio Kitchen, where I share the philosophy behind these seasonal recipes, pantry staples, and stories from the garden.
It's the place where this collection begins.
This is where I'll preserve not only the harvest, but the recipes and stories that accompany it.
From the Studio
The Studio Kitchen grew from a simple idea, that creativity doesn't end at the studio door.
Sometimes it takes shape in handmade books, collage, and paper. Other times it begins in the garden, continues at the kitchen table, and ends with a recipe shared among family and friends.
Whether you've arrived here through my artwork, the Studio Kitchen, or simply a love of thoughtful making, I'm so glad you're here.
Thank you for spending a little time with me today.
From the garden • Through the studio • To the table
Melanie Grant — Northern Idaho
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