Za’atar Fish & Chips

A brief note on castelvetrano olives.

If you, like me, grew up loving canned black olives then castelvetrano olives will make you feel ever-so-slightly more grown up. They’re mild, they’re creamy, they’re better if you pit them yourself which is something an ever-so-slightly more grown up person would do. 

This dish follows the lead of the olives and elevates the fish sticks and french fries of your youth into a well-balanced meal™. It’s the kind of recipe where you only have to buy a few ingredients fresh (fish, mint) and the rest you probably have (potatoes, apple cider vinegar, onion). Maybe you have to buy za’atar for this, but once you have it you’ll use it over and over. This comes together so effortlessly you will all of a sudden be stirring yourself a martini mid-recipe and think, “This is it. This is the casual, mature, je ne sai quoi of adulthood I was promised.”

And for that you can thank the castelvetrano olives. They’re already out and open. Not using up some more would be wasteful. So you garnish your martini and congratulate your good taste and frugality. Cheers to an ever-so-slightly more grown up version of yourself, even if it only lasts until it’s time to do the dishes.

Recipe from Bon Appétit.