Perello Pitted Manzanilla Picante Olives, 350g

From the Empordà region of Catalonia, Perello's Manzanillas have a loyal following amongst chefs and olive lovers, and it's easy to see why. Plump, firm and a vivid bright green, they're cured in a gentle family brine that keeps them crisp to the bite while letting their buttery, faintly citrussy flavour come through. Far less salty and harsh than the supermarket norm, with a clean, almost grassy finish.

These are the classic olive for making a proper Gilda - that legendary Basque pintxo where a Manzanilla is skewered with a salty anchovy and a vinegary guindilla pepper. The three flavours together are something special, and Perello is the olive you'll find behind the bar in San Sebastián.

Beyond Gildas, they're brilliant simply tipped into a bowl with a slick of olive oil and a strip of orange peel, chopped through a potato salad, or dropped into a slow-cooked chicken braise. Pitted, so ready to go straight onto the cocktail stick.

Why we love it:

• Plump, crisp and buttery, with a clean, slightly citrussy finish
  
• Gently brined so they taste of olive rather than salt
  
• The classic olive for Gildas - the Basque pintxo of olive, anchovy and guindilla
  
• Pitted and ready to use straight from the tin

How to use:

• Skewer with an anchovy and a guindilla pepper to make a Gilda - serve with a cold beer or a glass of fino
• Tip into a bowl with good olive oil, a twist of orange peel and a few fennel seeds for the simplest tapa
• Chop through potato salads, tuna salads or grain bowls
  
• Stir into slow-cooked chicken, rabbit or lamb braises towards the end of cooking

More information:

• Manzanilla means 'little apple' in Spanish, a nod to the rounded shape of the olive
  
• Perello are based in Castellón d'Empuries on the Catalan coast and have been curing olives for three generations
  
• Store in a cool, dry place. Once opened, decant olives and brine into a non-metallic container, refrigerate and use within 2 weeks
  
• Allergens: SULPHITES - may contain traces of stone
  
• Ingredients: Water, olives, chilli (sulphites), salt, flavour enhancers: E621 and E635, acid: citric acid, antioxidant (ascorbic acid)