These garlic and shallot-stuffed fried green olives are absolutely delicious. They are fantastic as appetizers or served alongside a fresh green salad and paired with our elegant Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients
24 whole garlic cloves
1 cup Round Pond Spanish Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bay leaf
2 tsp chopped thyme
2 Tbsp minced shallot
salt and pepper
36 pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano, Luques, Picholine
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups panko bread crumbs
4 cups peanut, canola or grapeseed oil

Combine garlic, 1/2 cup of olive oil, bay leaf, thyme, shallot, and salt & pepper, and poach on a very low simmer for approximately 45 min (or until garlic is fork-tender). Remove bay leaf and purée garlic cloves along with ½ cup oil in a food processor.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip with garlic puree and pipe directly into pitted olives until they are full. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Place eggs in one shallow bowl, the bread crumbs in another. Dip olives into egg mixture, then bread crumbs. Repeat the process again to double coat all the olives. Lay on a wax or parchment paper-lined pan, and freeze olives for 2-3 hours or overnight.

Heat oil to 400F in a large enough pot to fry safely. Fry olives in small batches until nicely browned and crispy. Remove to paper towels to dry and keep warm whilst frying the remaining olives.

Enjoy!