Jalapeno Bleu Cheese Fried Olives with Lemon Parsley Aioli
This post is sponsored by Mezzetta but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
I LOVE appetizers, especially during the holidays. I’m pretty sure my favorite thing to do at family get-togethers during the holiday season is stuffing my face with finger foods while having conversations. Or just sitting silently watching something on TV with them. And the easiest thing to get in my face is olives. But I never thought fried olives would be something I’d enjoy so much!
This recipe takes me back to being a kid and running around with my cousins and friends during family holiday parties. I, being the food-driven kid I was, Always would stop off at the appetizer table and stuff my face as often as I could. My favorite things to stuff my face with would be the little olive tray laid out. Come to think of it, I was one of the few that gravitated towards that tray. I’d like to think of this as a grown up version of my childhood favorite for the holidays!
My most favorite olives are Mezzetta’s bleu cheese olives, that little chunk of cheese right in the center is so good! I decided I wanted to change it up and fry up these bad boys and stuff a little jalapeno in them as well, and they came out amazing! Dipped in a Lemon Parsley Aioli sauce is a nice touch to add when serving these up to family during the holidays as well!
This aioli is something I’ve always wanted to make. It’s got a nice bright flavor from lemon juice and zest, and then a creaminess that really compliments the fried olives really well! It goes really nice with the flavor of the breading along with the tartness and spice of the jalapeno and bleu cheese. This is probably my new favorite for an appetizer to keep everyone going while the main course is being prepared!
Don’t be afraid to fry up other things as well. I’m a fan of bleu cheese and jalapeno, but there’s so many other types of olives Mezzetta carries for you to fry up. They even have artichoke hearts that would go great fried along with this sauce!
Mezzetta Giveaway
I almost forgot! Mezzetta is giving away some awesome stuff that you’re going to love, I mean I sure do so I don’t see why you wouldn’t!
1 Lucky winner will receive an Instant Print Digital Camera plus a Ultimate Olive Lover’s Gift Basket including Mezzetta Olives, Olive Spoon, Cutting Board, Olive Bowl, Cocktail Napkins and Recipe Card.
Then 10 runner up winners will get the Ultimate Olive Lover’s Gift Basket including Mezzetta Olives, Olive Spoon, Cutting Board, Olive Bowl, Cocktail Napkins and Recipe Card.
To Sign up for this giveaway visit Mezzetta’s site here!
On To The Recipe
Jalapeno Bleu Cheese Fried Olives with Lemon Parsley Aioli
Ingredients
Fried Olives
- 16 oz peanut oil
- 1 jar Mezzetta Stuffed Blue Cheese Olives
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup corn meal
- 2 whole eggs
Lemon Parsley Aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 whole lemon
- 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1 clove garlic optional
- 1 cup italian parsley
Instructions
Aioli
- In a mixing bowl, squeeze juice from 1 lemon and mix into the mayonnaise.
- Take about 1 tbsp of lemon zest , and mix in with Dijon mustard pepper and a minced garlic clove.
- Stir in chopped Italian parsley; Cover and set in the fridge until ready to serve.
Fried Olives
- Get your peanut oil warmed up in a small pot to about 350F. While the peanut oil is heating up, take the Bleu Cheese olive and stuff the ends with some chopped pickled jalapenos.
- in 3 containers, put flour (with salt and pepper) in 1 container, 2 eggs in 1 container, and breadcrumbs and cornmeal in 1 container. I add about half of the dry ingredients as a time, then refill as I go.
- When the peanut oil is ready, begin frying. Add the olives first to the flour, shaking off any excess flour
- Roll in the egg wash completely covering the olive.
- Then dredge in the breadcrumb mix.
- Drop in the oil and fry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute max. Just long enough so the breading is golden brown. let it drain on a cooling rack or some paper towels. Repeat for all the olives. You can do multiple at a time of course!
- Serve along side the aioli and enjoy!
