This is the way to cure olives if you are too busy to sit down and put 4 slits into each olive,  as per my previous recipe.  I would invariably cure my olives this way when I was working.

I would come back to Perth tired on a Sunday night thinking only of going to bed, but a bucket of olives would look at me, accusingly.  If using this method, all you have to do is pour water over them and go to bed with no guilt whatsoever.  You have started the process and it only took a minute.

Time aside, I prefer to cure my Kalamata olives this way.  They are traditionally cured purple and left whole.  It results in a strong tasting olive, which Kalamata olives can handle.

1. Soak olives in water for 2 weeks, rinse them each day and change the water.
2. On the 14th day, drain olives, rinse them and pack into sterilised jars.
3. Prepare brine of 125g salt to each litre of water.  When cool, pour over olives.  Fill nearly to the top of the jar.  Top with a layer of olive oil and seal jar.  Store in cupboard.
4. About 8 months later, pour out about ⅔ of the brine.  Replace with ½ vinegar and ½ water so you end up with ⅓ original brine, ⅓ vinegar and ⅓ water.
5. Top with a layer of olive oil and reseal.
6. Olives are best left another couple of months, otherwise they will be very strong.
7. When ready to eat, rinse olives in water and then marinate in olive oil, garlic, etc.

Refrigerate after opening.