• Often, better-quality olives come with pits.  To remove them quickly, spread the olives out on a cutting board, cover with a paper towel, and hammer with a kitchen mallet or press the flat side of a knife against them and pound with your fist.  This works best with softer olives like kalamata.
• Generally, oil-packed olives in jars have better flavor than canned.
• Olives, especially green, can be very salty.  If you're concerned about them making your dish too salty, rinse them before use.

Olives

Vegetarian recipes with olives

• Meatless Muffaletta Sandwiches
• Pasta with Asparagus, Olives, and Parmigiano Breadcrumbs
• Southwest Caesar Salad with Grilled Tempeh
• Warm Orange-Fennel-Olive Salad with Grilled Tempeh