Black Olive Clafouti

Ingredients

For the olives

• 1/2 cup nicoise olive, pitted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water

For the clafoutis batter

• 3/4 cup blanched almond, whole
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare Olives:.

2. 2

   Cook olives in a 2 quart saucepan of boiling water 5 minutes and drain in a colander.

3. 3

   Bring 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups water to a boil in a 1 quart saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add olives and poach, covered, over very low heat (syrup should not bubble; use a flame tamer on burner if necessary) 6 hours. Cool uncovered, then chill olives in syrup covered, at least 1 day or up to 3 days in advance.

4. 4

   Make Clafoutis:.

5. 5

   Preheat oven to 350°F.

6. 6

   Finely grind almonds with 2 tbsp of sugar in a food processor, then whisk together with whole eggs and butter in a bowl until blended.

7. 7

   Whisk yolks with remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in another bowl until blended, then add flour and salt, whisking until smooth. Whisk in milk, then whisk into almond mixture until combined well.

8. 8

   Drain olives in a seive, discarding syrup, and stir into batter. Pour into a buttered 6 cup shallow glass or ceramic baking dish, making sure olives are evenly distributed, and bake in the middle of oven until firm in centre and puffed around edges, about 20 minutes. Serve clafoutis warm.