Chunky chilli olive oil

It's chunky and slightly crunchy. It's probably somewhere between a chilli oil and a tapenade—perfect for topping dishes, stirring into sauces, and spreading on sourdough.

Following our "This should be made with EVOO" series, we've had quite a few requests for a chilli oil recipe. So we went back to our ever-inspiring chef of the Med, Elleni. The result? A condiment that is bound to be your new favourite.

Here's the method:

Makes two cups

• Finely chop 10 garlic cloves, then crush with 1/2 a tablespoons of fine salt. 
• Pop your garlic in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, 2  tablespoon of chilli flakes, and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds. 
• Heat 300ml of our Spanish EVOO on a medium heat. (Yes, you can heat it!) To check it is at the right temperature, drop a droplet of water into the pan, if it immediately sizzles, it's ready! 
• Pour the hot oil over the garlic and spices, then mix and leave to sit. 
• Finely chop 2 handfuls of olives and 1 handful of preserved red peppers. 
• Add the peppers and olives to the chilli oil—just for the seasoning—and enjoy! 

Ways to make it your own:

• Experiment with heat! Add in some finely-chopped red chilli at the first stage.
• Leave out the olives and peppers to make it less chunky.