Cook garlic in oil in a 2- to 3-quart wide heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients, then cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand, undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.Cooks' note:Taste your olives before you start cooking; if they are very salty, reduce the salt in this recipe...

Preheat oven to 450F. Place 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet (do not use nonstick) on center rack in oven. Heat for 30 minutes.Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk egg and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Whisk 1/4 cup oil, then milk into egg mixture. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients; stir batter just to blend. Stir in cheese and olives.Remove skillet from oven...

Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve between changes of water. Stir together quinoa, 4 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, and simmer, uncovered, until quinoa is just tender and germ starts to separate from grain, about 20 minutes. Drain well in sieve, then transfer to a medium bowl...

Preheat oven to 300F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; brush foil with 1 tablespoon oil. Place tomato halves, cut side up, on baking sheet. Sprinkle garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme over tomatoes; drizzle remaining 1/4 cup oil over. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes begin to shrink and are slightly dried but still soft, about 2 hours. Cool tomatoes on sheet. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead...

Stir together all ingredients and let stand 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop...

Preheat oven to 425F. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet; cook until skin is crisp and browned, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Reduce heat to medium-high. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add shallots; stir until soft and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds...

Whisk together vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with pepper. Cut off tops and bottoms from clementines to expose fruit, then, resting fruit on a cutting board, remove peel, including all white pith, by cutting off vertical strips with a sharp paring knife. Cut segments free from inner membranes...

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, bell peppers, fennel, and garlic; sauté until eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes. Add olives and raisins, then mix in tomato sauce and vinegar. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until caponata is thick and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer. Mix in basil...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400F. Spread 2 teaspoons pesto evenly on each slice of bread, then quarter each slice. Toast bread squares on a baking sheet until undersides are golden, about 10 minutes. Soak olives and tomatoes in warm water to cover 5 minutes, then drain well and toss with parsley. Mound on toasts...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until golden, about 10 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Cool slightly, then rub off any loose skins in a kitchen towel while nuts are still warm. When nuts are cool enough to handle, very finely chop. Whisk together flour, thyme, pepper, and salt in a bowl...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375F. Cut 40 rounds from bread slices with cutter, then brush 1 side of each round with butter and bake on a large baking sheet until pale golden, about 8 minutes. (Leave toasts on baking sheet.) Preheat broiler. Finely grate Parmigiano-Reggiano using rasp (you will have about 1 cup)...

Rinse chicken; pat dry. Arrange on foil. Mix cumin, salt, paprika, and turmeric in bowl. Sprinkle over both sides of chicken. Let stand while preparing onions. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all onions. Sauté until pale golden, about 30 minutes. Mix in honey. Sauté until onions are deep brown, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Tilt skillet, pushing onions toward top and allowing oil to pool at bottom...

Heat oil in medium 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant halves, cut side down, spacing evenly. Cover; cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk eggs, olives, basil, and salt in bowl. Sprinkle with pepper. Coarsely crumble half of cheese into eggs; stir to blend. Pour over eggplants, rearranging evenly in pan...

Sprinkle chicken all over with 1 tablespoon salt and let stand. While chicken is standing, bring water, broth, and thyme to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, then add beans and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer beans with a slotted spoon to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add salted chicken to broth and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes...

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir tomatoes, olives, onion, 2 tablespoons oil, and mint in small bowl to blend. Brush 1 side of each pita with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; place pitas, oiled side down, on grill. Cook until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Turn pitas over; top with tomato mixture, spreading almost to edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover barbecue and grill pitas until topping is warm, about 2 minutes...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Toast bread on a baking sheet until crisp and pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool. Heat vegetable oil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over high heat until it registers 375F on thermometer. Fry eggplant in 4 batches, stirring frequently, until pale golden, about 3 minutes per batch, transferring with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain...

Cook carrots in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well. Whisk oil, lemon juice, orange peel, and coriander in large bowl to blend. Add hot carrots and toss to coat. Cool, tossing occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with honey, if desired. Stir in olives and green onions. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated...

Whisk together zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, then add olive oil in a stream, whisking until combined well. Whisk in olives and chopped oregano. Make 1-inch-long slits at 2-inch intervals down middle of fish on both sides with a sharp paring knife, then brush fish all over with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper...

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sauté until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add shallots and crushed red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup basil, and capers. Add clam juice and wine...

Combine olives, capers and garlic in processor and chop finely. With motor running, gradually add lemon juice and oil and process until blended. Transfer tapenade to bowl. Stir in cilantro. Season to taste with pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve tapenade with crackers and toasted baguette slices...