Zeytoun Marhoum — Crushed Olive Salad from Idlib

Zeytoun marhoum means "crushed olives" in Syrian Arabic — marhoum literally means "blessed/mercied," a word used in northern Syria to describe the act of gently crushing and bruising rather than grinding. This dish is specific to the olive-growing regions of Idlib, where every family keeps their own olive harvest from the October pressing. The quality of the olive oil used to dress this dish is paramount — it should be the dark, grassy, peppery Idlib oil that tastes almost aggressive compared to milder Lebanese or Italian varieties. Faten says this dish cannot be made properly outside Syria because the olives and the oil are both wrong everywhere else — but it can be made well, and it is always the first thing guests reach for at an Idlib gathering.