1. Place 2-4 pounds ripe, black olives in a basket or large colander, sprinkling generously with coarse sea salt. Place in a cool corner of the kitchen, over a large bowl.
2. Shake and toss the olives at least once a day, or more often. After 2-3 days, they will start to wrinkle and let out some of their juices. Keep tossing for at least another 3-4 days. Check if they are done by slashing one or two olives and checking the color of their inner flesh. If dark all the way to the pit, they are done.
3. Let dry completely on paper towels and rub with olive oil and herbs (dried oregano, savory or thyme). Let stand 1-2 days covered, before serving. To store, keep in zip log bags in the freezer, or seal in vacuum packs. Commercial very salty dry-cured olives keep long at room temperature, or in the refrigerator.
