slow roasted spanish olives with oranges & almonds

original recipe courtesy tyler florence, tyler florence's real kitchen

serves 20

2 pounds spanish olives, such as manzanilla or gordal, with pits
1 orange, unpeeled, sliced into 1/8 inch circles
1 cup whole almonds, with skin
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
10 fresh thyme sprigs
1 red chile pepper, halved lengthwise

preheat the oven to 300f. combine the olives and the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. transfer the mixture to a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 2 hours. drain the oil out (keep it to use as a bread dip) and serve the olives warm or at room temperature with assorted cheeses.