Preheat an oven safe bowl in the oven set to warm.
Heat small sauce pan on low and gently toast anise seed until fragrant. Add olive oil and garlic, warming until fragrant and garlic is translucent but not colouring.
Add remaining ingredients including drained olives and continue to warm on low approximately 3-5 minutes or until warmed through. Be careful not to let it get too hot, you do not want to cook the olives at all, only warm them.
Squeeze the juice of 1/8 - 1/4 orange or lemon over and transfer to pre warmed bowl right away and serve warm.
Put a small dish out for pits.