A Cocktail Filled With Vegetables, What Could Be Better?
I watched a show a few years ago and it featured the very best cocktail bar in the world. I remember, it was in Japan. There was a bartender who was making a Bloody Mary from the ripest most beautiful tomato. He was actually using a type of grater that shredded the tomato into a liquid. He added some fabulous vodka and some other amazing ingredients (I don’t read or speak Japanese, so….,totally lost).
Although I can’t remember all the details of the ingredients or exactly how it was made, I became obsessed with a fresher and better version of the standard. It’s all about using a fresh, ripe and gorgeous tomato!
Lately, the Bloody Mary cocktails I’ve had are just not hitting the mark, Although, airport Bloody Marys are still to be worshiped. A few years ago, we had a brunch party on New Years Day. We set up a Bloody Mary bar and a prosecco/mimosa bar too. I assumed the prosecco/mimosa bar would be the bigger hit. We had a few different mixers, from orange juice to cranberry and something tropical. Well, I couldn’t have been more mistaken! People love Bloody Marys! I figured I had to give it a a go. So, Like a mad scientist, I take to the food processor in my attempt to concoct a better Bloody Mary!
The Secret! Make Your Bloody Mary Mix From Scratch
First, I blanched and skinned three heirloom tomatoes. Put a cross on the bottom of the tomato with sharp knife to cut the skin, then into boiling water for about 20 seconds. Then, right into cold water and the skin will peel right off. Remove the core, and chop into quarters.
I chopped up 2 stalks of celery including all the leaves. OMG! I can’t believe I used to toss those amazing celery leaves and they ‘re the best part! Add a small handful of fresh parsley. A store-bought, regular tasteless tomato won’t work for this mix. Get the brightest, most delicious tomatoes you can find. These are even better right from the garden, but we’re not quite close to that around here, yet!
Add some fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 1/2 a lemon and the juice from 6 fresh limes. 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Let it process for a few minutes. Then strain several times to remove most of the seeds and pulp. Put into a glass pitcher, add Worcestershire sauce, horseradish some tobasco sauce and a bit of ground pepper. Cover and refrigerate over night.
Since you’ve gone to all the effort to make a fresh mix, go ahead and Make your own salt combination. It’s awesome and you won’t be sorry. I used coarse salt (kosher), celery seeds and finely chopped celery greens, and of course, a bit of black salt. Use a lemon or a lime to rim the glass, then put the rim into the salt mixture. Fill your glass with ice, add the vodka and top with your bloody Mary mix. Garnish with a celery spear and some Spanish olives and a lime, a dill pickle spear. Or, get creative and have at it! Cheers!
Bloody Mary, homemade with fresh tomatoes
Ingredients
- 3 ripe heirloom tomatoes
- 2 celery stalks including celery leaves
- 6 limes plus extra for garnish
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1 1/2 teaspoons worchesteshire sauce
- Tobasco sauce to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground pepper
For the Salt Rim
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
Instructions
- Blanch the tomatoes, to remove the skin. Put a cross on the bottom of the tomato with sharp knife to cut the skin, then into boiling water for about 20 seconds. Then, right into cold water and the skin will peel off easily. Remove the core, and chop into quarters. Chop 2 stalks of celery including all the leaves, add to the food processor, along with a small handful of flat leaf parsley. Add 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup or more, fresh squeezed lime juice (about 6 limes). 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Let it process for a few minutes. Then strain several times to remove most of the seeds and pulp.
- Put into a glass pitcher, add Worcestershire sauce, horseradish some tabasco to taste, and fresh ground pepper. Cover and refrigerate over night.
For The salt rim
- Mix kosher salt, celery seed and chopped celery leaves. Toss with a fork. Put on a plate.
To Serve
- Rim glasses with lime or lemon, generously roll in the prepared salt
- fill glasses with ice and 1 1/2 ounces Vodka
- Fill with ice cold tomato juice blend
- garnish with celery spear, Spanish Olives, Limes etc.
