Wondering what to do with all of the cherry tomatoes from your garden? Here’s a Friday evening recipe for a spicy cherry tomato Bloody Mary to help melt away the week.
OK, I couldn’t decide whether to call this a spicy-tomato gin tonic or a gin bloody mary. Either way – this refreshing cocktail is the perfect way to wind down the week and use up some of the tomatoes from your very prolific cherry tomato plants.
Muddling the tomatoes right in the glass makes this both super easy and also farm-to-bartop fresh!
Note – the quinine in the Tonic Water gives the Bloody Mary a distinctly different flavor. I love both gin tonics and Bloody Marys, and if you do too, you will probably love this cocktail. It is lighter and more refreshing than a regular Mary. It is lovely as a change, but it might not be for everyone. For a more traditional Mary, substitute the tonic for a splash of tomato juice and a dash of horseradish.
Spicy Cherry Tomato Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup cherry tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- Few springs of fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh squeezed lemon juice works also!)
- Splash Tabasco or other similar hot sauce
- 1 part gin (vodka is great too, if gin isn’t your jam)
- 2 parts tonic
For the salt rim
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt (coarse)
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika or Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 Teaspoons Celery salt
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- Dash Garlic powder
- Dash pepper
- For extra heat, try adding a dash of this chipotle powder
Instructions
- Mix all of the salt rim ingredients together in a shallow bowl. Stir to blend.
- Rub the rim of a highball glass (or canning jar) with the cut side of a halved cherry tomato. Turn the glass upside down and dip the rim in the salt mixture to coat.
- Place the chopped tomatoes and dill in the bottom of the glass and crush. If you don’t have a muddler, a long handled wooden spoon works fine. Mash gently so as not to wipe off the salt rim.
- Stir in the lime juice, worcestershire and hot sauce, and muddle a little more to infuse the tomatoes with the flavors.
- Add the gin and then top with ice cubes.
- Fill the glass with the tonic, or substitute tomato juice for a more traditional Mary.
- Garnish with a serrano chili pepper, a sprig of fresh dill, a shrimp or two, a marinated string bean, and/or lime wedges.
