Bloody Mary Caprese Cocktail
This isn’t a traditional bloody Mary. This elevated vodka and tonic features vodka infused with our Bloody Mary Mix, steeped and strained through a coffee filter. The ratio for this infusion is very simple, it can be easily batched up, and it will keep indefinitely. The steeping leaves behind the punchy notes of celery and umami tomato, and the unmistakable spice of horseradish, but it doesn’t have the thick, clouded feel of tomato juice.
On its own the infused vodka is a little intense, but it mellows when it’s combined with sweet, fresh basil, muddled into the bottom of a cocktail mixer. This cocktail actually takes on more of the color of the basil than it does the tomato, thanks to the fresh oils released directly into the vodka. We painted on a stripe of balsamic reduction and coated that with a bit more bloody Mary mix and some Hawaiian Black Sea Salt for a little bit of drama. And you can’t have anything caprese without some mozzarella cheese!
Preparation time includes 8 hours for steeping vodka with the seasoning blend.
For infusion:
1/2 cup unflavored vodka
1 Tablespoon Bloody Mary Mix
For cocktail:
2 ounces Bloody Mary Mix-infused vodka
1 ounce lemon juice
4-5 leaves fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Tonic as necessary
Hawaiian Black Sea Salt, balsamic reduction, grape tomato, basil leaf, and mozzarella pearl for garnish
1. First, make the infusion. Mix vodka with Bloody Mary Mix and let sit, undisturbed, at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Strain through a very fine filter or coffee filter.
3. Put 4-5 basil leaves in a cocktail shaker, and muddle them until they are completely broken apart. Pour in the infused vodka and lemon juice. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, so the cocktail is thoroughly chilled.
4. Take a lowball or large rocks glass and run a stripe of balsamic reduction down one side of the glass. Roll in Bloody Mary Mix, then just run the edge through Black Hawaiian Sea Salt.
5. Put fresh ice in the lowball or large rocks glass and pour in about 2 ounces of tonic water. Strain the contents of the cocktail mixer into the glass, then top with tonic as necessary to fill the glass. Stir very gently to make sure the drink is fully combined.
6. Skewer 1 grape tomato, 1 basil leaf, and 1 mozzarella pearl on a skewer. Lay it across the top of the drink. Sprinkle just a touch more Hawaiian Black Sea Salt on the garnish. Serve.
