Spiked Cherry Tomatoes

Pop one of these babies in your mouth for a wild burst of flavor (and isn’t that why we’re all here?).  These are great on their own or as a garnish to a Vodka Martini or Bloody Mary.  I use them with my Bloody Natasha recipe (The Vodka Cookbook, p.151).

24 red and/or yellow (VERY small) cherry tomatoes

125ml (1/4 pint) lemon vodka 

3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

zest from 1 lemon

3 tablespoons coarse salt

1 1/2 tablespoons course ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1. Cut a tiny ‘X’ in the skin at the stem end of each tomato. 
2. Blanch tomatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for about 5 seconds and immediately transfer to a bowl of very cold water to stop cooking.
3. In a large bowl, stir together vodka, vinegar, sugar and zest until sugar is dissolved.
4. Drain and peel tomatoes using fingers or knife, add to vodka mixture and toss gently.
5. Cover bowl (or transfer to large re-sealable plastic bag) and chill for at least one hour in fridge.   
6. Stir together salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
7. When ready to serve, insert toothpicks into tomatoes and lightly dip each into salt mixture and present on platter or add as garnish to drinks.

Spiked Cherry Tomatoes will keep in your fridge for several months in an airtight container.

Zest:  This is the thin, outer layer of citrus fruits that contains most of the aromatic essential oils.  Use a citrus zester or cheese grater to grate the peel from the fruit.  Or remove this layer with a paring knife (carefully avoiding the bitter white pith layer) and finely chop.

by John Rose, author, The Vodka Cookbook

Comments

[Ed Schenk]

A party in my mouth!