I shared a sneak peek at this Bloody Mary creation via Instagram and the response was mostly a lot of expletives and excitement, which I interpreted as a good thing! I don’t mess around when it comes to Bloody Marys and creating this one was no exception.
I switched up my usual homemade Bloody mix by adding balsamic vinegar, olive juice, Italian seasoning, and homemade basil infused vodka, which complemented my Italian influenced garnishes perfectly. You can get as complex or as simple as you’d like with those too. I personally love a drink that is a meal in itself so I skewered some of my favorites.. olives, mozzarella, prosciutto, peppered salami, cherry tomatoes, Italian meatball sliders, and my favorite go-to appetizer, Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. It was, as I learned how to say in Italy, molto bene!
(makes 1 pitcher/4 glasses)
Ingredients:
3 cups tomato juice
1 cup basil infused vodka*
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbs olive juice
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Juice from 1 lemon
Suggested Garnishes:
Olives
Mozzarella
Prosciutto
Peppered salami
Cherry tomatoes
Pickled banana peppers
Lemon slices/wedges
Italian meatball sliders – use my recipe here
Goat cheese stuffed mushrooms – recipe for this too riiiiight… HERE!
*To make basil infused vodka, add 5-6 large basil leaves (about 1/4 cup full of smaller leaves) to a small glass canning jar. Pour in a cup of vodka (I like using Swell Vodka because they’re only 20 minutes away from us), seal, and shake. This bruises the leaves a bit and helps release the flavor a bit more. Store in a cool dark place for 48 hours (longer for a stronger flavor) to infuse. Remove basil leaves and discard.
Don’t have time to wait? Just muddle the basil leaves in the bottom of the glass with the end of a wooden spoon or muddler. Add the vodka, shake, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. The flavor won’t be quite as strong, but it will still do the trick!. Discard the leaves and enjoy the vodka!
Make ahead tip: The Bloody Mary mix and meatball sliders can be made the day in advance. Store your mix in the refrigerator and give it a good stir to mix the vodka, tomato juice, and seasoning. Reheat the sliders, add sauce, and bread before skewering and serving. The stuffed mushrooms I recommend making the day of. They cool down quickly so you can keep them on a warming plate so they can be enjoyed hot.
Combine all of the Bloody Mary ingredients except the garnishes in a large pitcher. Stir to combine. Pour into ice filled glasses (and don’t forget to salt the rim!), add garnishes, and serve!
Enjoy responsibly!