vodka martini with fermented tomato water

Fermented Tomato Martini

Name: Fermented Tomato Martini
Ingredients: 2 oz Tomato Leaf Oil–Washed SKYY Vodka*; .5 oz Fermented Tomato Water**; .5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth

This savory, summery Martini comes from the James Beard Award-winning book Slow Drinks, by Danny Childs. The recipe, which relies on an easy tomato fermentation and an even easier “tomato leaf oil”, is ripe for experimentation and riffing to make it your own.

Want more great farm-to-recipe recipes and techniques? Check out our Digital Session with Danny Childs!

Ingredients

2 oz Tomato Leaf Oil–Washed SKYY Vodka*
.5 oz Fermented Tomato Water**
.5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth

Stir ingredients together with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cherry tomato.
*TOMATO LEAF OIL
Ingredients
3⁄4 c/175 ml coarsely chopped tomato leaves and stems

1⁄4 c/15 g coarsely chopped parsley leaves

1 c/240 ml olive oil, chilled

Instructions

Bring a medium pot of water to rolling boil and have a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch tomato leaves, stems, and parsley in the boiling water for 20 seconds, then transfer to ice water bowl. Remove blanched greens from water and squeeze until there’s no residual water left.

Add oil then greens to high-speed blender and purée on highest speed until greens are totally liquefied. Strain through fine-mesh strainer lined with a few layers of cheesecloth or tea towels, squeezing as much oil from the greens as possible. Will keep refrigerated for 6 months or more.
*TOMATO LEAF OIL WASHED VODKA

Ingredients

3⁄4 c/175 ml Tomato Leaf Oil

750ml SKYY Vodka

Instructions

Add the tomato leaf oil and vodka to a 2 qt/2 L food-safe container and whisk well. Place in the freezer for 3 days until the oil has frozen and risen to the top of the vodka. Remove the frozen oil and discard.

Pass through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a few layers of cheesecloth or tea towels to remove any additional oil. Oil-washed vodka will keep in the refrigerator or freezer indefinitely.
*FERMENTED TOMATO WATER
Ingredients
2.25 lb/1 kg ripe tomatoes (any juicy, non-plum variety)

2.5 Tbsp/20 g kosher salt

Instructions

Remove the stems and chop tomatoes into 1″ pieces (if using cherry tomatoes, just halve them), and add to a jar or crock. Add the salt and stir to evenly coat. Let sit for 1 hour until the tomatoes begin to “sweat” out their moisture.

Pack into a clean, food-safe container or fermentation vessel and press the tomatoes down until they are submerged. Add a weight or zip-top bag filled with water on top to keep the tomatoes under the brine. Loosely cover the container with a cheesecloth or tea towel bound with a rubber band or other non-airtight lid, so that gas can escape but insects can’t enter.

Let the tomatoes ferment 5-7 days at room temp, until they smell slightly sour. It’s more than likely that there will be a harmless bloom of Kahm yeast that forms at the liquid-air interface. Scrape away as much as you can using a spoon.

Blend the tomatoes until smooth and strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a few layers of cheesecloth or tea towels. The resulting liquid should be clear. If there is still some tomato sediment, strain again. It will keep in the refrigerator for 6 months or more.

More Recipes

Recipe

The Smokeshow

Mezcal and a smoked finish take this Margarita over the finish line.

See Recipe

Ancho Verde Spicy Margarita Cocktail Image e1658806769954

Recipe

Spicy Ancho Margarita

Our Spicy Margarita recipe with Ancho Reyes will transport you through time and memories of the authentic Pueblan spirit.

See Recipe

Recipe

Campari Shakerato

For this cocktail, you’ll only need one ingredient: Campari...And, of course, a strong shake.

See Recipe

Recipe

Coffee Negroni

This Negroni takes classic ingredients and melds them with contemporary tastes. Filtered coffee not only brings out underlying warmer notes, but also adds boldness to the deeply complex cocktail.

See Recipe