Locally made vodka will add a kick to these recipes
Flavours of summer come alive with the addition of locally produced spirits
While taking part in another fun-filled culinary tour called A Taste of Warkworth (found on http://atasteofthekawarthas.com), I experienced a delicious gazpacho at Our Lucky Stars Cafe, located at 16 Main St. It was really outstanding. This chilled soup was bright and refreshing and brimming with summer flavour.
While sipping and crunching, I thought about how vodka might enhance this summer soup. Local vodka, that is! I imagined how an ounce of Black's Distillery Heritage Red Fife vodka (distilled right here in Peterborough) could transform this dish into a thirst quenching Spicy Bloody Mary Gazpacho.
Then I started to think about garnishes. Spicy Bloody Mary Gazpacho needs more than a celery stick! I decided that Drunken Shrimp would be the perfect accompaniment, hanging off the side of a mug, as though in a drunken stupor.
To make the gazpacho, roughly chop two plum tomatoes, one yellow pepper, one red bell pepper, one seedless cucumber, one red onion. Add the chopped veggies to a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely chopped (don't over pulse.) Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add one and a half cups of tomato juice, salt and pepper to taste, two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, two teaspoons of hot sauce of choice, half a cup of horseradish, and half a cup of Black's Distillery vodka. Cover the bowl and chill for at least 2 hours. Spoon the gazpacho into mugs, and garnish with Drunken Shrimp.
To make the Drunken Shrimp, in a large saute pan, add a half a cup of Black's vodka, juice from half a fresh lemon, two teaspoons of sea salt, half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add 24 raw, peeled, and de-veined jumbo shrimp. Primal Cuts on Lansdowne sells gorgeous shrimp. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Drain. Chill the shrimp for one hour before serving with your boozy gazpacho.
Vodka has the ability to add a boozy kick to more than just gazpacho. It complements both savoury and sweet recipes. Remember that when cooking with vodka, the alcohol burns off. And since vodka has no flavour, it's almost a waste to cook with it.
This spirit is best to be added as an additional ingredient to a recipe. It adds body and kick and acts as an emulsifier, binding oils to water. Because vodka is relatively flavourless, it will never overpower a dish. Vodka adds body and depth of flavour to Angel Hair Pasta with a Spicy Vodka Sauce. An ounce of vodka will also heighten Linguine with Clams, bringing its flavours to the next level. How about Seared Scallops with Lemon and Vodka? Scallops are rich, and adding vodka adds more creamy texture.
This spirit also contributes quality and flavour to desserts. The next time you make a pie crust, add a little vodka. It keeps the gluten from breaking down, thus encouraging more flakiness.
Vodka will also add that boozy kick to sweet sauces. Vodka-Cherry Sauce drizzled over Chocolate Ganache Tart is nothing short of heavenly. For a refreshing dessert try Beautiful Boozy Vodka Soaked Fruit. Or Cantaloupe, Tarragon, and Vodka Sherbet.
To make the sherbet, in a saute pan over medium heat, dissolve two thirds cup of sugar in two thirds cup of water. Remove the mixture from the heat. Add about one third of a cup of fresh tarragon. Let it steep for about 20 minutes. Discard the solids. Cover and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. In a food processor or blender, puree half of a ripe cantaloupe with half a cup of table cream and 2 tablespoons of Black's vodka. Add the cantaloupe mixture to the sugar mixture. Stir well. Transfer this new mixture to a loaf pan and freeze. Fold over the cantaloupe mixture every half hour or so to keep it from hardening. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
You can purchase Black's Distillery Heritage Red Fife vodka at the distillery, located at 99 Hunter St. E.