Boozy Tomatoes

October 8, 2010


Full disclosure: I tried this recipe for sheer entertainment value. I saw it in a magazine and thought, “this sounds completely freaking weird.”  Which of course, I took as a challenge. Bizarre recipe + my eyeballs = must do!

Well, unless it’s a fall recipe with meat and fruit in it, which is seven kinds of wrong, people!

But come on, this recipe had a cup of vodka in it.  As Ina Garten would say, “how bad can that be?”

And actually, these tomatoes were interesting. Herby, lemony, savory, a little boozy.  But truly? I couldn’t really see them working as an appetizer or a salad, which is how Donna Hay magazine suggests you serve them. An appetizer, maybe, if you used cherry tomatoes, but then again, who has the time to blanch and then skin a bunch of cherry tomatoes? I’d rather go to a Star Wars convention, in full Chewbacca regalia, than peel a kabazillion cherry tomatoes.

I ended up using the bulk of these for kitchen counter pasta, and they worked very nicely. I actually threw in about 1/4 cup of the marinating liquid, too, because I was feeling frisky.

Next time I make them, and yes, I think I’m going to, I think I’ll strain the marinating liquid (using one of those siphons that filters out the oil), puree the tomatoes and the sans-fat liquid, and create a cocktail. Stay tuned for that little freakshow.

Vodka and Lemon-Marinated Tomatoes

from Donna Hay magazine

serves 4

4 vine-ripened tomatoes

1 cup vodka

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 pieces lemon peel

1 tablespoon superfine sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 sprigs oregano

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

sea salt flakes

Using a small, sharp knife cut a shallow cross on the bottom of each tomato. Cook in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute or until skins start to split. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl of iced water and allow to cool. Gently peel the tomatoes and place in a non-metallic bowl. Combine the vodka, lemon juice and peel, sugar, oil, oregano, pepper and salt and pour over tomatoes. Marinate at least 30 minutes. Serve as a side or in salads.

{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }

Tiffany October 8, 2010 at 5:24 am

Hmmmm….I may just have to try this. Me loves Vodka!!

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Futureblackmail October 8, 2010 at 5:31 am

You had me at Boozy.

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Winn October 8, 2010 at 7:21 am

That was my line. ;)

I agree; they just go together. It would make a great cocktail too.

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Stephane October 8, 2010 at 8:09 pm

mine too, Winn! ; )

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Justine October 8, 2010 at 6:12 am

Oooh…I don’t think you can go wrong with this one. 1. Donna Hay recipe 2. Vodka – hello??!

I once saw a cocktail party appetizer where you leave cherry tomatoes for the guests to dip into vodka and then a little course salt. Elegant and simple, especially when you can display each item in martini glasses. Mmmm….

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grace October 8, 2010 at 7:16 am

oh ina. how bad can it be indeed? i got a chuckle out of that line–thanks for that, and for an interesting twist on maters!

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rebecca @ altared spaces October 8, 2010 at 7:50 am

You, frisky??!

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BigLittleWolf October 8, 2010 at 8:42 am

This morning? I’ll take the boozy, with or without the tomatoes. ;)

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girlichef October 8, 2010 at 9:04 am

I’m all for turning them into a cocktail. I mean…looking at them, I can just imagine wanting to crush them and slurp the booziness out anyway, so… ;)

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SuziCate October 8, 2010 at 9:06 am

You sold me on the vodka! But I am waiting for the next freak show becaue I like the idea of drinking it! I mean tomatoes and vodka…how bad can that be?!

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Jen October 8, 2010 at 9:12 am

This looks fantastic! I so want to try it and I can’t wait to see the cocktail you come up with. Yum!!!!

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Mrs.Mayhem October 8, 2010 at 10:42 am

The lemony savory tomatoes sound yummy! Admittedly I’m not a great cook, but what is a siphon that separates out the oil? Where can I find one of these magical kitchen tools?

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Carol October 8, 2010 at 11:06 am

So if these tomatoes are an appetizer or part of a main dish, what beverage do you serve with dinner? Would it be a white or red wine? Or something stronger? Would you provide a sober person to guide your guests to their more comfortable seats after dinner? And be prepared to cover them with blankies when they doze off?

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cca October 8, 2010 at 11:55 am

cant wait for that freakshow cocktail!

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Melissa October 8, 2010 at 12:49 pm

I love when you try bizarre recipes. But I don’t think I have the energy to try. Me = lazy. Lazy-ish, at least. :)

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Kelly October 8, 2010 at 1:49 pm

I’ll just take the lemons and vodka, okay?

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TKW October 8, 2010 at 1:56 pm

Mrs. Mayhem: It’s called a fat separator, and you can get them at any online cooking store–mine is from Williams-Sonoma.

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Mindy October 8, 2010 at 3:10 pm

They’d make a mean addition to a tomato-vodka sauce!

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Rudri October 8, 2010 at 3:36 pm

Vodka? On a Friday afternoon. I’m in.

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Phoo-d October 8, 2010 at 3:41 pm

Wow! Those are some really boozy tomatoes. I may have to wait until next tomato season before indulging but I’m thinking a tomato basil martini with the ‘leftover’ juice would be awesome.

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Heather October 8, 2010 at 3:53 pm

Now this is my kind of tomato salad! perhaps a little fresh mozzarella to jazz it up a bit. Oh, and of course some dipping bread on the side. Ok, now I’m drooling!

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Sherri October 8, 2010 at 4:41 pm

Your titles for your posts get me every time…. “boozy tomatoes”… love it……. This is definitely along the lines of the meal version of a bloody mary or some fancied up martini…..

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Aging Mommy October 8, 2010 at 5:25 pm

Kind of like a bloody mary on a plate :-) I wonder what can be done with some humble vegetables, I doubt anything could ever get me to swallow a brussel sprout but any other boozy vegetables sounds good :-)

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jc October 8, 2010 at 5:59 pm

Is there any left?

I’ll lick the bowl.

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The Curious Cat October 8, 2010 at 6:18 pm

These do sound curious indeed…not sure about these…though on the tomato and booze front – got my hands on some clamato juice yesterday so we all had Caesars….those are delicious! xxx

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Meister @ Eat This Neighborhood October 8, 2010 at 6:43 pm

You are absolutely, utterly delightful, and your blog is a joy to read. Boozy tomatoes!! I love it.

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chiara October 9, 2010 at 4:42 am

I was going to suggest to use them for bloody marys =)
making pasta with them sounds great too, my dad’s pasta alla vodka is one of my favorite recipes, so I’m sure I’d like this one too!

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elizabeth October 9, 2010 at 4:59 am

Yes, I don’t see these as an appetizer either, but they do look pretty damn tasty. With pasta it would turn into a cream-less pasta alla vodka.

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franticmommy October 9, 2010 at 5:34 am

You had me at Vodka. Love your new site!

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paula October 9, 2010 at 5:37 am

I like the way you think–coming up with ideas on how to make a magazine recipe really work for your own tastes and time constraints. Pasta idea sounds best to me.

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Barbara October 9, 2010 at 6:45 am

Not so freaky, actually. I’d be in line for that drink….kind of a Bloody Mary.

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M @ Betty Crapper October 9, 2010 at 7:30 am

What’s wrong with a Star Wars convention? I thought I heard somewhere you were dressing up as Chewy for Halloween. No?

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Bryan October 9, 2010 at 7:38 am

Star Wars Convention made me laugh! I love the idea of boozy tomatoes

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Bonnie October 9, 2010 at 10:29 am

This sounds a little like a bloody mary with big lumps!! Great presentation. I’d have some of the “juice” as a cocktail.

Best,
Bonnie

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Camilla October 9, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Trust Donna Hay to booze up tomatoes. They look cute but I’m with you….no way in hell I’d peel cherry tomatoes!

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Alexandra October 9, 2010 at 3:12 pm

You know what? I can see doing a labor of love and blanching/peeling 30 or so chery tomatoes for a brunch, can’t you?

Like I said, it’d be a labor of love.

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ck October 9, 2010 at 6:07 pm

How about I do several shots of vodka while looking at a tomato? Does that count?

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theUngourmet October 9, 2010 at 8:47 pm

I haven’t seen a recipe like this one. I’d love to try it but I’m with you on the blanching and peeling. So not fun! Heirloom tomatoes would be nice too. Unfortunately, I only salvaged 3 tomatoes this year. They all ended up with some kind of strange mold. :(

The cocktail sounds like a brilliant plan!

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Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon October 9, 2010 at 11:42 pm

These babies have bloody mary written all over them. What time is happy hour?

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Jamie October 10, 2010 at 2:51 am

I love seeing people trying recipes only because they are intrigued by a strange recipe! Go, girl! And I do think this would make the perfect cocktail!

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Emily Z October 10, 2010 at 8:24 am

Well, I love booze, and I love tomatoes, so this sounds like a winner of a dish to me! I like the cherry tomato idea as a appetizer for dinner with friends or as a dish at a party where everyone is bringing a different dish to nibble on. I have lots of friends who love booze so I am sure they’d like this as well. ;)

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~Laura October 11, 2010 at 3:04 pm

OK, I love vodka and I like tomatoes. However, I’m not getting what the vodka does to the tomatoes. Is it acting as an acidic to break them down? Maybe I’m analyzing too much and I should just eat the vodka and the tomatoes. Maybe in that order.

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subwow October 11, 2010 at 5:21 pm

I am too lazy to make this as you know. BUT I kept on thinking ever since I saw this post how wonderful it would have been to make Bloody Marys out of these! ;-)

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Maria October 11, 2010 at 6:56 pm

That still counts as a veggie serving, right? Even with the vodka? I like it!

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Leslie October 14, 2010 at 2:51 pm

Hurry! I just decided that little freakshow is exactly what I need to get through tonight and two more days of reunion events. I’m already running on empty! Thought the free booze would get me through, but now I’m dreaming of a TKWed bloody mary.

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Article Submission July 15, 2012 at 3:25 pm

FNWzSE Looking forward to reading more. Great post.Really looking forward to read more.

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