Tomato Cocktail

Name: Tomato Cocktail
Yield: Makes about 1 quart of juice from each 2 quarts of whole tomatoes
Ingredients: 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves or ¼ teaspoon crumbled dried basil; 2 or 3 small sprigs parsley; ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds; ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste; Optional: ½ teaspoon sugar; Strained fresh lemon or lime juice to taste (see note); ¼ bay leaf; 1 small dried hot red pepper (about 1½ inches long) or a ½-inch slice of fresh hot pepper (use more if you like “hotter” juice, or add bottled hot pepper sauce to the finished juice, as described in the directions); ½ teaspoon coriander seeds or ¼ teaspoon ground coriander; ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns; ½ to 1 rib celery (depending on size), with leaves, chopped; ½ small onion, peeled and chopped; ½ medium red or green sweet pepper, chopped; ½ clove garlic, peeled and sliced; Fully ripened Italian-type plum or pear tomatoes, without spoiled spots or bruises

Bloody Mary Base

Preparation info

Makes about
1 quart
of whole tomatoes

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Better Than Store-Bought

By Helen Witty and Elizabeth Schneider

Published 1979

About

Served straight and iced, or spiked with vodka to make a Bloody Mary, this spicy brew has the freshness of good vegetables and none of the strong flavoring additives found in many canned or bottled cocktail bases.

Ingredients

Fully ripened Italian-type plum or pear tomatoes, without spoiled spots or bruises

Drinks
Vegan
Gluten-free

Method

Wash the tomatoes well. Cut away any green or yellow parts and remove white or green cores. Quarter the tomatoes and measure them into a stainless-steel or enameled kettle; each 2 quarts of whole tomatoes should yield about 5