Vodka Recipes

This section contains some new and some classic vodka based recipes.

Starters

Chilled Herbed Tomato Soup with Citrus and Spice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons grated lime peel
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vodka
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh rocket

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat.
Add tomatoes with their juice, shallots, lemongrass, ginger and garlic; simmer until liquid evaporates, about 12 minutes.
Add honey and simmer until mixture is very thick, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.
Add chicken stock, lime juice and peel, coriander, and mint. Simmer 30 minutes.
Working in batches, strain soup into large bowl.
Season soup with salt and pepper.
Chill at least 8 hours.
Stir lemon juice and vodka into soup.
Garnish with rocket.
Serves 6.

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Seafood Appetizers:

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 lb. scallops
• 1 lb. cooked prawns
• juice of 2 limes

Sauce:

• 3 oz. vodka
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons horseradish
• Dash of Tabasco Sauce
• Dash of garlic powder

Rinse and dry scallops. Marinate in lime juice and 2 oz. vodka in refridgerator for 3 to 4 hours.
To cook, grill in skillet with olive oil on each side for 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve warm or cold with prawns and sauce.
Sauce: Combine ingredients.
Season to taste. Serve with grilled scallops and prawns on seashell dish with garnish of your choice

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Main Courses

Salmon in Vodka Cream Sauce with Green Peppercorns

• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound spinach
• 6x6 ounce salmon fillets salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 2 tablespoons green peppercorns in water, drained and crushed
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives

Preheat oven to Gas 4/180C/350°F. Combine 4 tablespoons butter and onion in large oven. Cover and bake until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir spinach into onion and bake until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven; keep warm. Season salmon with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in heavy large grill pan over high heat. Add salmon in batches and cook about 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to platter. Cover with foil to keep warm. Pour off excess oil from grill pan. Add cream and vodka and boil until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add green peppercorns and remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir until butter is just melted. Mix in lime juice, season with salt and pepper. Divide spinach and onion mixture among plates. Top each with salmon fillet. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with snipped fresh chives.

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Vodka and Tomato Cream Sauce

Serves 4, takes about 45 minutes

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 28 oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, and chopped
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 pound pasta penne or angel hair
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter and oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute about 8 minutes, until transluscent.
Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until almost no liquid remains in pan, about 25 minutes.
Add cream, vodka, and red pepper and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss hot sauce with hot pasta "al dente". Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

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Desserts

Strawberry Filo Shortcakes

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• two 17 by 12 inch sheets of filo pastry, thawed if frozen
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon currant-or citrus-flavored vodka
• Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to Gas 4/180C/350°F. and brush a baking sheet with some butter.
On a work surface arrange 1 sheet filo pastry with a long side facing you and brush evenly with some remaining butter. On this, layer and brush remaining sheet filo in same manner. Cut layered filo crosswise into 4 rectangles. Top 2 rectangles with other 2 rectangles and cut each stack into three 4-inch squares (for a total of 6 squares). On baking sheet bake filo squares in middle of oven until golden and crisp, about 12 minutes, and cool on a rack.
While squares are baking, in a bowl toss together strawberries, honey, and vodka until combined well.
Assemble shortcakes:
Arrange 1 filo square on each of 2 plates and top with about one third strawberry mixture. Make 2 more layers with remaining 4 squares and strawberry mixture in same manner and top with whipped cream.
Serves 2.

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Vanilla Cheesecake Tartlets With Vanilla-Vodka Berries

• 1/2 cups cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 12 teaspoons vodka
• 6 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatine
• 2x8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
• 6 tablespoons whipping cream
• 3 cups mixed berries (such as raspberries, blueberries and halved strawberries)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cracker crumbs , sugar and butter in large bowl. Divide mixture among eight 4 1/2 x 3/4-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms; press over bottoms and up sides. Bake until light brown, about 12 minutes. Cool crusts completely in pans on racks.
Mix 8 teaspoons vodka and 4 teaspoons vanilla extract in small saucepan; sprinkle gelatine over. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir over very low heat just until dissolved. Cool to barely lukewarm.
Combine cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla beans. Beat in cream, then gelatine mixture. Divide filling among crusts. Press bottoms of pans up releasing tartlets.
Arrange tartlets on baking sheet. Chill 3 hours or overnight.
Gently stir berries, 4 teaspoons vodka, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/4 cup sugar in bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
Top tartlets with berry mixture.