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This fermented Bloody Mary mix is both effervescent and light while simultaneously contributing a full-bodied tomato flavor. Try incorporating this probiotic-rich tomato mixture into cocktails, gazpachos, shakshuka or tomato sauces for an added tang and complexity to elevate your dish or beverage.

Pack quartered plum tomatoes in a jar with a powerhouse of flavor that stems from including garlic cloves, thyme, white peppercorns, paprika, dried oregano, cayenne, black peppercorns, salt, sugar and red wine vinegar. One week later, you will have a Bloody Mary mix that makes a great hostess gift or addition to an upcoming weekend brunch.

Enjoying oysters as a shooter with this Bloody Mary ferment is a more nuanced way to add an acidic flavor to the beloved brined shellfish starter than just squeezing lemon juice or a dab of hot sauce onto the half shell. Making your own Bloody Mary mix can not only be more economical but will surely contain less preservatives than buying a ready, ultra-processed drink mix in a bottle.

What’s Good to Know with Chef Olivia:

• Straining your ferment through a wide strainer (sometimes called a ‘china cap’ in professional kitchens) gets rid of all the peels but preserves all the texture and flavor.
• Use firm or slightly underripe plum tomatoes for more chances of a successful ferment and the best flavor results.
• It is best to remove the hard core of your tomatoes before placing the quartered produce in a sterilized jar. The core is where the tomato botanically attaches to the plant.
• Add extra cayenne when fermenting for an extra kick.
• Make a portion of your Bloody Mary mix into ice cubes as to not dilute the flavor when serving your mixture chilled.

Recipe

Fermented Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters

Yield: 12 oyster shooters

Ingredients

For the Fermented Bloody Mary Mix:
Yield: 1/2 gallon-sized jar

• 12 plum tomatoes, cored & quartered lengthwise
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• water, to cover

For the Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters & Assembly:

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 dozen East Coast oysters
• 2 cups fermented Bloody Mary mix
• 6 ounces vodka, or to taste (optional)
• 4 scallions, minced

Directions

For the Fermented Bloody Mary Mix:

1. Add cut tomatoes, garlic, thyme sprigs, white peppercorns, paprika, dried oregano, cayenne, black peppercorns, sea salt and sugar to a large bowl.
2. Massage gently for a few minutes. Fold in red wine vinegar and allow mixture to rest for a few minutes.
3. Pack bowl contents into a sterilized, half-gallon-sized glass jar along with any residual liquid. Add in fermentation weight.
4. Cover with water until level reaches 1 inch below the lower glass rim.
5. Attach airlock lid and ferment at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
6. Refrigerate for extended storage. Strain mixture through a mesh strainer before using.

For the Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters & Assembly:

1. Mix together cayenne pepper, sugar and salt on a shallow plate.
2. Shuck oysters and place over ice.
3. Lightly wet shooter glass rim and dip in spiced salt mixture.
4. Pour fermented Bloody Mary mix and vodka, if using, into small shooter glasses and top each with minced scallions and shucked oyster.

More fermented recipes from Chef Olivia:

• Fermented Green Papaya Rice Noodle Salad Recipe
• Fermented Sweet Rhubarb, Raspberry Jam & Ricotta Pastries
• Springtime Fermented Honey Thyme Radish Mezze Recipe