Dirty Martini with Blue Cheese-Almond Stuffed Olives

Ingredients

• 3 ounces vodka
• Dash dry vermouth
• Splash olive brine
• 2 blue cheese stuffed olives, recipe follows

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, vermouth, and olive brine. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 1 minute. Strain into a chilled tall martini glass and garnish with the cheese stuffed olives. Serve immediately

Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives:

• 24 almond slivers
• Essence. recipe follows
• 1 (10-ounce) jar large pitted green olives (about 24 olives)
• 1/4 cup blue cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 10 whole black peppercorns

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the almonds in a small baking sheet and lightly season with Essence. Roast until fragrant and light golden in color, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Drain the olives, reserving the brine. Form 1/2 teaspoon of blue cheese around each almond sliver and stuff each into an olive. Return the olives to their jar, layering with the garlic and peppercorns. Pour the reserved brine over the olives to completely cover. Tightly cover and shake well. Let marinate refrigerated and sealed for at least 2 days. Yield: 1 jar stuffed olives

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.