Spoon-Fed Bloody Mary with Grilled Lemon Skewers

Ingredients

To serve:

• 8 lemon wedges

Directions

8 large toothpicks or small skewers

• 4 celery stalks, cut in 1/2

For the Bloody Mary:

• 4 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces, chilled
• 1 to 2 jalapeno chiles, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 cup celery, preferably inner stalks, diced small
• 1 cup fennel, diced small (can use cucumber instead)
• 1 cup ripe tomato, diced small
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 bottle vodka or gin, preferably kept in the freezer

On a prepared grill or grill pan, grill the lemon wedges until lightly browned. Skewer the lemons onto toothpicks or skewers and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, puree together the tomatoes, jalapenos, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You should have about 3 1/2 cups.

Pour the tomato mixture into a large pitcher and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Season the celery and fennel or cucumber and tomato with salt and and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Place a bit of the veggie mixture into each of 8 martini glasses.

Pour 1-ounce of chilled vodka over the vegetable mixture. Top with the spiced tomato mixture and garnish with a grilled lemon wedge and half of a celery stalk. Serve with a teaspoon.

Cook's Notes: If you don't have a juicer or you're short of time, you can ask your natural-foods grocer to juice up this combo for you. It will also save you clean-up time.

Entertaining Notes: You can juice the ingredients 1 day in advance of serving. Cover tightly and refrigerate until serving.