by 
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 333 | calories |
| 8g | Fat |
| 11g | carbohydrates |
| 7g | protein |
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| nutritional information | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 8 | |
| amount per serving | |
| calories | 333 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 8g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 21% |
| 20 mg | 7% |
| 991 mg | 43% |
| 11g | 4% |
| dietary fiber 2g | 7% |
| total sugar 7g | |
| 7g | |
| Vitamin C 50 mg | 248% |
| Calcium 186 mg | 14% |
| Iron 1 mg | 7% |
| Potassium 435 mg | 9% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
(Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
The Bloody Mary is a classic brunch cocktail that offers a hearty meal in a glass. A mixture of tomato juice and salty/spicy condiments such as horseradish, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, usually prepared with vodka. But let's face it: vodka alone doesn't add much flavor to the drink, it only serves as alcohol. In this Nordic-inspired version of the Bloody Mary, I use aquavit for flavor instead And the buzz.
What is aquavit?
Aquavit, in case you don't know it, is a neutral potato- or grain-based liquor infused with botanicals like cumin and/or dill. “Aquavit is much more flavorful than vodka,” says Jacob Grier, bartender and author of Raising the Bar: A bottle-by-bottle guide to making masterful cocktails at home. “Think of everything you like about a regular Bloody Mary, but with an extra helping of cumin or dill.”
As with other spirits, there are many different styles of aquavit. The popular Norwegian Linie brand, for example, is a mild spirit that's matured in sherry casks, so it's smooth, slightly woody and perfect for drinking neat. For mixing Bloody Marys, Grier recommends a more daring style. “You need something to complement the drink's other savory flavors. If you have a taste for cumin, Danish Aalborg Taffel or Icelandic Brennivin are great. For more dill flavor, Wisconsin dill aquavit from Gamle Ode still makes a great bloody mary.”
About these beets
In true Scandinavian style, I add roasted beets in place of some of the tomato juice. They give this cocktail an earthy, slightly sweet taste, a striking magenta color and a lovely velvety texture, all making for a dish in the glass that is anything but ordinary.
Get creative with toppings
A simple garnish of skewered slices of dill and diced Havarti cheese sprinkled with dill completes the cocktail, but if you want to spice it up even more, seafood in the form of pickled prawns, herring rollmops or smoked oysters would add a little more Scandi style the hygge.
What to serve with Beet Bloody Marys
Beet Bloody Marys are the ideal drink to serve with smoked or salted fish on rye bread or toasted bagels; The caraway goes wonderfully with the aquavit. It's also a good choice when serving egg dishes like omelettes or quiche with caramelized onions, ham or strong cheese. Since this recipe takes some time to prepare and keeps well, it is suitable for a larger batch. All the better for an unforgettable brunch.
recipe tips
- Buy beets of the same size (about 100 grams each) so they cook in the same amount of time.
- Dark red beets add the most vibrant color and flavor to your drink.
- Shake the bottle of tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce well before measuring.
Go on
- The beets can be roasted and peeled up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- The Bloody Mary base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
“The Beet and Aquavit Bloody Mary is a luminous reinterpretation of the classic Bloody Mary. Roasting fresh beets into a puree with tomato juice and fresh herbs and spices gives the drink a nice depth of flavor. The earthy flavor of aquavit with its subtle fennel note stands out in this unusually delicious cocktail.” – Joan Velush
1 Pound Middle beets (without tops)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fine Salt
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 Cup chopped fresh dill (packed loosly)
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon Worcester sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (no creamed horseradish)
3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 Middle clove of garlic
Hot saucetaste good
24 ounces aquavit (see top note)
6 ounces dill Havarti cheeseto dice
2 dill picklesCut crosswise into 1 inch thick slices
8th inserted cocktail onions
Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
Wrap each turnip tightly in foil and top each packet with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Place the beets on a baking sheet and bake for about an hour, until a paring knife can easily pierce the beets.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
Unwrap the beets and let them sit until they are cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, peel the peels off the beets under cold, running water. If necessary, you can also do this with kitchen gloves to avoid staining your fingers.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
Cut the beets into 1 inch pieces. Place 2 cups (about 12 ounces) of the beet pieces in a blender. Reserve the remaining beets for garnish.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
Place tomato juice, dill, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon pepper and garlic in blender and blend until smooth. The mixture will be thick but pourable. Taste and add hot sauce until mixture is as hot as you like.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
Fill tall cocktail glasses with 1 cup of ice cubes each. Pour 1/2 cup of the bloody mary mixture into each glass. Add 85 grams of Aquavit to each glass and stir.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
Using eight 5- to 6-inch cocktail skewers, skewer leftover roast beets, cubes of cheese, sliced cucumber, and pickled onions, balancing one skewer on each glass.
The spruce eats / Julia Hartbeck
variations
To replace dried dill with fresh, use 1 tablespoon of dried dill, then let the bloody mary base sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the dried dill flavor to develop.
How to store it
Leftover Bloody Mary base can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Add the aquavit just before serving.
