Another holiday beverage, this one with alcohol.
Servings: 2 drinks Source: Ina Garten
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail (Ina uses Ocean Spray)
- 1/2 cup good vodka, such as Grey Goose
- 1/4 cup Triple Sec liqueur
- 1 cup ice
DESCRIPTION
For a delicious and festive holiday drink you can make quickly, simply combine the ingredients in advance and shake them up when guests arrive.
DIRECTIONS
Place the cranberries and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, cover and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside until completely cool, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the cranberry juice cocktail, vodka, Triple Sec and ice in a large cocktail shaker, put the lid on and shake for a full 30 seconds. Place a tablespoon of the cranberries in each of 2 martini glasses and pour in the cocktail mixture.
Serve ice cold.
NOTES
If using cranberry vodka, reduce the amount of cranberry juice cocktail by half.
Cranberry Infused Vodka
Servings: 20 Source: Elaine Benoit
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups cranberries (fresh)
- 3 cups vodka (1 750 ml bottle)
DESCRIPTION
This cranberry-infused vodka offers a delightful blend of flavors, boasting a delicious and vibrant taste that adds color and zesty cranberry tang to any drink.
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the cranberries thoroughly under cold water
In a food processor, pulse cranberries until they are big chunks
Place chunked cranberries in a wide mouthed jar and pour vodka into the jar over the cranberries. Be sure to completely cover them.
Cap the jar and give it a good shake. Store on the counter and shake every day for five to seven days.
Line a strainer or sieve with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour the contents of the jar over the sieve and throw away the cranberries
Pour cranberry infused vodka in a large bottle with a lid or smaller jars with lids
NOTESS
Do not think you have to sweeten this cranberry infused vodka. There is absolutely no reason to do so. The mistake that people make is thinking that just because cranberries are tart, they need to balance them out in the vodka instead of when adding sweetener to the cocktail that you will make with it. See the difference?
Use the freshest cranberries you can find.
Use a food processor but only process 3/4 of the cranberries, leave the rest whole.
Do not eat the cranberries after they’ve been soaking in vodka because all you will taste is vodka.
You don’t need to use premium vodka, though you can. I use Absolute as it is a solid budget brand.
Buy some fine mesh cheesecloth to strain the cranberries out of the vodka. If you don’t have cheesecloth, a non-bleached coffee filter will work, although it will take longer for the vodka to strain through the filter. You could also use a sturdy paper towel, but I wouldn’t recommend it as most paper towels are bleached to make them white. Getting a fine mesh strainer is also a good alternative.