I have to admit; the Tomato water shot was probably the last thing in my mind to have as a shot. Generally, I prefer sipping my drink, enjoying the taste, the aroma, and slowing down the time. I’m not a big fan of shots because it bypasses the sensory receptors, and it doesn’t allow you to enjoy the drink flavor fully.
The opposite is valid with the Tomato water shot; you can not sip it and have the same tasting experience as if you are drinking it as a shot. It has three different textures that need to be combined, at the same time, to enjoy the intended flavor fully.
The different textures/parts are; Basil ravioli with a suspended piece of cheese, Infused tomato water, and mango foam.
I created this drink for a Niagara Icewine Festival gala dinner. Every January in Niagara Falls, Ontario, people gather to celebrate, enjoy and taste Niagara wines. It is a month-long festival which culminates in an evening gala, where people get to try all kinds of Icewines, cuisine, and drinks. It is truly a great event to experience and be part of it.
This drink can be alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic. The version below is the non-alcoholic one, which can easily be converted with some vodka, rum, or Oloroso sherry.
Delicious Tomato Water Shot
Ingredients
- Basil Jalapeno ravioli*
- 1 small piece of Cheddar cheese
- Tomato water infused*
- Mango foam*
- Place the ravioli in a shot glass, add the tomato water. Top with mango foam. Sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top.Â
Basil Jalapeno ravioli*
- Basil Jalapeno syrup*
- Â small piece of Cheddar cheese
- 0.7% of liquid - Sodium Alginate
- 5 gr Calcium Chloride
- 1000 ml water
Tomato water*
- 5 Ripe tomatoes
- 1 stick lemongrass, chopped, discard the green ends
- salt
- pepper
- oregano
- ½ oz lemon juice
Mango foam*
- 350 ml of Mango juice.
- 150 ml Passion fruit juice
- 0.5% Xanthan gum - of the total amount
| Basil Jalapeno syrup 2 cups water 2 cups sugar 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped 1 bunch fresh basil seeds Combine water and sugar in a pot and boil it. Remove from heat and stir in basil and jalapeno. Let syrup steep for about an hour. Fine strain the syrup. Discard basil and jalapeno. Let it cool and refrigerate. |
Basic Spherification Mix the basil syrup and Sodium Alginate with an immersion blender. After dissolving SA, fine strain and put the mixture in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to eliminate any remaining air bubbles. Dissolve 5 g of calcium chloride into 1L of cold water in another vessel. To make Ravioli: Use a small cooking measuring spoon, scoop the SA mix and place a small piece of cheese into the spoon. Dip the spoon with the SA mix into the CC bath and flip it over, the formed membrane will hold the cheese inside the Ravioli; wipe the spoon before making new Ravioli. It takes about 2-3 min for the outer gel membrane to form. Use a slotted spoon to remove the Ravioli from the Calcium Chloride bath and rinse it into another vessel filled with cold, clean water. Strain and store in the fridge. The liquid inside the spheres starts to gel slowly in about 20-30 minutes. More on spherification here. |
| Tomato Water 5 Ripe tomatoes 1 stick lemongrass, chopped, discard the green ends salt pepper oregano ½ oz lemon juice Chop the tomatoes and add the spices or the spices of your choice. Mix everything and put in a colander lined with cheesecloth. Cover it and put it in the fridge overnight. The tomato water will strain overnight into the bowl. On the next day – grab the ends of the cheesecloth and squeeze the remaining water slowly from the tomatoes. Add the lemon juice to the water and stir. Double strain into a clean container. Refrigerate it. |
Mango foam 350 ml of Mango juice. 150 ml Passion fruit juice 0.5% Xanthan gum – of the total amount Blend using an immersion blender. Let it sit for a couple of hours in the fridge to eliminate the air bubbles. Pour it into a whipper canister and charge it with one N20 cartridge for a 0.5L canister. Shake the canister a few times and put it into the refrigerator for at least two hours. If you need the foam right away, it will take at least 10-15 min. to get proper foam. If not sure how to make foam, more information is here. |
