Bloody Mary jellies

Served with savory puffs filled and goat’s cheese cream

This truly delectable and very sophisticated jelly makes a perfect starter. Those who prefer not to use alcohol, use more tomato juice. The savory puffs can be omitted and instead serve with some cheese crackers.

Serves 4

The jelly:
1½/ cups/350 ml tomato juice
⅓ cup/80 ml vodka
1 tablespoon/15 ml Worcestershire sauce (for vegetarians use soy sauce)
1 tablespoon/15 ml lemon juice
a few drops Tabasco, or according to taste
½ tablespoon/3 ml horseradish, freshly grated
celery salt to taste
4 teaspoons/20 ml gelatine powder
½ cup/125 ml water

The savory puffs:
½ cup/125 ml milk
115 g/4 oz unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
large pinch of salt
1 cup/250 ml flour, sifted
4 large eggs
1 cup/250 ml Gruyère cheese, finely grated
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated nutmeg

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Use any leftover savory puffs to fill with cream cheese and chives, leftover fish mixed with some mayonnaise, etc..

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The filling:
½ cup/125 ml goat’s cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons/30 ml light cream cheese
2 teaspoons/10 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml of water
1 tablespoon/15 ml fresh lemon juice
1 fresh garlic clove, crushed
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

The garnish:
a few celery leaves
a few sprigs of cress

For the jelly:

• Mix all of the ingredients together, except the gelatine. Leave to infuse for about 30 minutes, then strain.
• Heat about ½ cup/125 ml of the liquid and stir in the gelatin powder until dissolved.
• Add to the rest of the liquid, pour into shot glasses, big enough for one serving each, and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours to set.
  

For the savory puffs:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
• In a medium saucepan, bring the water, milk, butter and salt to a boil.
• Add the flour and stir it with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms.
• Lower the heat and stir until the dough pulls away from the sides, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape the dough into a bowl and let it cool for 1 minute. Lightly beat the eggs and add to the dough, a little bit at a time, mixing well before adding more egg.
• Add the cheese, the pepper and the nutmeg.
• Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1.3 cm/0.5 in round tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheets, 5 cm/2 in apart.
• Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
• Poke a hole in the base of each puff to let out the steam. Leave to cool until ready to serve

For the savory puff filling:

• Blend together all the ingredients until creamy, adding an extra tablespoon/15 ml water if necessary.
• When ready to serve, place a shot glass on each plate and top it with some of the savory puff filling.
• Pipe the filling into each savory puff and place one on each serving plate with the Bloody Mary jelly.
• Garnish with a few celery leaves and cress and serve immediately.