Bloody Perry's and Bloody Perrito's

 Two styles of Bloody Mary's here -- one with vodka and the other with tequila. 

Bloody Perry

Ingredients
4 cups V-8® vegetable juice, low sodium if you prefer
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 teaspoons horseradish, prepared
2 1/2 teaspoons shallot, grated or minced (i'm tempted to try onion powder or dehydrated onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1-2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce (up to you)
3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
2 teaspoons black pepper, ground
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, Omit if watching your sodium intake
2 medium lemons, zested and juiced

Combine the V8, and all the other ingredients in a one of those Rubbermaid pitchers or other shakeable container. Refrigerate until well chilled; around 2 hrs. Pre-chill your V8 the night before if you are in a hurry.

Add some to a glass filled with ice. Add  your vodka.

Garnish: pickled okra, picked onions, olives, lime wedges. Up north some folks add beef sticks, bacon, and/or pickles. Pretty much anything pickled is fair game. 

---

Bloody Perrito

Ingredients

Step 1

32 oz straight tomato juice 

2 oz worcestershire 

1.5 oz olive brine

2.5 oz pickle brine

2.5 tbsp prepared horseradish

2-3 oz lemon juice + the zest from the lemons

Step 2

1 bunch of fresh dill

Salt, celery salt, black pepper, hot sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients for Step One in a sealable 60+ oz container. I used an 84-ounce plastic pickle container. Mix well with a whisk and taste to get an idea of where you are at this point with the understanding the horseradish will add a bit more as it sits. 
2. Chop up a bunch of fresh dill and add to the container. Stir well.
   Add salt and celery salt till it approaches a point where it will work in the drink. This will vary based upon your tomato juice and your taste. It might be a good bit. Keep in mind this will be diluted by the ice, tequila and maybe beer when you make the drink. Stir with each addition.
   Add ALOT of freshly ground pepper. Add enough hot sauce to provide a sense of heat but realize one can add more when the drink is made. If preparing only for those in the household add to your taste. 
   
   

Continue to add more of whichever ingredient you think you need. Once satisfied, put in fridge overnight. 

Make a drink using tequila or vodka (suggest tequila) in proportions to your taste. You can float some Mexican lager on top. 

Garnish ideas: lemon wedges, pickled red onions, olives, poached or grilled shrimp (cold), rim salted with celery salt or salt-pepper combo,  pierced pepperoncini pepper, slices of spanish chorizo, dill pickle, celery

Asparagus and Scallion Fritatta

Just made this and loved it. Might add some pimento's or chopped roasted red peppers for some color. No need to peel the bottoms if you are using pencil thin asparagus,


1 lb asparagus bottoms cut, lower portion peeled, tops cut, the stalk cut into 1 to 3/4-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions white parts trimmed away and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
3 tbsp butter
2 pinches crushed red pepper
6 eggs
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
fresh herb leaves for garnish: chives, parsley, (tarragon?)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F
In a medium (10") skillet, get some water boiling, add some salt. Prep asparagus while this is coming to a boil.
Add the asparagus and cook for about 2 minutes or until just getting tender. Drain and maybe rinse in cool water.
Clean skillet and melt butter over medium-low heat. Add scallions once melted and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes. Whisk eggs with a tbsp of water and a pinch of salt.
Add the asparagus in a single later and pinches of crushed red pepper.
Pour whisked eggs over asparagus and scallions. Give the skillet the ol' tapa-tapa to ensure eggs are distributed.
Grate the cheese onto the top of the egg mixture in the skillet and cook over heat for about 5 minutes or until edges are set.
Move skillet to the oven and bake for about 7 to 10 minutes until top is set.
Remove skillet from the oven, loosen fritatta from pan and slide onto a cutting board. If you like you can take another cutting board, lay it on top, and invert the fritatta. Looks nicer.
Garnish away.