Kegs and eggs, green eggs and ham… a good breakfast on St Patty’s Day seems to have become essential.  But what if you’re not a fan of beer, much less, green beer???

I really enjoy a good Bloody Mary.  And I thought, why not begin your St. Patrick’s Day with a green one, it’s the perfect breakfast companion… or since St. Patty’s Day is on a Sunday this year, many festivities are taking place on Saturday, so you might just need this recipe on Sunday morning.  Either way, enjoy!

You’ll need:

• 5 Tomatillos
• 1/5 Jalapeno Pepper
• 2 Limes
• 1 Clove of Garlic
• 1 1/2 Cups Water*
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Vodka

First remove the husks from your tomatillos.  Coarsely chop the tomatillos and place them in the blender.

Next cut off about 1/5 of the jalapeno.  Remove the seeds and ribs, discard. Place the remaining portion in the blender. (You can use more of the jalapeno, depending upon how spicy you like your Bloody Mary.  Be careful as you cut your pepper and remember not to touch your eyes!)

Next cut one of your limes in half.  Squeeze the juice from each half into the blender with the other ingredients.   Slice your garlic clove and place it in the blender.   Add the sugar, water and cumin into the blender as well.  Blend all ingredients until as smooth as possible.  Including the oil into the mixture may improve the texture of the juice, giving it some extra richness.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once blended, strain the mix to eliminate excess pulp and seeds.  (Hint: Use the backside of a ladle to help press the liquid through the strainer, making the process a little quicker.) Using a fine mesh strainer (like mine) will leave you with a thinner juice, for a thicker consistency; leave a little pulp in the mix.

Add a shot of vodka, garnish with your remaining lime and drink up!

My husband is one of the banquet chefs at Grand Rapids Community College, so he’s pretty handy in the kitchen.  He does much of the cooking at our house without recipes, or uses them merely as guidelines, a habit that I have started to pick up on as well.  So please feel free to customize this recipe to your taste.

Some variations I might suggest:

• *Adding less water will make a thicker Bloody Mary mix.
• Garnish your drink with pickles, celery or other green goodies.
• Worcestershire sauce and/or horseradish would add a little extra flavor (but some of the lovely green hues might be lost).
• Using tequila instead of vodka to make a Bloody Maria.

The recipe as is makes enough for 5 short Bloody Marys.

Have a safe and happy St. Patty’s Day!

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