This Preserved Lemon Martini with Spicy Olives ain’t yo’ Mama’s martini! This is a lemony, salty, slightly tart and hella spicy version all wrapped up in one snappy cocktail.
I believe in starting the week off right, so I made y’all a Preserved Lemon Martini with Spicy Olives on this beautiful Monday. Martini Mondays are a real thing and if you didn’t know about them, then you need to jump ASAP on the martini boat that leaves every Monday around 5 o’clock (or 6 for some of you who may leave work a little later).
Here’s a little bit of 411 on me: I adore slightly dirty martinis (made with Grey Goose vodka, pretty please) and 3 blue cheese stuffed olives chillin’ in the delectable liquid. I especially love them with a nice, big rare steak on the side. There is something about grilled beef and vodka that pair so well together. Add in some lyonnaise potatoes and a wedge salad and it’s all good!
By the way, my love for this great beverage runs in the family as I take after my Mother and my Grandmother, who are both die-hard martini lovers. They don’t mess around with martinis and are definite connoisseurs.
Feel free to use my homemade preserved lemons for this recipe or buy them at the store. What I really liked about this drink was I took a bite of a spicy olive and a bite of the preserved lemon, then a sip of vodka and the flavors were sublime together. I think I’m always going to have preserved lemons on hand now just so I can make this martini whenever I want.
Hope y’all have a fantastic Monday, as well as a wonderful week, and maybe partake in a little Preserved Lemon Martini at the end of today. If you like this recipe, check out my Preserved Lemon Spicy Margarita recipe too!
Preserved Lemon Martini with Spicy Olives
Ingredients
- 4 ounces vodka
- 1/2 tablespoon olive juice (add more if you like it dirtier)
- 1/4 preserved lemon rind
- 1 cup ice
- 6 spicy olives (Make your own spicy olives: put 6 queen sized pimento stuffed olives in a small bowl and cover with olive juice. Stir in 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper. Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator)
- 2 skewers for olives
Instructions
- Chill two martini glasses in the freezer. Place 3 olives on each skewer and set aside.
- Cut off the pulp from the preserved lemon rind and place the pulp in a cocktail shaker. Cut the rind into thin strips (I made 8 out of mine) and place all the slices, reserving 2-4 for garnish, into the cocktail shaker with the pulp. Muddle the lemon pulp and slices together, then add 1 cup of ice to a cocktail shaker, vodka, and olive juice. Shake together for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly chilled and frost begins to form on the outside of shaker.
- Strain into the two chilled martini glasses and garnish with 3 spicy olives and the reserved lemon slices. Cheers!
Alice says
Fantastic idea! I made this, but instead of using olive juice I used a very tiny amount of peaty scotch (literally, just enough to coat the glass). It adds a smokey flavor to the martini. I make preserved lemons every year and love putting them in my salads and hummus, but never thought to use them in a cocktail. Thanks for sharing!
Karrie says
Thank you so much Alice and very happy you made this drink! Even though I love it, when I decided to put the recipe up, I thought “No one is going to EVER make this”. BUT YOU DID!!! YAY!!! Appreciate you taking the time to review it too. Also, I’m putting preserved lemons in my hummus for now on, so thanks for the suggestion 🙂
Katie Crenshaw says
Karrie, I keep saying I am going to make your Preserved Lemon and I have yet to make it… I have been dying to try it. I just have been so busy. I am going to make it THIS week!!! And because I love a good Martini with Olives, I am going to make this recipe also as soon as those Preserved Lemons are ready!!!!!! I can’t wait to try both! I know I will love them. You are so awesome in the kitchen! Thanks for all the inspiration.
Smitha says
Refreshing and i would like to dig in. Who doesnt want such a drink. Love the look. Visually drooling
[email protected] says
That’s the truth Smitha! hahaha! Thank you so much for your kind comments
Erica says
These look divine! I am always in the mood for a good martini. Can not wait to spice things up.
[email protected] says
Thanks Erica! Spicy in a martini turns out is pretty darn good
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto says
Yessss so happy to have met a fellow martini lover. We need to be friends. This sounds like the perfect drink for me – tart, spicy, salt, lemony – how could you have guessed my 4 favor taste profiles? lol. Happy to be hosting this giveaway with you. Pinning and yumming!
[email protected] says
Vicky, we will be friends if you love martinis! Hopefully we live close to one another so we can go out martini drinkin’ together Thanks for the pin and I’m happy to be hosting this giveaway with you too!
[email protected] says
A juicy steak and a tasty martini? I’m in! Especially one made with preserved lemons! This drink and that meal are a winning combo! Thanks for sharing, love!
[email protected] says
Thanks Annie! Steak and martinis = yummy!!!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
Girl…. this IS my drink! Seriously, there is no better cocktail than a well-made dirty martini! Boy those things can be dangerous! I’m totally with you on the blue cheese stuffed olive too! But I’ve never tried it with spicy olives or preserved lemon – I love the combo! And you know I love spicy Cheers sweetie!
[email protected] says
Hahaha! I hear you about dirty martinis! And they have to be made with just a touch of olive juice, so the hint is there but it doesn’t taste like straight olive juice! You’ve got to try this combo. I wasn’t so sure it was going to work but it does
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
I feel so boring right now, Karrie! I don’t think I’ve ever had a Martini (well, maybe few spritz), and never one delicious like yours with preserved lemons and spicy olives! I want to join you on that Martini boat, so please come and pick me up too!!
[email protected] says
Nicoletta, You need a martini ASAP!!! lol! Girl, you know I’d pick you up with the martini boat right away
GiGi Eats says
Won’t lie – I do NOT like lemon… That being said, I loveee olives so I would probably steal them from your dirnk!
[email protected] says
WHAT?!? Get outta here! I always imagined you gettin’ on with yo’ bad healthy self drinking lemon water all day, every day. Say it ain’t so, Joe…
Melany Berger says
YUM! Love martinis! Will have to give this one a try when it is after 5PM since it is just 8:30AM right now! LOL Grey Goose is my fav. Love them so much and they follow me on Twitter! Cheers.
[email protected]everafter says
I’m insanely jealous right now that Grey Goose follows you on Twitter. I’m going to follow you on Twitter too
kushigalu says
I am in love with the spicy olives in the recipe. This sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try this out this weekend. Bookmarked
[email protected] says
I love spicy anything, but especially spicy olives in vodka!
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
I’m with you on the martini love! And twist my arm, martini Monday sounds like a great way to start the week Loving the balance of flavors in this one – what a great twist! Need to make me some of your preserved lemons asap! Cheers to a great rest of the week, with lots more of these martinis!
[email protected] says
Martini love for everyone!! Cheers to a great week Kathryn xoxox
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I love martinis, and I had an amazing passionfruit one ones. This sounds good to me too and I want one already and it’s only Tuesday morning!
[email protected] says
Oh my, passion-fruit martini??? Yes to that! I need one of those while sitting on a nice white sandy beach with lots of sun. I think I could drink a passion-fruit martini for breakfast
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
You are so right…I would much rather make some of these martinis than to worry about grocery shopping. I have always favored sweeter drinks, but lately I prefer them not so sweet. This martini looks and sounds so good, Karrie!! I can almost taste of lemony, salty, slightly tart, and spiciness of it! I could have used Hello Fresh tonight to make my life a little easier. Spending over two hours prepping, eating, and cleaning up dinner after I came home form work didn’t sit well with me tonight.;(
[email protected] says
Drinking martinis are way more fun than grocery shopping. Actually grocery stores should have complimentary martinis for people (like me and you) to drink while we are shopping. We’d probably buy more food and stuff that we don’t even need! It’s so hard to cook after getting home from work. I hope you entered the contest Thao and hope you win too!
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four says
Heyyy!!!! <—- this is me waving my head for the martini boat to make a stop at my house and pick me up! It was a big mistake reading this blog post being hungry and all…now I want a rare steak and one of these martinis! YUM! I am loving the spicy olives (YES) and the fact that you made it with preserved lemon….please invite me over and make this!!
[email protected] says
Hahahaha! Beeta, you would be the first person I would pick up, then we could drink martinis together while picking up everyone else! Yay us!! We could grill some steaks too. Please bring some of your fantastic french bread also because we’ll need it to soak up all the liquor in our tummies;)
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
Girl, I’m totally on board with Martini Monday! I’m with you on the steak and blue cheese olives too! I really need to preserve some lemons STAT!
[email protected] says
Do it gurl!! Steak and blue cheese olives in 3 martinis is my idea of a very good time
demeter | beaming baker says
Karrie, I read “hella spicy” and my heart skipped a beat. Did I tell you I’m a California girl? You just made me miss home so bad! Meanwhile, you continue to torture me with talks of Martini Mondays, slightly dirty martinis with cheese-stuffed olives, and lyonnaise potatoes on the side. Sounds like the perfect Friday for me. Can’t wait to pin this preserved lemon martini on my Drinks board, stat! Have a great week, Karrie.
[email protected] says
Maine don’t know spicy so good luck! hahahaha! When I first moved to New England, we lived for a year in Wells, Maine. I cried the first time I went to the local grocery store because they had a tiny bottle of jalapenos (only enough to get me through 2 days!) and they didn’t have any of my usual hot sauces. It was terrible! I’m okay now because I moved just North of Boston so got all my ethnic markets and hot stuff now!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I like Martinis, but I’m not a die hard fan like you, Karrie… although I think after a sip or five of this spicy deliciousness I’d be converted to a Martini lover for life! Love the spicy olives in here and preserved lemons are always a good idea! Is it 5 o’clock yet, because I’m thinking a few of these (and a steak) would cure my Monday blues! Pinned! Cheers, lovely! Xo
[email protected] says
That’s okay. I’ll drink the martinis and you drink the wine or champagne. Wait! I’ll drink champagne too!! heeheehee And we need steak!
Dawn at Girl Heart Food says
I love me a good martini too, with some of the olive liquid added for good measure. I’ll usually have olives in mine and hubby has lemon in his, but this one combines the best of both worlds. Love that you used your preserved lemons. P.S. I’ve never had a martini paired with a steak (usually wine), but I think I may have to give this a go. Cheers to a great week, Karrie
[email protected] says
Dawn, you and I need to hang out. We both like martinis, red wine, and spicy foods (and coffee). I’m coming up to Canada or you need to come down to New Hampshire. Either way, it needs to happen