Meet the ‘Lonely Mary’: The New self-isolation drink you need to try

There’s no time like the present to dig into the back of the pantry and make a new cocktail. Meet the ‘Lonely Mary’ – the drink you never knew you needed.

As we settle into the new world order of self-isolation, there’s more opportunity than ever to be creative in the kitchen.

There’s no time like the present to dig into the back of the pantry where you’ve been casually storing canned goods for the past few years, but constantly getting better offers of brunches, lunches and dinners with friends.

Well, it’s time to put those cans to good use, and I’ve re-created my favourite brunch cocktail using pantry goods and few wilted vegies from the crisper — perfect for the weekend.

When I made this I used tequila rather than the Bloody (Lonely) Mary’s usual vodka, which technically makes it a Lonely Maria, but you can use any of the spirits listed below. In these times, anything goes.

A new twist on an old favourite! Meet the ‘Lonely Mary’. Picture: Sam Jones

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Find more great recipes to get you through from Phoebe and her team at delicious.com.au or on @deliciousAus social channels.

INGREDIENTS

1 celery stalk with leaves (optional) or ½ tsp celery salt

1 tsp salt flakes

1 x 400g can tomatoes

400ml water

1 tsp mustard (whatever is open in the fridge, I used hot English)

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp hot sauce

Juice ½ lemon, or to taste

2 tbsp pickle or olive brine (whatever is in the fridge)

2 tbs tequila or vodka or gin

Olives, pickled chilli, celery stalks, lemon wedges, whatever you have in the fridge, to serve

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 100C. Roughly chop the celery stalk and set aside. Place the celery leaves, if using, on a baking tray and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and dry. Cool completely, then place leaves in a bowl with the salt flakes and roughly crush the leaves using your fingertips. Set aside.

2 Place the celery stalk in a blender with the tomatoes and 400ml water. Blend until smooth. Fill a cocktail shaker or jug with ice and pour 200ml tomato mixture over the ice, then stir for 20 seconds to chill it down. Place remaining tomato juice in a clean jar or bottle in the fridge for next week.

3 Loosen the mustard with a little of the tomato juice, then add mustard to the cocktail shaker. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, pickle brine, then alcohol of your choice.

4 Fill a glass with ice and scatter celery salt (or just salt) over the ice. Strain Lonely Mary mixture over the ice and garnish with olives, pickled chilli, celery stalks, lemon wedges, or whatever is in your fridge.