Warming Drinks - 'The Bloody Bull'

I have an aversion to tea and coffee. I've never acquired the taste for them and doubt I ever will, so when it comes to a warming winter beverage I've always needed something different.

As a youngster I would make a hot drink from beef stock, chilli powder and some other bits and bobs, apparently a basic version of a 'virgin bull shot'. Now I'm all grown up I'm aiming for something a little more refined, this has lead me to 'The Bloody Bull', which is a variation of the 'Bloody Mary'

Like most cocktails, someone else has already invented this, so I'm just showing how I make it. For more variations visit wikipedia

Safety Notice:

• Firstly this recipe calls for alcohol, so if you're underage, driving, or otherwise feel you shouldn't consume vodka either don't do this, or leave the Vodka out and make a 'virgin' bloody bull.
• Second, you are using a heat source and pouring hot liquids so be careful.
• Thirdly, Hot Pepper Sauce comes in a massive variety or heats (measured on the scoville scale), I like mine quite hot, but if you go mad with it and end up shooting flames from your rear end, I accept no liability!

Step 1: Ingredients & Equipment

This is enough for one big steaming mug, although you may want to make more.

• 100ml of good beef stock, homemade stock is great, but a stock cube will do the job
• 100ml of passata
• A few drops of your favourite hot pepper sauce
• Squeeze of a lemon
• Some Worcester sauce (Change for Teriyaki sauce for a Bloody Maryaki)
• Celery Salt
• Black Pepper
• 35ml Vodka

Optional

• a little double cream to make it more 'soupy', more akin to a 'Bloody Margaret', this will lower the spiciness of the drink so compensate accordingly

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Mug, or drinking vessel of your choice ( a tall coffee glass looks nice, if you're going for fancy)
• A heat source, such as your cooker hob, camp stove etc.

Dependent upon how spicy your hot pepper sauce is you may also wish to put the toilet roll in the fridge at this stage. My friends brought me the three bottles of hot sauce back from their travels, so I had to experiment to get the level of heat just right.
You could also keep some yogurt handy if you need to cool your mouth.

Step 2: Method

1. Pour the stock and passata into the saucepan and heat gently. I get mine up to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat down or off.
2. Add The lemon juice, Hot Pepper Sauce, Worcester (or teryaki) sauce, celery salt & pepper and stir thoroughly.
3. Adjust the seasoning, adding more celery salt, pepper or hot sauce as needed
4. (Optional) stir through the cream
5. Remove from the heat and add your vokda

That's it really, you're ready to serve!

Step 3: Serving Your Warming Drink

Feel free to serve yours however you like. If I'm just doing this for myself I tend not to do anything fancy, but if I have guests who require warming up I tend to add some additional accompaniments. It's quite a good way to serve wintery tapas dishes as a welcome to cold travellers on arrival.

Some ideas for accompaniments:

• Traditional stick of celery
• Lemon and lime wedges
• Small cocktail kebabs perhaps of olives, cured meat and cheeses
• Mini Roman Kebabs (recipe to follow if people are interested)
• baked cocktail kebabs of chorizo, garlic croutons and mozzarella (my favourite)