Martini of the week!!!!

Saganaki martini
Serves 4


10 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
5 basil leaves
5 mint leaves
To taste: gin
100 gm Kalamata olives, pits removed
50 gm caster sugar
2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
1 punnet mâché, optional (see note)
200 gm haloumi, cut into 1cm cubes
1 tbsp olive oil


1 Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil and mint in a blender and process until smooth. Pour mixture into a fine sieve over a bowl and stand, without pressing, for 2 hours until you have 500ml liquid. Discard solids and add gin to strained liquid, then chill until required.
2 Preheat oven to 60C, or lowest setting. Finely chop olives and place on a baking paper-lined oven tray, scatter with sugar and roast in oven for 15 minutes or until dried.
3 Combine Roma tomatoes, cucumber and olives and spoon into the bottom of 4 martini glasses. Scatter with chives and mâché, and top with tomato and gin mixture.
4 Skewer cubes of haloumi onto 4 bamboo skewers. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, over medium heat until golden brown. Place a skewer over each glass and serve immediately.

Note Mâché, also known as lamb’s lettuce, is a small green leaf with a nutty flavour.

RECIPE George Calombaris, The Press Club