Hawaiian martini

This cocktail is adapted from Roys restaurant on Waikiki beach in Honolulu. I had the pleasure of spending a 'bit' of time at their bar on a work trip when I worked with Tetsuya. It is a very simple cocktail, with not many ingredients. It’s incredibly refreshing, easy to drink – and lethal. At the restaurant, we make this in bulk, in a ratio of 4 bottles of vodka to 1 bottle Malibu. I’ve scaled down this version for you to make at home. You can add more Malibu if you wish, but be careful not to add too much or it’ll taste like sunscreen. Mahalo!

• serves

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2.6 kg topless very ripe pineapples (about 2 small)
• 1 x 700 ml bottle vodka
• 175 ml Malibu
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

You’ll need to begin this recipe at least 1 week ahead.

Instructions

Peel and cut the pineapple into rounds. Place as much of the pineapple that will fit into a 2 litre-capacity jar or vessel with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the alcohol, making sure it covers the fruit - it must be covered! Add the vanilla bean and seal with the lid.

Leave for at least 1 week at room temperature before using. When ready, strain the liquor off and reserve the pineapple. Store the macerated pineapple in the fridge until ready to serve. Transfer the liquor to a bottle with a lid and store in the fridge until your party.

When you’re ready to make the drink, shake the infused liquor in a shaker with ice until chilled (don’t shake for too long as you don’t want to dilute the drink). Pour into chilled martini glasses and garnish with a piece of the macerated pineapple with a toothpick inserted to make eating easier.

Note

• You will need to find the ripest pineapples available or purchase them early and ripen yourself. If you smell the bottom of the pineapple (where it was cut), once it smells sweet and pineapply, it should be good enough to make the drink.

You’ll find Luke Powell behind the bar at LP's Quality Meats.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Lynsey Fryers.

Pasteque outdoor fabric from Ici et La. Vinoteca martini glass from Hag Imports. Fido from Tomkin. Metal skewers and strainer from Cocktail Kingdom.

Serve this tropical martini with grits chips with yuzu chilli sauce. That or something else from our burgeoning snack collection.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.