Dirty Blue Martini Recipe

Prepare stuffed olives

Using a small paring knife or a piping bag tip, open each pitted green olive slightly and stuff roughly 1/6 oz (about a small pea-sized amount) of crumbled blue cheese into each olive. Press closed gently so cheese remains inside. Skewer each olive with a cocktail pick and set on a plate. If preferred, chill the olives briefly while you prepare the cocktail.

Chill a martini glass: place the glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you mix the drink.

In a cocktail mixing glass or shaker, add the ice to about 3/4 full (approximately 1 cup).

Pour in 2.5 oz vodka (Tito's) or gin (Whyte Laydie) and 0.5 oz dry vermouth.

Add 0.5 oz olive brine (adjust between 0.25–0.75 oz to preference for 'dirtiness').

Stir (preferred for martinis) the mixture for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted. If you prefer a slightly more aerated drink, you may shake for 8–10 seconds, but stirring yields a clearer martini.

Discard ice water from the chilled martini glass (if used). Strain the martini into the chilled glass using a julep strainer or the shaker top.

Thread the 3 blue-cheese stuffed olives onto a skewer and rest the skewer across or in the glass as garnish. Optionally express a lemon twist over the surface and discard or rub the twist on the rim for a faint citrus note.

Finish with a light grind of freshly cracked black pepper over the top if desired.