Thomasina Miers Recipe for Juniper Lemon Martinis and Fried Olives | The new flexitarian

The joy of entertaining at home is underestimated. You can have fun creating a great menu, like this glamorous combination. Preparing olives ahead of time makes them feasible snacks; add a few infused gin martinis and you have the makings of a serious party - something we all deserve this year.

Juniper Lemon Martinis with Fried Olives

The infused gin recipe makes enough for six to eight martinis, but in the method below I have given the quantities to make two.

Preparation 20 minInfuse 3-4 daysRefrigerate 1hCook 15 minMakes 2 martinis, olives and gin for 6

For the martinis2 untreated lemons350ml good quality gin2 tbsp juniper berries2 sprigs of rosemary1-2 tsp agave syrupDry vermouth

For the fried olives1 anchovy fillet with oil½ orange50g fresh cheese1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced1 tsp thyme leavesSalt and black pepper200g pitted green gordal or queen olives3-4 tbsp flour1 beaten egg100g panko breadcrumbsVegetable oil for frying

< p class="dcr-18sg7f2">To infuse the gin, use a vegetable peeler to peel the zest from the lemons, then add to a sterilized jar along with the gin and juniper berries. Add the rosemary and agave, leave to stand for three to four days, then strain.

To make the olives, chop the anchovy with the flesh of a quarter of an orange and the zest of half. Mix with the cheese, garlic and thyme, and season lightly. Put it in a pastry bag and use it to fill the olives.

Put the flour on one plate, the egg on another and the breadcrumbs on a third . Season the flour with a little pepper. Roll each olive in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for an hour to "set", or longer if you want to make them ahead of time.

When ready to cook, fill a small, high-sided saucepan with two-thirds of the way with vegetable oil and heat to 180°C / 350°F - it's ready when a piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 30 seconds. Fry the olives in batches (so as not to crowd the pan) for two minutes or until golden brown; Drain on paper towels. You can either do this when your guests arrive for a bit of drama, or fry the olives ahead of time, then simply reheat them in a moderate oven (150C (130C fan)/300F/Gas 2 ) just before they arrive.

To make the martinis (I make two at a time), fill a mixing glass with ice. Measure 100ml of gin and pour into the glass with 20ml of vermouth. Stir with a long spoon until the gin is ice cold. Pour into martini glasses, giving your guests the choice of a dirty martini (with a drizzle of olive juice from your pot) or a squeeze of lemon squeezed over the surface of the drink to release its oils. Serve immediately.