A splash of olive brine shakes up a classic Martini into something savoury and pungent.

Why you are pouring this tonight

The Dirty Martini is the Martini for people who have decided they want a savoury cocktail at six on a Tuesday and do not need to apologise for it. Vodka or gin, dry vermouth, a generous pour of olive brine from a jar of Castelvetrano olives, three olives on a pick. The brine is what makes it dirty. Use Castelvetrano brine, never the supermarket pimento-stuffed olive brine which is too cheap and too sweet.

Stir, never shake. Shaking makes the brine cloudy and the texture wrong. Use Belvedere vodka or Plymouth gin. Carpano dry vermouth (Dolin Dry works at the entry tier). Stir for forty seconds in a mixing glass with cold ice, strain into a chilled coupe, three Castelvetrano olives on a pick. Pair with charcuterie, hard cheese, the kind of evening that involves smoked salmon on toast.

What changes from the Martini

15ml olive brine added to the Martini. Olives garnish instead of lemon peel.

What to pour it alongside

Oysters, anchovies on toast, cured fish, salty charcuterie.

The recipe