Cocktail of the week: The Camberwell Arms’ horseradish gibson – recipe

The grown-ups’ alternative to the martini with an extra kick. You’ll need to make the vodka infusion at least three days ahead of time.

Horseradish gibson

Serves 1

For the horseradish-infused vodka
5cm knob fresh horseradish
7 black peppercorns, lightly toasted
500ml vodka

To serve
50ml horseradish vodka (see above and method)
10ml Noilly Prat, or to taste, depending on how dry you want the drink to be
1 dash pickle juice
3 dashes saline solution (ie, equal parts salt and water)
3 small pickled onions, to garnish

Peel and roughly chop the horseradish, then put it in a sterilised jar with the lightly toasted peppercorns. Pour the vodka over the top, seal and put in the fridge to infuse for three days, shaking the jar every now and again.

Once the vodka is infused, strain it through a cheesecloth or fine sieve into a second clean jar, then seal and keep in the fridge until you want to make your gibson(s).

Fill a mixing glass with ice, then measure in the vodka and Noilly Prat. Add the pickle juice and saline solution, stir to chill and dilute, then strain into a tumbler. Spear the pickled onions on to a cocktail stick, drop into the glass and enjoy.

• Mike Davies, chef/owner, The Camberwell Arms, London SE5, and author of Cooking for People (HarperCollins, £30). To order a copy for £26.40, go to guardianbooksop.com