Celery and Salted Lemon Cocktail

Ingredients

• 8 large celery stalks, chopped, plus as many leaves as you have
• 2 preserved lemons, seeds removed, chopped, plus 3 Tbsp. brine
• 2 cups vodka
• Chilled club soda (for serving)
• Small Manchego cheese pieces, tinned seafood (such as smoked mussels, boquerones, or clams), lemon wedges, and/or olives (for serving)

Instructions

1. Purée celery stalks and leaves, preserved lemons, brine, and 2 cups cold water in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. (Do not force it; you want to keep any solids from going through. You should have 3–4 cups.) Chill celery mixture at least 20 minutes before using.
2. To serve, stir vodka into celery mixture and pour 3–4 oz. into each of 8–10 tall ice-filled glasses (they should be about three fourths full). Top off each cocktail with 1–2 oz. club soda. Thread garnishes of your choice onto skewers and garnish each cocktail with a skewer.