Recipes, Spirits

“A dry martini. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel.” Orders James Bond in the movie Casino Royale.
Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, also invented The Vesper — the martini Bond ordered “shaken, not stirred”.

The ‘Vesper Martini’ is the famous drink ordered by James Bond in both the book and the movie Casino Royale.

The recipe for Bond’s “Vesper” martini, as described in the 1953 book: ‘Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon-peel. Got it?’

The recipe for Bond’s “Vesper” martini, as described in the 2006 movie: ‘Three measures of Gordon’s; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel.’

While Gin and vodka are familiar liquors, Kina Lillet may be more mysterious.

In the movie Casino Royale, when Vesper asks Bond if he named the drink after her “because of the bitter aftertaste”, 007 replies that he named it for her, “Because once you have tasted it, you won’t drink anything else.”

To make this drink yourself, you have to mix the ingredients, strain, and serve in a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a large thin slice of lemon peel. Kina Lillet, now called Lillet, is hard to find in regular stores, but can easily be purchased online, at Amazon.com but you could replace this with another dry Vermouth if necessary. As Lillet is slightly different from the original Kina Lillet, you might want to add a small dash of bitters to recreate the original taste even more accurately.

What is Lillet?
Lillet (pronounced lee-lay) is a delightful wine aperitif from France. Aperitifs were introduced in 1846 by French chemist Joseph Dubonnet as a tonic wine and contained the healing properties of quinine. To mask the bitter taste, Dubonnet added herbs and spices. Served before a meal for the most health benefit, aperitifs soon became synonymous with a feeling of celebration, relaxation and comfort, while “waking up” the palate, and stimulating the appetite.
About Lillet

Jean Lillet came from Saint-Morillon in Gironde and moved to Podensac, a small town near Sauternes in the Graves region, in 1680. His descendants Raymond and Paul Lillet, merchants of fine wines, liqueurs and spirits, founded Lillet in 1872. They created Bordeaux’s first and only aperitif, . Around the same time the Lillet brothers, Paul and Raymond, created Kina Lillet, which also contained quinine but instead of the Dubonnet blend they added wines and fruit liqueurs from the Bordeaux region of France. known as Kina Lillet until the 1970s when it became simply Lillet, a blend of Bordeaux wines and handcrafted fruit liqueurs produced in Podensac.

Maison du Lillet is situated in Podensac, a village in the Aquitaine region of Bordeaux, in southwestern France. Production is constant year round and consists of a blend of vintages to ensure a consistent taste from year to year. And it’s this taste that the famous and infamous adore. The Duchess of Windsor introduced Lillet to Paris in the 50s and traveled with a bottle in her luggage. In the 20s and 30s, Lillet was served on very special occasions and at official receptions, soon becoming the aperitif in vogue all over the world.

Lillet Blanc Cocktail Recipes
Lillet Kiss
  • Equal parts Lillet Blanc and Lillet rouge
  • Drop of Crème de Cassis
  • Splash of Perrier
  • Slice of orange
Lillet Rouge Cocktail Recipes
Lillet on the Rocks
In the serving glass, place
  • 8cl of Lillet Rouge
  • ice cubes
  • 1 slice of orange

Glass: Tall

Decoration: Slice of orange

Preparation: Pour 8cl of Lillet Rouge into a glass full of ice cubes. Add a slice of orange.

Lillet Rouge Tonic
In the serving glass, place
  • 5cl of Lillet Rouge
  • 10cl of tonic water
  • 1 slice of Orange

Glass: Tall

Decoration: Slice of orange

Preparation: Pour 5cl of Lillet Rouge into a glass full of ice cubes. Add 10cl of tonic water and a slice of orange.

Lillet Sangria
In a punch bowl (for 6 glasses), place
  • 50cl of Lillet Rouge
  • 5cl of Crème de Framboise
  • 10cl of pink grapefruit juice
  • 10cl of lemonade

Glass:Tall

Decoration: Berries and lemon slices

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients together in a punch bowl. Add the berries and lemon slices.

Lillet Rougette
In the serving glass, place
  • 5cl of Lillet Rouge
  • 10cl of bitter lemon

Glass: Highball

Decoration: Slices of lime

Preparation: Pour 5cl of Lillet Rouge into a glass full of ice cubes. Add 10cl of bitter lemon, then add 2 slices of lime and stir slowly.

Lillet Le Rouge
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, place
  • 4cl of Lillet Rouge
  • 2cl of Absolut Vanilia + 2cl of Absolut Raspberri
  • 2cl of cranberry juice
  • 2cl of passion fruit juice
  • 1cl of cinnamon syrup

Glass: Highball

Decoration: Orange and ginger slices

Preparation: Fill the cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add all the ingredients with 3 slices of ginger. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Pour into the glass using a cocktail strainer and decorate with a few orange slices.

Lillet Rose’ Cocktail Recipes
Lillet on the Rocks
In the serving glass, place
  • 8cl of Lillet Rosé
  • ice cubes
  • 1 slice of orange

Glass: Tall

Decoration: Slice of orange

Preparation: Pour 8cl of Lillet Rouge into a glass full of ice cubes. Add a slice of orange.

Lillet Rosé Tonic
In the serving glass, place
  • 5cl of Lillet rosé
  • 10 cl of tonic water
  • ice cubes
  • 1 slice of lime

Glass: Tall

Decoration: Slice of lime

Preparation: Pour 5cl of Lillet Rosé into a glass full of ice cubes. Add 10cl of tonic water and a slice of lime.

Reverse Martini
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, place
  • 8cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 2cl of Beefeater Gin
  • ice cubes
  • 2 dashes of Orange Bitters

Glass: Cocktail

Decoration: Slice of orange peel

Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Pour into the glass using a cocktail strainer. Squeeze the orange peel to release the flavour and place in the glass.

Lillet Citrosé
In the serving glass, place
  • 5cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 10cl of limonade

Glass: Highball

Decoration: Slice of lemon, 2 mint leaves

Preparation: Pour 5cl of Lillet Rosé into a glass full of ice. Add 10cl of lemonade and a slice of lime. Decorate with a mint leaf.

Lillet Roseberry
In the serving glass, place
  • 5cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 10 cl of Schweppes Wild Berry

Glass: Highball

Decoration: Strawberry slices

Preparation: Pour 5cl of Lillet Rosé into a glass full of ice. Add 10 cl of Schweppes Wild Berry and decorate with a few strawberry slices.

Lillet Rosé Hugo
In the serving glass, place
  • 6cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 2cl of elderflower liqueur
  • 10cl of lemon tonic

Glass: Highball

Decoration: Slice of lime

Preparation: Pour 5cl of Lillet Rosé into a glass full of ice. Add 10cl of lemon tonic and 2cl of elderflower liqueur. Add a slice of lime for decoration and stir slowly.

Lillet Rougissant
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, place
  • 6cl of Lillet Rosé + 3cl of Gin
  • 1.5cl of Grenadine + 0.75cl of Orgeat syrup
  • 1.5cl of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 6cl of sparkling water

Glass: Cocktail

Decoration: Mint leaves

Preparation: Place all the ingredients except the sparkling water in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Pour into the glass using a cocktail strainer. Add 6cl of sparkling water and decorate with a mint leaf.

Lillet Rosé Royal
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, place
  • 4cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 1cl of fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1cl of sugar syrup + 1 egg white
  • 8cl of Perrier-Jouët Champagne

Glass: Highball

Decoration: Slice of grapefruit peel

Preparation: Place all the ingredients except the champagne in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Pour into the glass using a cocktail strainer. Add 8cl of Champagne. Squeeze the grapefruit to release the flavour then place it in the glass.

L’Eléphant Rose
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, place
  • 6cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 2cl of Crème de Pêche
  • 4.5cl of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

Glass: Cocktail

Decoration: Sprig of thyme

Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Pour into the glass using a cocktail strainer. and decorate with a sprig of thyme.

Lillet Rosé Flambé
In the serving glass, place
  • 6cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 4cl of Brut Champagne
  • 4cl of Orange Bitters

Glass: Champagne flute

Decoration: 1 slice of flambéed orange peel

Preparation: Briefly mix all the ingredients in a glass of ice to chill them. Strain into a champagne flute. Garnish with a slice of flambéed orange peel.

Blushing Manhattan
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, place
  • 6 cl of Lillet Rosé
  • 3 cl of Whisky
  • 1 soupspoon of gomme syrup
  • 2 dashes of Grapefruit Bitters

Glass: Cocktail

Decoration: Slice of grapefruit peel

Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain off the ice and pour into the glass. Decorate with a slice of grapefruit peel.

Lillet Appetizers Recipes
Onion jam & foie gras on French bread
For 10 slices
Preparation: 5 – 10 minutes
  • One 200g jar of onion jam
  • 200g of duck fois gras
  • ½ French baguette (sliced)
  • Fleur de sel

Thinly slice the baguette. Make the thinnest possible shavings from the foie gras. Spread the onion jam on the bread slices and sprinkle with foie gras shavings. Add a pinch of fleur de sel.

Oyster skewers
For 5 skewers
  • 2 glasses of Lillet
  • 12 large, milky oysters
  • 1 piece of caul fat
  • 5 thin sausages
  • wooden skewers
Soak the caul fat in water. Shuck the oysters, delicately remove them from the shell and place in a bowl. Heat the Lillet in a saucepan and poach the oysters in it for a few seconds. Drain and leave to cool. Strain the caul fat, then cut it into 12 pieces and wrap around the oysters. Poach the sausages in the Lillet for 3 minutes then cut in four. Thread onto the skewers, alternating the oysters and sausages, and fry for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a well-chilled glass of Lillet.
Lentil salad with cured duck breast
For 15 people
Preparation: 10 minutes
  • One 200g tin of cooked lentils
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 bunch of chives
  • 1 shallot
  • 10cl of olive oil
  • 1 cured or smoked duck breast, sliced
Strain the lentils. Finely chop the parsley, chives and shallot. Combine with the lentils and add the olive oil. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes, then serve in individual ramekins, each topped with two slices of duck breast.
Goats cheese & sundried tomatoes on garlic bread
For 10 people
Preparation: 15 minutes
  • ½ French baguette (sliced)
  • 1 tin of sundried tomatoes (200g)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 goats cheese log
  • 1 bunch of basil
  • 15 cl of olive oil
  • Salt, freshly ground pepper
Mix the goats cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl to form a smooth paste. Then add the chopped basil and refrigerate. Slice the baguette and grill the slices for a few minutes in the oven at 200°C. Rub the toasted bread with garlic. Place the goats cheese mixture on the bread to form a quenelle. Then top with half a sundried tomato and a sprig of basil.
Melon granita with Lillet and mint
For 20 people
Preparation: 15 minutes
  • 2 melons
  • 10 cl of Lillet Blanc
  • 1 bunch of fresh mint

Remove the rind and seeds from the melons. Combine with the Lillet in a blender. Add the chopped mint. Serve with crushed ice like a granita.

Little gem lettuce
For 50 people
  • 3 packs of 6 little gem lettuces
  • 1 bottle of Lillet Rouge
  • 1 bottle of olive oil
  • 1 bottle of balsamic vinegar
  • 100 – 150 g of parmesan
  • Salt & pepper
Cut the gem lettuces in four and arrange in a dish. In a cocktail shaker, pour one dose of olive oil, one of balsamic vinegar and one dose of Lillet Rouge. Add salt and pepper and mix well, then pour the seasoning over the lettuce. Cover with shaved parmesan (use a potato peeler or cheese grater to make the shavings).
Guacalillet
Guacamole with cumin and Tabasco
served with a glass of Lillet Blanc.
For 50 people
  • 9 ripe avocados
  • 1 bottle of Tabasco sauce
  • cumin
  • Salt & pepper
  • 3 to 6 bags of potato or tortilla chips

Mash the ripe avocados in a bowl using a pestle. Add a few drops of Tabasco sauce and some cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well to form a delicious guacamole, and serve with potato or tortilla chips.

Main Courses Recipes
Coquilles Saint-Jacques
For 4 people
  • 25 cl of LILLET Blanc
  • 16 scallops with their shells
  • 5 dl of rockfish fumet
  • 4 pastilla pastry sheets
  • 2 dl of melted butter
  • 100 g of black chanterelle mushrooms
  • 1 bunch of chopped chervil
  • 1 finely chopped shallot
  • 2 sliced shallots
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch of chervil stalks
  • ½ a lemon
  • 150 g of butter
  • Salt, white pepper
Prize open the shells and remove the scallops. Discard everything but the white flesh, which should be rinsed in water. Braise the scallops with the chervil stalks, bay leaves, sliced shallots and LILLET Blanc. Strain the liquid through a fine strainer, add the rockfish fumet and set aside. Slice the scallops into strips and fry them in a hot frying pan in a little butter. Add the mushrooms and the finely chopped shallots and chervil leaves. Season to taste and add the juice of ½ a lemon. Set aside in a serving dish. Brush each pastry sheet with melted butter, place the scallops in the centre of each one and then form parcels. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes at gas mark 7. Check the seasoning of the sauce and add a few knobs of butter and a generous dash of LILLET and serve with the parcels. Serve with a well-chilled glass of LILLET Blanc.
Daurade Royale
For 4 people
  • 10cl LILLET Rouge
  • 1 large gilthead sea bream
  • 1 shallot

Select a large gilthead sea bream and have it filleted. Fry for 7 minutes then cover the fish. For the sauce: fry one finely chopped shallot in butter. Cover with LILLET Rouge and reduce until the consistency turns syrupy, then whisk in the butter.

Desserts Recipes
Millefeuille
For 2 people
  • 190g of puff pastry dough, rolled
  • 1 litre of milk
  • 20g of flour
  • 200g of sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 2 dL of Lillet Blanc
  • 160g of whipped cream
  • 10 cL of red berry coulis
  • 10 strawberries
  • 2 sprigs of fresh mint
Preparing the pastry:

Cut the rolled out pastry into 8cm x 10 cm rectangles. Lay the pastry rectangles in a baking tin, dust with flour and cover with a wire tray to prevent them from rising. Bake, then turn the pastry over and dust the other side with icing sugar and bake.

Preparing the filling:

Put the milk and vanilla pod in a pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, beat together the sugar, eggs and egg yolks then add the flour. Pour in the boiling milk, whisking constantly, and cook on a high heat for 5 mins. Add the Lillet and cook for 1 more minute, then leave to cool, stirring regularly. To assemble the millefeuille, beat 160g of the filling mixture until smooth, then incorporate the whipped cream with a spatula. Using a pastry bag with a plain nozzle, place dots of filling all around the edge of the rectangle then fill the middle. There should be two layers of filling between three layers of pastry. Serve with a decoration of fresh fruits and coulis.

Peaches in Lillet Blanc
For 6 people
  • 1 bottle of LILLET Blanc
  • 9 large ripe white peaches
  • 1 clove
  • 3 sprigs of fresh verbena leaves
  • 3 pepper corns
Boil some water and blanch the peaches for 30 seconds then peel them delicately. Cut them in half and remove the stones. Lay the peach halves in a large saucepan and add the LILLET, verbena leaves, pepper and clove. Simmer for 20 mins. Remove the peaches and place in a serving dish. When the juice is reduced by half, pour it over the peaches and chill for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight before serving.
Raspberry Crumble
For 2 people
  • 15 cl of LILLET Blanc
  • 400g of raspberries
  • 50g of brown sugar
  • 50g of powdered almonds
  • 50g of flour
  • 50g of butter
  • 1 lemon
  • 10 cl of LILLET Blanc
  • 5 pepper corns
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 2 slices of orange peel
  • 1 bunch of fresh mint
Combine the powdered almonds, flour and sugar. Rub in the softened butter and add 2 soupspoons of LILLET Blanc. The mixture should be powdery. Place the raspberries in a baking dish with a few drops of lemon juice. Cover with the pastry mixture and bake for 10 minutes. Put 10cl of LILLET Blanc in a bowl. Add the sugar, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, orange peel and mint. Leave to soak overnight. Strain the syrup, bring it to the boil then reduce it until it coats the back of a spoon. Serve separately in a sauce boat along with the crumble.
Lillet Blanc ice cream
For 4 people
  • 50 cl of LILLET
  • 12 eggs
  • 175g of brown sugar
  • 50 cl of single cream
Separate the yolks from the egg whites and save the whites for another recipe. Cream together the yolks and brown sugar in a mixing bowl then transfer to a saucepan and heat slowly. In another pan, bring the LILLET to the boil and pour it into the mixture, stirring constantly. Add the single cream and cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the time, then mix in a sorbet maker if you have one. Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.
Pears in Lillet Rouge
For 6 people
  • 75 cl of LILLET Rouge
  • 6 large pears
  • 50g of sugar
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • peel of ½ an orange, in thin strips
  • peel of ½ a lemon, in thin strips
  • 3 cloves
  • 5 pepper corns
  • juice of ½ a lemon
Carefully peel the pears, leaving the stalks on, and sprinkle with lemon. Place them in a deep saucepan and sprinkle with 2 soupspoons of sugar. Add the orange and lemon peel, pepper corns, cloves and cinnamon. Pour the LILLET over the fruit, add the remaining sugar and cook on a low heat for 10 mins. Transfer the pears to a serving dish. Strain the syrup and reduce it by half then pour over the pears. Chill before serving, if possible overnight.
Strawberries in Lillet Rouge
Per person
  • 2 soupspoons of LILLET Rouge
  • 100g of strawberries
  • 50g of raspberries
  • 15g of castor sugar
  • 1 soupspoon of orange juice
  • A few drops of lemon juice

Pour the LILLET Rouge over the fruit then add the sugar, orange juice and lemon juice. Chill for one hour before serving.

Curtosy : Lillet.com.

Rinku Madan

Rinku Madan, an acclaimed Gourmand in India, recently completed her studies in Global Journalism at the Harvard University, Massachusetts (Grade A Honors) with the objective to pursue her writing skills in the area of Global Luxury. She had earlier studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York (an affiliate of Culinary Institute of America) to certify in the arena of Food Writing.

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