There is no better accompaniment to a delicious meal than a nicely paired glass of wine, but you don’t have to limit yourself to simply drinking the stuff. There are lots and lots of recipes that call for a shot of whiskey or a cup of vodka, or even plenty of wine to be used.

Here are some recipes for delicious meals that call for you to cook with alcohol.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

You will need:

Enough pasta to feed your family (any kind)

3 shots of vodka

Onion

Garlic

Parsley

Olive oil

Chilli flakes

1-2 tins of chopped tomatoes

Cream

First mix the vodka and chilli and allow it to sit for a while. Simmer the onion and garlic in the olive oil for two minutes, add in the parsley and the vodka, and simmer for ten minutes. Mix in the chopped tomatoes, cook for two more minutes and stir in just enough cream to make the sauce the right consistency. Serve over pasta.

Red Wine Ratatouille

Onion

Garlic

Zucchini

Aubergine

Red pepper

Yellow pepper

3 tomatoes

Tin of chopped tomatoes

A few glugs of red wine

Basil

Parsley

Olive oil

Chop and saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes. Meanwhile cube all the vegetables and add them to the pan, along with the red wine. Let these simmer for 5-10 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and the herbs. Mix well, simmer for another 10 minutes and serve.

Bourbon Sauce

Cup of water

Half cup brown sugar

Nutmeg

3 shots of bourbon whiskey

Pinch of cornstarch

2 knobs of butter

Mix water, sugar and a pinch of nutmeg in a pan and bring to the boil, then mix in the whiskey and corn starch. Once it’s thickened, melt in the butter. Serve over mashed potatoes, pudding, sweet potato, or anything else you like!