Monday, July 1, 2013

Margaritas: Variations on the Classic


Here are some Margarita recipes from Food and Wine that we tried this past week.

Margaritas can be easy or a bit more complicated but always delicious when using fresh fruits and vegetables from the market.

Look for more from our kitchen in San Miguel. We’re all about finding remarkable beverage recipes to amaze your guests at your next Mexican fiesta.

Hope you’ll have many over the summer. Promise you we will.

Buen Apetito!

Amante Picante Margarita

1/2 large seedless English cucumber, thinly sliced, plus 8 slices for garnish
1/2 medium jalapeño, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish
18 ounces silver tequila
8 ounces fresh lime juice
6 ounces light agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon celery bitters (optional)
1 lime wedge
1/4 cup kosher salt mixed with 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
Ice
1   
             In a pitcher, muddle the 1/2 sliced cucumber with the jalapeño and 1/4 cup of cilantro. Add the tequila, lime juice, agave and bitters and stir well. Refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour.
2   Moisten the rim of 8 rocks glasses with the lime wedge and coat with the lime salt. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Working in batches and adding fresh ice, shake the cocktail and strain into the glasses. Garnish with cucumber and cilantro.

Mango Margarita
1 cup ice
1 lime wedge
3 ounces silver tequila
1 small mango—peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped (3 ounces)
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chile powder
2 ounces orange liqueur
1 1/2 ounces agave nectar
3 ounces grapefruit soda
Spread the chile powder in a dish. Moisten the rim of a margarita glass with the lime wedge; dip the rim in the chile powder to coat. In a blender, puree the mango. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into the glass and serve.

Blood Orange Margarita
1 quart fresh blood orange juice or fresh orange juice (about 12 blood oranges or 8 large navel oranges)
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice (about 12 limes)
1 1/2 cups Cointreau or other triple sec
3 1/2 cups silver tequila
Kosher salt
1 blood orange or orange wedge, plus 12 thin blood orange or orange slices
Ice
1 dozen small sage sprigs or leaves

In a large pitcher, mix the blood orange juice with the lime juice, Cointreau and silver tequila. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
Spread a small mound of salt on a small plate. Moisten the outer rim of 12 martini glasses with the orange wedge, then dip the rims into the salt to lightly coat.
Add ice to the pitcher and stir well, then strain into the prepared glasses. Garnish each margarita with a blood orange slice and a sage sprig and serve.

                     
Lemongrass Margarita

1 lime wedge
Kosher salt
Ice
1 1/2 ounces gold or reposado tequila
1 ounce Lemongrass Syrup
One 4-inch lemongrass stalk

1   Moisten the outer rim of a margarita glass with the lime wedge and coat lightly with salt; reserve the lime.
2   Fill the glass and a cocktail shaker with ice.
4   Add the tequila and syrup to the shaker; shake well.
6   Strain into the glass, top with a squeeze of lime and garnish with the lemongrass, if desired.

Here is one we could not try but I am giving it to you anyway. I imagine over the course of the next five months there will be some we can’t make because we cannot get ingredients like Sucro but anything made by José Andrés has to be brilliant so send me an email when you try it. It looks amazing!

                                                                     Photo by Tina Rupp from Food and Wine

Salt Air Margarita

1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila
Ice
1 ounce Cointreau

Salt Air:
4 ounces water
2 ounces fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Sucro
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tequila, Cointreau and lime juice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cup.
Combine all of the salt air ingredients in a large bowl. Using an immersion blender, mix until bubbles form.

Carefully spoon on top of the drink.