An unsuspecting combo of flavours results in a refreshing hybrid
By CJ Sommerfeld, Staff Writer
While sweet margaritas and salty Caesars have distinguishably different tastes, there are a few ingredients that can marry the two cocktails into one. Salt, lime and chili are a classic trio of tastes, especially in Mexican culture, anyone who has used Tajín is probably familiar with this ensemble. Cucumbers, tortilla chips, and mangos are a few other unsuspecting foods that taste great when salt, chili, and lime are added to them. For this reason, this recipe is rich in these ingredients. Knowing this, be aware that despite margarita being in the recipe name it is by no means sweet like classic margaritas—but the drink is still beyond fresh.
CJ’s jalapeño-lime-margarita Caesar
Materials:
citrus squeezer (optional)
your choice of glass
jigger
small plate for a salt rim
cutting board and knife
shaker
Ingredients:
2 ounces of your favourite tequila
2 limes
1/4 to 1/2 jalapeño, diced
clamato
ice
Garnish:
1/4 scored lime
whole jalapeño
Rim ingredients:
1/4 scored lime
salt
Method:
1. Score one 1/4 lime, salt small plate. To score is to cut a slit through the middle of the lime’s pulp. This is traditionally done so that the lime wedge fits on the rim of the glass as a garnish. A scored lime can also be used to rim the glass with lime—this is what we are going to do in this recipe.
2. Rim glass with a scored lime wedge; do not worry if pulp sticks to the glass.
3. Turn the glass upside down into your small salted plate. Move glass around until the entire rim is salted. The lime juice and pulp will help the salt stick to the rim.
4. Cut two limes in half.
5. Place ice and two ounces of tequila into the shaker cup.
6. Use a lime squeezer to squeeze lime juice from both limes into a shaker cup. Alternatively, you can squeeze the limes with a hand.
7. Dice a fraction of the jalapeño, depending on how much spice you like, you can do a 1/4 … even a 1/2 if you can handle a lot of spice. Add these jalapeño bits to the shaker.
8. Shake shake shake! Shake the shaker for 30 seconds or until the outside gets frosty and cold to the touch.
9. Pour the entirety of the shaker’s contents into your salt-rimmed glass (you can strain it if you would like, but I have just left mine as is). The ice will probably be quite melted by now—but no worries.
10. Add fresh ice into the glass.
11. Layer Clamato into the remainder of the glass.
12. Throw some scored limes on the side and jalapeño on top, and you’re good to go!
*Variations:
for extra spice, add diced jalapeño to the salt when rimming your glass
