I love a good dirty martini. There’s just something so elegant about sipping this classic cocktail out of a frosted, inverted-cone-shaped glass. I feel like I’ve stepped into the Mad Men era with 60s cocktail music playing in the background.
On the other hand, margaritas evoke a different kind of mood. This traditional Mexican drink makes me think of sitting at a table with friends in shorts and flip flops on a sweltering summer night with a pitcher; ice-cold, salt-rimmed glasses; and a big basket of chips and salsa.
Blood oranges are in season, and for the last few weeks, I’ve come home from the farmer’s market with a big bag of them. Most afternoons, my citrus snack leaves my fingers dripping with crimson juice and me regretting that it’s all gone. During this season, I’ve been toying with the idea of a margarita made with blood oranges, and I’m featuring one for today’s post.
I decided to do a little martini/margarita mashup for this post. I served them straight up in frosted martini glasses instead of on the rocks. I added some zest to the salt that rims the glasses for a little extra pop of citrus. I created the recipe using proportions instead of specific ingredient amounts. You can scale this recipe up or down depending on how many drinks you want to make.
One of the ingredients in this drink is simple syrup. To make a simple syrup, heat equal amounts of sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool completely and it’s ready to use.
Add a little elegance to your margaritas, and give this version made with blood oranges a try.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon blood orange zest, finely minced
2 parts fresh blood orange juice
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part simple syrup
1 part Cointreau
2 parts 100% agave tequila
Blood orange slices, for garnish
Instructions
1. Combine salt and orange zest and place on a flat saucer. Place martini glasses in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Mix orange juice, lime juice, simple syrup, Cointreau, and tequila in a shaker. Add ice and shake until very cold.
3. Using a slice of lime, moisten the rim of the glasses and dip into salt. Pour margarita into chilled glass, place orange slice on rim, and serve immediately.
https://southernboydishes.com/2015/04/07/blood-orange-margarita/You may also like:
- Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel Soup - November 8, 2015
- Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili{+ a Cookbook Giveaway} - October 27, 2015
- Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Stew with Turkey Sausage - October 16, 2015
I’ve got a bag a blood oranges in my house too. I’ve even got a cocktail coming soon. As this Margarita proves, blood oranges make cocktails as pretty as they are delicious. GREG
Good job with the photos. And good cocktail — I’ve had blood orange margaritas, but never made one myself, I should. Thanks for this.