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Jalapeño mezcal margarita

Name: Jalapeño mezcal margarita
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 1
Cuisine: Mexican recipes
Ingredients: 200g jar sliced pickled jalapeños; 100g sugar; Tajin spice to rim the glass (optional); 1 lime; 50ml mezcal; 25ml Cointreau, triple sec or other orange liqueur

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 16 Jun 23
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Are you partial to a margarita? This is the best version of the cocktail we’ve come across. Mezcal (tequila’s smoky cousin) and lime are offset by a cleverly simple jalapeño syrup to create a perfectly balanced cocktail with a fiery finish.

Entertaining a crowd? Make a pitcher of classic margarita.

Easy
July 2023

Test kitchen approved

Serves 1
Hands-on time 15 min

Entertaining a crowd? Make a pitcher of classic margarita.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 224kcals
Fat: 0g fat (0g saturated)
Protein: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g (12g sugars)
Fibre: 0g
Salt: trace

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Ingredients

200g jar sliced pickled jalapeños
100g sugar
Tajin spice to rim the glass (optional)
1 lime
50ml mezcal
25ml Cointreau, triple sec or other orange liqueur

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Method

Begin by making a jalapeño sugar syrup. Pour the jar of jalapeños into a small pan, including the liquid they’re stored in, then add the sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. You should be left with crinkly, chewy jalapeños and a spicy sugar syrup. Leave to cool, then pour back into the jar.
Sprinkle some Tajin onto a small plate (if using), then cut out a wedge of lime and run it around the rim of a cocktail glass. Tap the glass into the Tajin to get a nice even rim.
Pour the mezcal, Cointreau, 25ml lime juice and 10g of the syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake, then pour through a strainer into the glass. Garnish with a few candied jalapeño slices and serve.

Recipe from July 2023 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 224kcals
Fat: 0g fat (0g saturated)
Protein: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g (12g sugars)
Fibre: 0g
Salt: trace

delicious. tips

Don’t waste it: The candied jalapeños make a great topping for tacos or nachos – the perfect snack alongside your margarita. They’ll keep in the fridge for 3 months.

Easy swaps: Mezcal gives a wonderfully smoky flavour which works well with the jalepeños, but you can switch it with tequila if you prefer a more classic margarita.
Tajin is a Mexican spice blend of chilli, lime and salt, often used to sprinkle over fresh melon or pineapple. You can find it online or in specialist shops.