Best Spicy Cucumber Margarita Recipes

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SPICY CUCUMBER MARGARITAS



Spicy Cucumber Margaritas image

Verdant and herbaceous, this margarita is slightly more work than the classic, but you can produce it hours in advance. Some cocktail recipes call for preparing simple syrup on the stovetop, then combining with other ingredients, but this one uses a blender to combine the cucumbers, cilantro, sugar, lime zest and juice as a shortcut. Using delicate, thin-skinned Persian cucumbers ensures a vibrant color, and cilantro adds grassy notes. Because the heat levels of jalapeños can fluctuate, allow guests to garnish with sliced jalapeño to taste.

Provided by Alexa Weibel

Categories     cocktails

Time 15m

Yield 6 drinks (1 1/2 cups each)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pound Persian cucumbers (about 7 cucumbers), roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest plus 1/4 cup lime juice (from about 3 limes)
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño, plus more diagonal slices for garnish
Sea salt, as needed
6 to 8 ounces white tequila, depending on preferred strength
Ice, as needed

Steps:

  • In a high-speed blender, blend the cucumbers, cilantro, sugar, lime zest, lime juice and minced jalapeño until mixture is foamy and blended. (Reserve the lime rinds for Step 3.)
  • Pour mixture into a fine-mesh sieve set over a large measuring cup and strain liquid from solids. (You may want to stir the liquid a bit to speed up the process.) You should have 1 1/2 cups strained liquid; discard the solids. Stir in a large pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon). Mix strained cucumber liquid with tequila; set aside or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
  • When ready to serve, rim your glass with salt, if desired. Using the reserved lime rinds, moisten the rim of a rocks glass. Set 3 tablespoons sea salt in a shallow rimmed plate, and dip the moistened rim of each glass into the salt to coat. Fill glasses with ice.
  • Working in batches, shake margaritas in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Divide among prepared rocks glasses. Set a slice or two of jalapeño directly on top of the ice in each glass, as desired for heat, and serve immediately.

SPICY CUCUMBER MARGARITA



Spicy Cucumber Margarita image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes; reserve the squeezed limes)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems separated
2 small jalapeno peppers, 1 halved and 1 thinly sliced and seeded
3 Persian cucumbers
1/2 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup anejo tequila
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons triple sec

Steps:

  • Bring the lime juice, sugar, cilantro stems, halved jalapeno and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
  • Meanwhile, puree the cucumbers in a blender. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup, pressing on the solids with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate the cucumber puree until chilled.
  • Pulse the salt and cilantro leaves in a mini food processor until the salt is green; transfer to a small plate. Run the squeezed limes around the rims of 4 glasses, then dip in the cilantro salt to coat.
  • Strain the jalapeno syrup into a small pitcher. Stir in the cucumber juice, tequila and triple sec. Fill the prepared glasses with ice and add a few jalapeno slices. Pour in the cocktail.

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