Cilantro-Jalapeño Margarita

By ldelmas

(Makes 1 cocktail)

Bartender’s notes: Jalapeños vary wildly in their spiciness (as does each person’s penchant for that spiciness), so you’ll want to taste the one you’re using and determine what you think is the perfect amount. I really love the spicy, grassy-green freshness that jalapeño infuses into this libation, a flavor that’s made all the more delicious by the bruised cilantro leaves. Salt is essential in this drink, in my opinion, because of the way it dances with the jalapeño and cilantro.

Ingredients

• Coarse (kosher) salt
• 1 lime wedge
• 1 to 3 thin slices jalapeño (from a jalapeño that has been stemmed, halved, seeded and sliced
• lengthwise)
• 2 fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1 1/2 ounces 100% blue agave Blanco tequila
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce Cointreau
• 1/2 ounce agave syrup (light organic syrup gives the best flavor)
• 6 to 10 ice cubes (about 3/4 cup)

Preparation

Step 1

Spread the salt on a small plate. Moisten the rim of a 6-ounce martini glass with the lime wedge and upend the glass onto the salt to crust the rim.

In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle the jalapeño and 1 of the cilantro sprigs with a cocktail muddler or a wooden spoon until roughly mashed. Add the tequila, lime juice Cointreau, agave or simple syrup and ice. Cover and shake vigorously until frothy and cold; tiny ice crystals will appear in the drink after about 15 seconds of shaking.

Bruise the second sprig of cilantro by slapping it vigorously between your palms (this releases the aroma). Place in the salt-rimmed glass, strain the contents of the shaker into the glass and serve immediately.