Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

Occasionally, I find myself with a variety of ingredients or other food items that I need to find a use for. Generally, this happens in the middle or late summer, when I’ve had about all I can stand of tomatoes or other garden produce. But right now, I have an odd combination of ingredients on hand that beg to be utilized.

The first being fresh cherries. When they first come in season, I can’t get enough of them and I gorge myself stupid. That was last week. I still had about a pound of cherries on my kitchen counter threatening to go bad.

The second being agave nectar, left over from the tequila lime bars I made for a co-worker’s birthday yesterday.

Lastly, a bottle of tequila, also leftover from the birthday food, but as I stated in that post, me and Jose went our separate ways in college and haven’t spoken to each other since. So, I was eagerly looking for food-related recipes to help me use this bottle up.

Then, I went through my blog reader yesterday afternoon. And Evil Chef Mom gave me inspiration. And, admittedly, a little bit of drool. See, I had promised the hubs a very labor intensive meal (a la Tyler Florence) that he had discovered on the Food Network last week and it was on the calendar for Monday night. I was going to need a drink....extra bonus? I get to use up some of my forlorn ingredients.

People, I give you....the Fresh Cherry Margarita.Yessir....she’s beautiful. I even happen to have a cocktail shaker I bought years ago and have NEVER. ONCE. USED.

Well, that’s all changed now. I sipped this tasty little concoction last night while cooking a ginormous ribeye for the hubs and it made me so much more mellow about the procedure.
Oh, yeah, and I don’t have to worry about finding any more recipes to use up the tequila....as long as I have cherries, that’s not going to be a problem. AT. ALL.

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

adapted from fine cooking june/july 2010
serves 1

12 fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 1/2 fl. ounce silver (blanco) tequila
1 fl. ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 fl. ounce Chambord (I didn’t have the Chambord, and I wasn’t about to buy an expensive bottle just for this. I think it would really have take it over the edge, but we’ll save that for next time, now that I know how good they are.)
3/4 fl. ounce agave nectar
1 fresh cherry with stem for garnish
1 wedge of lime, for garnish

Put the cherries in a cocktail shaker and mash them with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon until well crushed, about 1 minute.
Add the tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, Chambord, and eight large ice cubes. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
Immediately strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with the cherry and lime wedge.

This cocktail will definitely be seeing a repeat performance in my kitchen - SOON!

4 comments:

Heather S-G said...

Ha! I'm exactly the same way. Cherry season is my favorite time of the year!!! Not if full swing yet here...but I'm looking forward to it. I think I'll be forced to drink these throughout...YUM!

Kim said...

Save one for me....I'm on my way! I love it and now I'm craving one - LOL. Don't think I've ever had a cherry margarita before and I'm wondering why not?

Sounds like you have some bad memories of tequila? I feel the same way about bourbon. I had way too many one night and have never drank it again.

Unknown said...

Beth ... you are starting to scare me. I've been looking forward to going out tomorrow night for a teriyaki glazed ribeye and a "fresca" or two. Suddenly I have a taste for a cherry variety. Thanks for the suggestion.

MonkeyGirl said...

I have plenty of tequila so now I might be forced to go to the store for more fresh fruit!