Pineapple-Turmeric Margarita Recipe

Name: Pineapple-Turmeric Margarita Recipe
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

RECIPE: Excerpted from FIESTAS: Tidbits, Margaritas & More © 2019 Marcela Valladolid. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Photography © Isabella Martinez-Funcke.

Photo: Isabella Martinez-Funcke

April 30, 2019

An extra-earthy take on the classic Margarita.

Chef Marcela Valladolid is a self-proclaimed tequila purist, but lately she’s been drawn to the spirit’s most ubiquitous cocktail application. “I’ve really been into Margaritas and exploring different ingredients that highlight, not hide, the nuances of Mexico’s most emblematic drink,” she writes in her book, Fiestas. In Valladolid’s lively reimagining of a classic Margarita recipe, tequila’s earthy nature is reinforced with the addition of turmeric, while pineapple adds juicy sweetness.

Ingredients

Yield:4

1 1/2 cup blanco tequila
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup agave nectar, or to taste
1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

Tools:shaker, strainer
Glass:double rocks
Garnish:pineapple wedges and pineapple leaves

Preparation

To rim the glasses, combine 1 Tbsp. of granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. of chili powder and 2 tsp. of turmeric on a small plate. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with a lime wedge, then dip the rim in the chili-turmeric sugar. Make sure to cover the wet part of the rim completely. Repeat with the 3 additional glasses. Fill each glass with ice.

This recipe makes 4 cocktails, so to prepare, combine the tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, agave nectar, and turmeric in a large jar. Fill with ice and shake until well chilled. Either strain into the prepared glasses, or strain into a pitcher and pour evenly into the prepared glasses, then add the garnish.