Prickly pears are everywhere in the Sonoran Desert from August to mid-November, but few people know that the cactus is edible. There’s nothing like a prickly pear margarita at the end of the day. Though some people use prickly pear juice, I make prickly pear syrup. A couple of pinches of chile flakes add a little kick to the drink.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 1 cocktail |
Ingredients
- 3 ounces tequila
- 1/2 ounce triple sec
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce agave nectar
- 2 ounces Prickly Pear Syrup (recipe follows; see Cook’s Note)
- 2 pinches red chile flakes
- Lime juice, for the rim, plus a lime slice, for serving
- 1/4 cup raw sugar
- 1/4 cup pink salt
- Prickly pear slices, if available, for serving
- 2 pounds prickly pears (see Cook’s Note)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
Instructions
- For the cocktail: Combine the tequila, triple sec, lime juice, agave, prickly pear syrup and chile flakes in a cocktail shaker and incorporate all the ingredients by shaking it to your own rhythm.
- For the garnish: Pour some lime juice on a saucer. Mix together the sugar and salt on a separate saucer. Dip the rim of a 10-ounce glass into the lime juice and then dip the rim into the sugar and pink salt mixture. Fill the glass with ice, pour in the cocktail and garnish with prickly pear, if using, and a lime slice.
- Holding each prickly pear with metal tongs, lightly graze the fruit with a flame until the glochids (thorns) are singed off. Place the fruit in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil, cover and let sit off the heat for 25 to 35 minutes.
- Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Strain the liquid through it into a medium heatproof bowl, mashing the fruit with a spoon until all the fruit is mashed.
- Pour the contents of the bowl into the same saucepan and discard the solids; stir in the sugar, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the lime zest and juice. Let simmer about 15 more minutes; remove from the heat, let cool and refrigerate.