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Prep time
25 minutes
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Cook time
25 minutes
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Makes
1 cocktail
Author Notes
Smoked mandarin orange juice and ginger make a pitch-perfect combo in this paloma riff from Chef Claudette Zepeda. No smoker? No problem—fresh-squeezed mandarin orange juice (or any orange juice with a splash of lemon juice) makes an excellent swap. —Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe is shared in partnership with Don Julio. —The Editors
Ingredients
- For the cocktail:
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1 1/2 ounces
Don Julio Blanco Tequila
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1 ounce
smoked mandarin juice (if you don’t have a smoker, just use fresh-squeezed mandarin orange juice)
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3/4 ounce
ginger simple syrup
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3/4 ounce
fresh-squeezed lime juice
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2 dashes
orange bitters
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1 pinch
salt
- For the ginger simple syrup and smoked mandarin juice:
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1
(2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
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2 cups
sugar, preferably zulka (unrefined sugar)
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2 cups
water
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1
mandarin orange, sliced into 4 quarters
Directions
- For the cocktail:
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Add all the cocktail ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 to 40 seconds.
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Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, and garnish with candied ginger and marigold petals, if you like. You can also rim the rocks glass with a mixture of salt, sugar, and mandarin zest if you really want to dress things up.
- For the ginger simple syrup and smoked mandarin juice:
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To make the ginger simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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Add the sliced ginger and let the mixture come to a low boil. Then, lower the heat, cover the saucepan, and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and let cool (this should take about an hour). Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the syrup and store in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep for about 2 weeks.
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To make the smoked mandarin juice: Place your smoke box on a charcoal grill over flames (if using a gas grill, set the temperature to medium-high). Once smoke starts to rise from the box, add the slices from 1 mandarin orange to the grill; you can estimate about 1 mandarin orange per cocktail.
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Smoke the mandarin slices for about 5 minutes, or until your desired level of smokiness is achieved. Remove the mandarin slices from the smoker and let cool.
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Using a citrus juicer or your hands, squeeze the mandarin slices, reserving the juice (you’ll need 1 ounce for the cocktail). Discard the spent mandarin slices.
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