Drinks

Li Hing Mui Margaritas – Okole Maluna!!

September 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles1 Comment

Maybe because the weather has taken a weird turn these past few days…..

Or maybe because tomorrow is the first day of Fall.

Whatever the case is, I want Summer back!!! Please?

To make the best of these last few hours of Summer I thought I would share with you all a fantastic little cocktail that in one sip, can transport you to a warm beach day with the sound of waves lapping on the shoreline — the Li Hing Mui Margarita!

If you read my last Sunday Family Dinner post, you know that I mixed up a batch of these vibrantly colorful cocktails for our Lūʻau.

Anytime I’m visiting one of the islands of Hawai’i, I’m inevitably stuffing my face with some type of Li Hing flavored goodie. I’ll snag a few Li Hing malasadas from Leonard’s, have some Li Hing powder sprinkled on top of my shave ice, stuff a bag or two of Li Hing Sour Gummy Candies in my beach bag, and of course–sip on a few Li Hing cocktails.

Li Hing Mui is a salted, dried plum that is both sweet and tart–which is why it’s perfect for cocktails!

The first step is to infuse tequila with Li Hing Mui* for several weeks. And really–that’s the hardest part. Sitting and waiting for the magic to happen.

But if you make it through the waiting, all you need to do is add the infused tequila into your favorite margarita recipe and voila!! A tangy, sweet and onolicious cocktail you can enjoy year round.

Okole Maluna!!

ps. Summer– don’t leave me! ❤

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Li Hing Mui Margaritas
Makes 1 pitcher

Ingredients:

750 ml tequila
6 ounces Li Hing Mui*
1 cup Grand Marnier or triple sec
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup simple syrup
1/4 cup coarse salt
1 heaping tablespoon Li Hing Mui powder -optional
lime wedges

Begin by infusing the tequila. Place the Li Hing Mui in a large, resealable container. Add the tequila, stir and seal the container. Place it in a room-temperature, dark spot for at least 4 weeks. Take the container and gently shake every few days to mix. Once the time has passed, strain the infused tequila into a clean large bottle or mason jar and set aside until ready for use.

To make the margaritas, pour 2 cups of the infused tequila into a pitcher. Stir in the Grand Marnier, fresh lime juice and simple syrup. In a small plate, stir the coarse salt and Li Hing Mui powder together. Using a lime wedge, rim the edge of the glasses and dip them into the salt/powder mixture. Add ice and fill the glasses with margaritas.

Okole Maluna!!

*Li Hing Mui can be found in many Asian grocery stores or can be purchased online.

Poultry

Tequila Chili-Lime Chicken

May 14, 2014May 14, 2014 The Culinary Chronicles13 Comments

So here’s the thing.

I’ve never claimed to have a blog about figure-friendly, low-calorie recipes. I mean, c’mon now. I believe in BUTTER….BACON…and BOOZE!

My kitchen’s Holy Trinity.

But even this gal has to be a bit health-conscious sometimes. Eating (or drinking) lots of fresh veggies, getting in some regular workouts and finagling lean proteins into the menu as often as possible.

Now I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t naturally gravitate towards chicken breasts–especially boneless/skinless chicken breast. And don’t even get my brother started on his feelings on chicken. But the proof is in the puddin‘ — chicken breast is one of the leanest proteins you can put in your tummy.

And since we all know that it can so easily dry out and taste like sandpaper, here are my two no-brainer tips to combating the chicken blues.

First, you’ve got to pump the chicken with as much flavor as possible. We’re talking a boom-pow marinade and let the chicken soak in it as long as possible. And if you want to get crazy– brine it!

Second, smother it with goodness! Yup, it’s condiments time – and you know how much I love condiments! Things like pico de gallos, salsas, marinaras, and chimichurris are fantastic over grilled chicken.

My Tequila Chili-Lime Chicken is a standard way I like to marinate my chicken breasts overnight before throwing them on the grill. The tequila and limes help to break down the chicken and as long as you’re not going rogue on the grill, it stays nice and juicy. It’s also a great method for chicken wings—just put a bit of the marinade aside and when you start cooking, baste the wings with it.

Over a salad, inside quesadillas/burritos, in sammies or as a stand alone, my Tequila Chili-Lime Chicken has helped me {in a delicious way} with my skinless-chicken breast aversion.

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Tequila Chili-Lime Chicken
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 large bunch fresh cilantro
1 small white onion
4 large garlic cloves
1-2 jalapeno peppers (depending on heat preference)
zest of 1 lime
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup tequila
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts*
vegetable oil
lime wedges

In a food processor or blender, add the first 15 ingredients. Pulse several times until the fresh aromatics have broken down. Place the chicken breasts into a gallon size resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage it through. Be sure to get most of the air out of the bag before sealing it. Put the chicken in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

An hour before you start cooking the chicken, pull it from the refrigerator to take the chill off of it. Heat your grill to medium-high. Brush the grates of your grill with the vegetable oil. Place the chicken breast on the grill and cook for about 5-6 minutes on the first side before flipping. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes on the 2^nd side until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches approximately 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the grill and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.

Serve warm with fresh lime wedges and your choice of condiments.

*Bone-in chicken breast can also be used but adjust the cooking times as needed.

Drinks

Blended Mango Margaritas

April 30, 2014May 7, 2014 The Culinary Chronicles8 Comments

Let’s get one thing straight.

In my book, it’s not a Cinco de Mayo celebration if there aren’t margaritas on hand –whether there’s booze in them or not. A chilled beverage filled with tons of citrus that is the perfect sidekick to spicy salsas, tacos, ceviche, barbacoa….let’s face it–pretty much anything!

As we continue on with the Cinco de Mayo plans, it’s only fit to think about what type of margaritas to serve. I usually lean towards my standard classic margarita on the rocks with a heavy salt rim. But if you’re interested in something different, here are a few options:

Blood Orange Margaritas

Mint Margaritas

Pomegranate Margaritas

Palomas
(not technically a margarita but a fantastic close cousin)

I managed to get my hands on some deliciously sweet ataulfo mangoes and thought they would be fantastic in a blended margarita. I tossed them into the blender with some booze, fresh citrus, ice and voila— a fiesta in a glass!

If you don’t have fresh mangoes on hand, frozen mangoes could also be used. However, you may want to reduce the amount of ice and add a bit more simple syrup to taste. I also chose to rim the glass with sugar but if you happen to have some chili-lime salt (ie. Tajin) then that would be another fab flavor layer.

Salud!

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Blended Mango Margaritas
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 lime wedge
sugar
2½ cups ripe mangoes
4 ounces premium tequila
2 ounces Cointreau or triple sec
2 ounces fresh lime juice
2 ounces fresh orange juice
1 ounce simple syrup (more if you prefer a sweeter cocktail)
1 cup crushed ice
limes slices to garnish

Use the lime wedge and rim the edge of two glasses. Dip/roll the rim into the sugar and coat the edge of each glass.

Place all the remaining items into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the contents into the rimmed glass and garnish with a lime slice. Cheers!

Drinks

Because it’s Paloma o’clock somewhere…..

August 16, 2013 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

Have you all been asking yourself where has the summer flown by? I feel like just a second ago we were celebrating all of the May babies and now Labor Day is just a hop, skip, jump away! Wowsers!

Time is FLYING BY! Where is Hermione and her Time-Turner when you need them?

And although I’ve been struggling to find time to complete my endless to-do lists, I can always pause to say…

TEE-GEE-EYE-EFF!!!!!!

Oh Friday….how I love thee……

To toast off this beautiful Aloha Friday, I would recommend mixing up a few of these bright and refreshing Palomas. I think Palomas are often underrated and can quickly be overlooked for its more popular cousin–the Margarita.

Like Margaritas, Palomas are made up with tequila and fresh citrus juices– though the latter relies mostly on fresh grapefruits and limes. Since I adore the slight sweetness and pretty hue of pink grapefruits, I opt to use them in this delightful cocktail.

In a nutshell? It’s summer in glass!

So when things get crazy, push the pause button because it’s Paloma o’clock somewhere!

Cheers Friends!

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Palomas
Serves 2

Ingredients:

ice
6 ounces fresh pink grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup (more if needed depending on the sweetness of the grapefruit)
3 ounces premium tequila
grapefruit soda or soda water
granulated sugar
grapefruit wedges

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup and tequila. Add the top and shake vigorously for 20-25 seconds. Pour into two glasses that have been rimmed with sugar and filled with ice. Top off with the grapefruit soda or soda water. Stir slightly and garnish each glass with grapefruit wedges. Cheers!

Drinks

Blood Orange Margaritas

March 22, 2013March 23, 2013 The Culinary Chronicles6 Comments

TEE…GEE…EYE…EFF!!!!!

And what better way to ring in Aloha Friday than with a delish and refreshing cocktail?

Lately, blood oranges have been incredibly abundant in my neck of the woods. These little guys look quite unassuming from the outside but when you cut into them, they reveal an extraordinarily beautiful hue. As for the flavor, I find them to be slightly reminiscent of tangerines which goes so well with a kick of tequila.

And with that—have a wonderful weekend, Friends! Salud!

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Blood Orange Margaritas
Serves 1

Ingredients:

lime wedge
coarse salt
ice
4 ounces blood orange juice
2 ounces premium tequila
1 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
2 ounces simple syrup
additional blood orange and lime slices for garnish

Use the lime wedge and rim the edge of a margarita glass. Dip the rim into salt and coat the edge of the glass.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the blood orange juice, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup. Cap the shaker and vigorously shake for 15-20 seconds. Pour the contents into the glass and garnish with additional orange and lime slices

Drinks

Mint Margaritas: It’s Happy Hour…..Somewhere.

June 14, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles9 Comments

Because it’s the beginning of the week………

Because I had a ton of fresh mint in my fridge……..

Because cocktails make me happy………..

And because I love y’all…………

I offer you this Mint Margarita.

You could call it the cousin to the mojito……I just call it delicious. The bright and refreshing mint is a lovely addition to the classic margarita. I do have to admit that I like my cocktails a little on the heavy handed side, so feel free to adjust the measurements accordingly 🙂

Salut to a Great Week, Friends!

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Mint Margarita
Makes one potent cocktail 🙂

Ingredients:

2 Ounces Premium Tequila
1 Ounce Grand Marnier
1½ Ounces Fresh Lime Juice
1 – 1½ Ounces Mint Simple Syrup*
Garnish with Fresh Mint Sprigs and Salt

Using a wedge of fresh lime, rim the edge of your margarita glass and dip into salt. Fill the glass with ice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the first four ingredients. Cap the shaker and vigorously shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain the contents into the margarita class. Garnish with fresh mint springs.

*To make Mint Simple Syrup, add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil, stirring until sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add 1 entire bunch of fresh mint that has been roughly chopped (about 2 cups). Allow to steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve, discarding the leaves. Cool before using. Syrup can be kept for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.