Devilishly Good

Rick Bayless Shares Cocktail Recipe for Valentine's Day


Chef Rick Bayless joins us in studio, sharing a cocktail recipe with a little zest for Valentine’s Day. View his recipe for a Mexican El Diablo.

Mexican El Diablo
BARTENDER'S RECIPE

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Yield: 1 cocktail

Bartender's Notes: Though you could easily make this cocktail with good ginger ale/ginger beer, the Homemade Ginger Beer is really delicious and simple—well, simple if the ingredients are easily available.  The simplest incarnation of the syrup is the simple combination of water, sugar and ginger (you’d want to increase the ginger to 1/3 cup).  Lemongrass adds a citrusy, floral note, while chinchona bark adds an appealing bitterness; both can be found at well stocked groceries or on line.  To change things up, we occasionally substitute framboise (raspeberry) or Fragole (strawberry) for the Diablo’s traditional crème de cassis (black currant).

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ ounces 100% blue agave resposado tequila
  • ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
  • ½ ounce crème de cassis
  • 1 ounce Homemade Ginger Beer Syrup (see recipe below)
  • 1 ounce sparkling water
  • 10 to 15 small ice cubes (about 1 cup)
  • A 2-inch strip of lime zest, removed with a vegetable peeler

Pour in the tequila, lime juice, crème de cassis and Homemade Ginger Beer Syrup into a 10-ounce rocks glass.  Top with sparkling water and ice and stir for about 15seconds. Twist the strip of lime zest to release the aromatic oils and the nestle it into the cocktail.  Serve immediately.

PITCHER RECIPE FOR A PARTY

Yield: 8 cocktails

  • 1 ½ cups 100% blue agave resposado tequila
  • ¾ cup fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup crème de cassis
  • 1 cup Homemade Ginger Beer Syrup (see recipe below)
  • 8 ounces sparkling water
  • 8 cups ice
  • 8 2-inch strips of lime zest removed with a vegetable peeler

In a pitcher, combine the tequila, lime juice, crème de cassis and Homemade Ginger Beer Syrup.  Stir well, cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Pour a scant ½ cup of the tequila mixture into 8 10-ounce rocks glasses.  Top each with an ounce of sparking water and a cup of ice. Garnish with a strip of lime zest and serve to your guests. 

BOX: Homemade Ginger Beer Syrup

Yield: 2 cups

  • 1 ¼ cups (9 ounces) sugar
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce) minced ginger (no need to peel)
  • 1/8 cup (1/2 ounce) chopped lemongrass (you’ll need about 1/3 stalk of lemongrass)
  • 1 teaspoon cinchona (quinine bark)

In a small saucepan mix the sugar with 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil.  Simmer briskly over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and add the ginger, lemongrass and cinchona, Cover and let steep 1 hour.  Strain into a glass container.  Add 6 tablespoons lime juice.  Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.

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