Spicy Margarita Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients:

• Spicy Serrano Simple Syrup:
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 serrano peppers, cut crosswise into thin slices (do not remove seeds)
• Margarita:
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 lime wedges
• 4 ounces fresh lime juice
• 4 ounces Tequila Blanco or Silver
• 4 ounces Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• 2 tablespoons Spicy Serrano Simple Syrup, plus more to taste
• Ice
• Serrano pepper slices, reserved from making simple syrup

Directions:

1. Make Spicy Serrano Simple Syrup: Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Add pepper slices and continue to simmer gently for a minute or two, until reduced to 1/2 cup and peppers absorb some syrup. Remove from heat and cool. Steep peppers in syrup 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Strain syrup, reserving pepper slices and syrup separately. Cover and chill until up to a day ahead of serving.
3. Prepare glasses: Spread salt on plate. Rub lime wedge on rims of two margarita glasses to moisten. Dip rims in salt and rotate to make sure they are evenly coated.
4. Make margaritas: In a cocktail shaker, combine lime juice, tequila, Cointreau, 2 tablespoons or more of simple syrup, and a handful of ice. Shake. Strain into glasses. Add a few reserved serrano slices to each, as desired.