It’s almost a given that I will show up to any family gathering with the salad…and the cocktails. I have a handful of go-to recipes but recently partnered with Casa de Suna, a beautifully curated shop founded by women, to create two totally new recipes served up in some special pieces from their site.
Blood Orange Mezcalita
The perfect late winter/early spring cocktail when blood oranges are still seasonal and warmer days are on the horizon. Not a fan of mezcal? Simply opt for all tequila (you can even go vodka or gin if tequila isn’t your thing). The agave simple syrup dissolves in the cocktail immediately, which means you don’t need to shake a thing and can batch this recipe for guests beforehand, and simply stir and pour upon their arrival (thus preventing you from standing behind the bar with a shaker in hand all night).
Instructions
Start by making the agave simple syrup - bring equal parts agave + water to a boil (½ cup of each will give you enough for this recipe, plus some extra). Once boiling, stir to combine. Stick in fridge/freezer to cool.
Next, rim your glasses - cut a wedge from a lime and rub the cut side of the lime along the rim of the glass. Pour Tajin (or salt) onto a plate and dip the glass rim into the Tajin or salt.
Add all ingredients to the pitcher, stir well.
Fill cups with ice. Pour mixture over ice and garnish with a thin blood orange slice.
Ingredients
4 ounces silver tequila
4 ounces mezcal*
4 ounces agave simple syrup
4 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
4 ounces fresh squeezed blood orange juice
For serving
Tajin (or sea salt) and a lime wedge for rimming the glass
Thin blood orange slices
Ice
*If you’re not a fan of mezcal, go ahead and skip it - simply opt for 8oz silver tequila instead
Radicchio + Beet Salad
W/ Creamy Goat Cheese Dressing
The prettiest salad you ever did see. The sweetness of the roasted beets and hint of honey in the goat cheese dressing compliment the pleasant bitter of the radicchio making this a salad [almost] every guest can get behind.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Use a potato peeler to remove beet skins. Cut beets into wedges of preferred size. Drizzle with olive oil and flakey sea salt, roast for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.
Next, remove goat cheese from fridge and bring to room temperature.
While your goat cheese is sitting out, wash all lettuce in a salad spinner, you can leave pieces large or cut them down.
To make dressing, put all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and combine until smooth.
Assemble salad by placing all lettuce in a large bowl along with beets, a few small handfuls of pistachios and fennel fronds. Pour dressing over your medley and toss to combine.
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs whole beets of any color
1 small or ½ large head radicchio, roughly torn
1 small head butter leaf lettuce
⅓ cup salted pistachios
Fennel fronds, to taste
Vinaigrette Ingredients
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 log goat cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons honey
Salt + pepper to taste