PURÉE AND TINCTURE

Preserved Lemon Margarita

You may want to play around with the ratio of purée to fresh lemon to suit your taste. The tincture really adds an element of sophistication but don’t go overboard – it’s strong.

60ml blanco tequila 30ml lemon juice 30ml preserved lemon purée

Shake all the ingredients hard with ice. Pass through a small fine-meshed strainer into a martini or coupe glass and garnish with an edible flower.

Preserved lemon purée

2 preserved lemons, flesh and pith discarded

½ teaspoon cardamom tincture

edible flowers, to garnish

200ml sugar syrup (recipe below)

Combine the preserved lemon pieces and sugar syrup in a food processor or blender and blitz on high until smooth. The purée can be stored in a jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes 11/4 cups

Cardamom tincture

50–70 grams cardamom seeds

125ml 100-proof (or higher) vodka

Lightly toast the cardamom seeds in a dry pan over low heat until aromatic, then grind using a mortar and pestle. Combine the ground cardamom and the vodka in a sealable jar and leave in a cool, dark place for 5–6 days, stirring and tasting each day. The tincture should develop a strong cardamom flavour, but be careful it doesn’t become bitter. Strain through muslin (cheesecloth) or through a coffee filter paper. Store in a small bottle in the refrigerator where the tincture will last for months, if not years. Makes ½ cup