Peach Margaritas with Peach Wedges

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Servings:
8

Fresh peaches lend their heady fragrance and sweet, summery taste to these margaritas.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (about 3) ripe peaches, bottoms scored, plus 2 more peaches, for garnish

  • 3 tablespoons (2 ½ ounces) orange liqueur, such as Cointreau

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

  • ¾ cup (6 ounces) silver tequila

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 cups bottled peach nectar

  • 8 mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

  1. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add 1 pound peaches, and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Remove peaches from water.

  2. Peel and halve peaches, and remove pits. Slice peaches into wedges, and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with orange liqueur, sugar, and salt. Cover, and set in a warm spot until peaches give off juice, about 20 minutes.

  3. Puree peach mixture in a blender or a food processor until completely smooth. Immediately stir in tequila and lemon juice. (Peach puree with tequila can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 4 hours.) Transfer to a pitcher, and stir in peach nectar.

  4. Fill each of 8 tall glasses with ice, and garnish each with a mint sprig. Cut the remaining 2 peaches into 8 thick wedges, cut a small slit into inside curve of each wedge, and place one wedge on rim of each glass. Divide margarita among glasses.

Cook's Notes

The peach wedges used as a garnish should be slightly firm, but still ripe, so they can easily be perched on the rim of the glass.

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