In this post: Honey-Roasted Strawberry & Rhubarb Mock-a-Ritas.
7 Ingredients
“Monday Margaritas” has such a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? These are especially nice, as they bring with them a strong burst of springtime freshness with their classic seasonal combination of strawberries and rhubarb. With only a handful of simple, affordable ingredients, this is one “dump and blend” drink that is both easy and flavorful, whether you choose to keep them “mock” or not (and who doesn’t love a good food pun?)
But can you just throw any combination of fruits and ice into a blender and call it a “mock margarita?” And what is the difference between a smoothie and a mock margarita? I suppose the answer is, “not much.” The line, my friends, is fine … let’s be honest. But the combination of the tangy rhubarb and strawberries gives this drink a decidedly “margarita” feel – much more so than combinations of other, more inherently sweet fruits would. So, that’s part of the reason why this drink is what it is. The other part, is the copious amount of freshly squeezed citrus juice that goes into it. By squeezing lots of lime and orange juice into the mix, you transport this drink from smoothie status comfortably into margaritaville – or at least I think so. Oh, and there’s the sugar-salt rim – last I checked, that is the calling card of margaritas and therefore not optional when crafting mock versions of the drink.
You can, of course, un-mock it at any time, if you like. It IS Monday, after all.
Honey-Roasted Strawberry & Rhubarb Mock-a-Ritas
Ingredients
- 1 pint .75 lbs strawberries, hulled, trimmed and halved
- 2 stalks rhubarb cut into 1” pieces
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp cup honey divided
- Juice of 3 limes 2 if they’re really large
- Juice of 2 large oranges or grapefruit if you want to go more of a Paloma route
- Ice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup salt
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet and arrange the strawberries and rhubarb pieces on top in an even layer. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of the honey over top and gently toss to coat.
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Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and beginning to lightly caramelize. Cool for 10 minutes prior to making your drinks.
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When they’ve cooled some, add the strawberries and rhubarb to a blender along with the remaining ¼ cup honey, lime juice, orange juice, and 2 to 3 cups of ice (or as much as you like).
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Blend on high speed until smooth and frothy. Meanwhile, run a cut lime around the rim of your glasses to moisten. Combine the sugar and salt on a plate and dip the glass rims in this mixture to coat. Pour the mock-a-rita mixture into your rimmed glasses, and enjoy.
