Grilled strawberry daiquiri

Shaking up a classic cocktail with a new technique!

I’m not usually a fan of fruity drinks – I generally find them overly sweet – so this grilled daiquiri is a game-changer for me. Grilling the ingredients prior to blending not only adds a subtle smoky element to the drink; it also brings out more of the fruits’ natural sweetness, so no added sugar is needed. You could easily grill up a larger quantity of strawberries and limes then freeze them, thawing as needed to prepare batches of this tasty summertime treat. The same method can be used to prepare a lovely mocktail – just substitute sparkling water for the rum.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (750 mL) fresh strawberries
• 3 limes, halved
• 1 cup (250 mL) white or light rum
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups (250 – 375 mL) ice cubes, as needed to achieve desired thickness
• 4 – 6 whole fresh strawberries, for garnish
• 4 – 6 lime slices, for garnish

Method

• Preheat barbeque or ridged stovetop grill pan to medium-high.
• Hull the 3 cups (750 mL) strawberries and thread onto double-pronged skewers.
• Grill the berries and halved limes, cut side down, until nicely scorched (but not burnt) and starting to get mushy.
• Remove berries from skewers.
• With a citrus reamer or the tines of fork, extract as much juice as possible from the grilled limes.
• In a blender combine the rum, strawberries, lime juice and 1 cup (250 mL) of ice.
• Pulse to evenly blend. Check the consistency of the mixture – if you prefer it slushier, add another ½ cup (125 mL) of ice cubes and pulse until smooth.
• Pour into stemmed cocktail glasses and garnish with a lime slice and a whole strawberry.

Makes 4 – 6 drinks, depending upon the size of your glassware.