Adapted from Martha Stewart Living (April 2013)
Want to have a big sip of spring in a glass?
Then mix yourself up a spring tonic, like these Dandelion-Lime Coolers.
We spied a recipe for Sorrel-Lime Tonics in the latest Martha Stewart Living. They were practically neon in their greenness, and so unusual sounding, that we were eager to whip up a batch.
The only problem? We couldn't find any sorrel -- the farmers markets were all out and there was none to be found at Whole Foods. So we grabbed something else springy and unusual-sounding -- dandelion greens -- and got to mixing.
Martha notes in the magazine that there's really no substitute for sorrel because of its unique, lemony and slightly sour taste. She suggests making similar herb concoctions with basil or tarragon, and maybe even a nip of gin.
For our coolers, we opted to go booze free, but think we chose well by using dandelion greens, with their sharp, bitter taste. Since the coolers have a heavy dose of sweetness from agave nectar, we didn't fear the bitter greens, assuming the two would balance each other out.
And our assumption turned out to be right -- the dandelion greens give the coolers a good but unusual flavor, sharp but tempered by the lime and agave. Over ice and topped with club soda, we thought these Dandelion-Lime Coolers were lovely, light and refreshing.
We can't wait to make these again when we have sorrel on hand, and we love the idea of experimenting with other herbs and greens.
Dandelion-Lime Cooler
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living (April 2013)
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(this photo: Martha Stewart Living)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Note from Zach and Clay:
The original recipe uses in sorrel. We opted to substitute dandelion greens after not being able to find sorrel. Martha suggests substituting other herbs, such as basil or tarragon.
Ingredients
1/4 cup agave nectar1/2 cup water
3/4 cup thinly sliced dandelion green leaves
4 limes, quartered, plus 4 thin rounds, for garnish
40 ounces seltzer, chilled
Directions
Combine agave nectar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring. Let syrup cool completely, then transfer to a blender and puree with dandelion greens until smooth. Pour syrup through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard solids.
Squeeze lime quarters into a large pitcher. Add quarters to pitcher and gently smash with the back of a wooden spoon to release the oils in the rind. Add sorrel syrup and seltzer. Serve over ice, garnished with lime rounds.