Strawberry Basil Margaritas

We received a basil plant in our latest CSA and wanted to pay homage to this early summer herb. In addition to adding fresh basil to the margarita, we fried some leaves for a pretty garnish.

Slightly adapted from Our Salty Kitchen.

Ingredients:

-3/4 pint fresh strawberries

-3/4 cup frozen strawberries

-1/2 cup tequila

-1.5 ounce triple sec

-1 lime juiced 

-1 tablespoon honey

-10-12 basil leaves

-ice

-sea salt

Heat a thin layer of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat for the optional fried basil leaf garnish. Take four or five leaves, and if they are curled, split them carefully along the stem until they can lie more or less flat. Fry for thirty seconds per side, watching carefully, then remove and cool on a paper towel.

Quarter the fresh strawberries, then add to a blender with frozen strawberries, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, honey, and 5-8 fresh basil leaves; puree. With a squeezed lime half, moisten the rim of your glasses and invert onto a dish of sea salt to coat. Add strawberries or basil to the puree to taste, pour over ice and serve immediately with a fried basil leaf garnish.