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Marrakesh Express (Pomegranate Mezcal Cocktail With Harissa) Recipe

Maggie Hoffman
Published: Last Updated:
Marrakesh Express (Pomegranate Mezcal Cocktail With Harissa) Recipe

[Photograph: © Kelly Puleio 2018, resized for publication]

This mezcal cocktail, created by Los Angeles bartender Gabriella Mlynarczyk, has a remarkably complex flavor without using any bitters, fancy syrups, or liqueurs. Instead, it calls for pantry ingredients, pairing the earthy agave spirit with tangy pomegranate, savory, warming harissa, and a touch of rose water for a delicate floral aroma.

Reprinted with permission from The One-Bottle Cocktail: More than 80 Recipes With Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit by Maggie Hoffman, copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Why It Works

  • Fresh pomegranate juice gives the drink an intense pomegranate flavor and brightness.
  • Harissa adds a savory spiciness that complements the pomegranate juice.
  • A splash of aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas) adds a delicately foamy texture while keeping the drink vegan-friendly; egg white is a fine substitute if you don’t have chickpeas around.

Read more: Pomegranate and Harissa Make a Refreshingly Complex Mezcal Cocktail

  • Yield:makes 1 cocktail
  • Active time: 2 minutes
  • Total time:2 minutes
  • Rated: 5

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces (45ml) mezcal
  • 1 1/2 ounces (45ml) pomegranate juice (fresh preferred, see notes)
  • 3/4 ounce (22ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 ounce (22ml) 1:1 simple syrup (see note)
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (3 to 5ml) harissa paste, either homemade or store-bought (such as DEA)
  • 3/4 teaspoon (4ml) rose water
  • Splash aquafaba or egg white (about 1 tablespoon) (see note)
  • Pinch each pomegranate seeds, cracked pink peppercorns, and flaky salt (black, smoked, or Maldon), for garnish

Directions

  1. 1.

    Combine mezcal, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, harissa, rose water, and aquafaba in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously without ice for 20 seconds to emulsify.

  2. 2.

    Add ice, reseal shaker, and shake until chilled and foamy, about 30 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

  3. 3.

    Garnish with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, cracked pink peppercorns, and flaky salt.

This Recipe Appears In
Pomegranate and Harissa Make a Refreshingly Complex Mezcal Cocktail

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