Sangrita

• Recipe by Arunas Bruzas

Sangrita is the traditional chaser for shots of tequila. This recipe comes from Arunas Bruzas, the bartender at the Adobo Grill in Chicago.

Ingredients

1. 2 medium cucumbers, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter
2. 1/2 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
3. 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
4. 1/2 cup tomato juice
5. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6. 1 tablespoon minced onion
7. 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Cut two 3 1/2-inch lengths from each of the cucumbers to use as cups. Peel the pieces, leaving a 1 1/2-inch band of peel at one end of each. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds, stopping just before reaching the bottom. Refrigerate the cups for at least 10 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the ancho chile over moderate heat until it begins to blister, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the ancho to a work surface to cool. 
3. In a blender, combine the orange, tomato and lime juices with the onion and Worcestershire sauce; crumble in the toasted ancho and puree. Strain through a coarse sieve. Season the sangrita with salt and pepper and chill for 20 minutes. 
4. Pour the sangrita into the cucumber cups and serve.

Make Ahead

The sangrita can be refrigerated overnight.