Mexican-style beer Bloody Mary with lime and chilli popcorn (michelada con maíz palomero, ají y limón)

Served all over Mexico, the michelada is a savoury beer cocktail flavoured similarly to a Virgin Mary. The recipe varies from region to region like many popular Mexican dishes, but basically lime, chilli, salt, hot sauce and cold beer come together in a chilled glass. For the more adventurous, additions include clamato juice (clam and tomato juice), Worcestershire sauce, Maggi seasoning and even slices of fresh chilli. This recipe was inspired by the micheladas of Veracruz in the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t be afraid of the clamato juice; the clam flavour is very subtle and adds beautifully natural saltiness to the drink.

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 5 cups popped corn
• 1½ tbsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 pinches citric acid (see Note)
• 6 Mexican beers, such as Dos Equis or Pacifico
• ice, to serve
• lime and lemon slices, to serve

Sangrita

• 750 ml clamato or tomato juice (see Note)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice, or to taste
• 1½ tbsp hot sauce (salsa picante) (see Note)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (see Note)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper and the citric acid. Add the salt mix to the popcorn and toss until well combined. Set aside.

For the sangrita, combine all the ingredients and stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings, it should be spicy, slightly sweet, tart and well seasoned.

To serve, rub a lime or lemon slice around the rim of a beer glass. Combine the remaining salt and  cayenne pepper, then roll the rim of the glass in the mixture. Place a generous amount of ice in the glass and fill one-third with sangrita. Slowly pour in the beer and mix gently to combine. Garnish with lime and lemon slices and serve with lime and chilli popcorn.

Note

• Clamato juice is a combination of clam and tomato juice and is available from select delicatessens and online. Substitute tomato juice if unavailable.

• Citric acid is available in most supermarkets.

• The spiciness and flavour of hot sauces varies dramatically. Common hot sauces are habanero, jalapeno and Tabasco, which are available in Latin food stores, delicatessens and some supermarkets.

• Traditionally in Mexico, micheladas are made with Maggi seasoning, but as this contains MSG, soy sauce has been used as a replacement. 

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Kristine Duran-Thiessen. Coloured glassware from Market Import; tiles from Di Lorenzo.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.