A while back, I saw an simple breakfast idea that sounded so delicious I thought to myself, "This should be in a cocktail."
The breakfast: brûléed grapefruit. The cocktail: Sugar and Squeeze.
I only mention the breakfast recipe was easy to pull off because that's how it was presented to me — and, in theory, it should be. But allow me to pass along a tip that nobody gave me: If, and when, the brown sugar melts off the top of the grapefruit and onto your baking sheet (which is under the broiler), keep a close eye on it. Once the fruit starts smoking it's dangerously close to going from "brûléed grapefruit" to "torched grapefruit."
The first time I attempted this, I kept checking the fruit, waiting to achieve a perfectly golden brown brûléed color for a gorgeous Instagram photo to make everyone envious. Well, that quintessential hue never came, but a decent-size fire did. In case this does happen, don’t panic — turn off the the oven, close the door and suffocate the damn thing. And look on the bright side, you've added a serendipitous smoky flavor to your cocktail. That's a pro move. If you have guests over, play it off as planned and say something about the smokiness adding another layer of flavor to the drink.
Now, do you know what our breakfast is missing? Bourbon. Since we can't pour the booze straight into the grapefruit and eat it like a bowl of adult cereal, we're using it for this week's cocktail. The juice of the caramelized, sticky, sweet, tart brûléed grapefruit — once cooled, of course — pairs wonderfully with the bourbon. And when I say wonderfully, I mean it seems like they were made for each other.
So forget the store-bought juice. This one's a keeper.
Sugar and Squeeze
Makes 1
Brown Sugar Brûléed Grapefruit Juice:
2 whole grapefruits, halved
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
Turn oven broiler on high. Place grapefruits flesh side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the top. Place baking sheet under hot broiler and keep a close eye on them. Remove when brown sugar caramelizes (this will only take a few minutes). Once cooled, squeeze grapefruit through a fine-mesh strainer. Taste and add more brown sugar if needed.
Cocktail:
4 ounces brown sugar brûléed grapefruit juice
2 ounces bourbon
1 ounce Amaro Montenegro (optional)
In a rocks glass filled with ice, add all ingredients. Stir with a bar spoon for 15-30 seconds. Add a couple additional ice cubes to fill.
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