In landlocked Southern cities, time spent at beachy bartaco feels a little like a vacation unto itself. Serving up fresh SoCal-inspired fare like guacamole, fish tacos, rice bowls, and crazy-good margaritas, the bartaco menu just kind of feels like summer. If you’re a bartaco devotee — or if they haven’t made it to your city yet — this collection of signature summer recipes is nothing short of a godsend, especially for warm weather entertaining.
3 summer recipes from bartaco to try at home
bartaco Margarita
With temperatures inching towards triple digits, and the humidity almost too much to handle, we’re thinking MARGARITAS. This take on the classic from bartaco is just the ticket, and we can’t wait to master it at home.
This classic margarita is beautifully balanced, served with or without a salt rim. Image: bartaco
bartaco Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Libélula Joven tequila
- 1 oz triple sec
- 1 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1/4 oz agave simple syrup
- Salt for rim optional
Instructions
- Add all measured ingredients. Fill shaker with ice.
- Shake very well.
- Rim a rocks glass well with salt (if desired). Fill with ice.
- Strain mixture into glass.
Gazpacho
Tomato soup lovers, this one’s for you! Gazpacho is a refreshing summer recipe to rival its cold-weather counterpart — it starts with a puree starring fresh summer tomatoes and cucumber and is served chilled with a drizzle of olive oil and croutons for a little added texture.
Colorful, packed with fresh seasonal veggies, and served chilled — gazpacho is summer’s favorite soup. Image: bartaco
bartaco Gazpacho
Ingredients
Group 1: Base Puree
- 6 cups vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup Spanish onion, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup poblano pepper, stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup English cucumber, roughly chopped
- 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup crusty bread, crust removed, cubed
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Group 2: Vegetables, for folding into Base Puree
- 1/2 cup vine-ripened tomatoes, 1/4-inch dice, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup poblano pepper, 1/4-inch dice, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, 1/4-inch dice, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup English cucumber, 1/4-inch dice, seeds removed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss to combine 'Group 1' tomatoes, onions, poblanos, bell peppers, and cucumbers with kosher salt. Cover and keep at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours and up to 6 hours, to allow the vegetables to macerate in the salt.
- Spread bread cubes out on a sheet pan and toast at 350°F for 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Combine all 'Group 2' diced vegetables in a medium bowl; set aside.
- In another small bowl, combine olive oil and vinegar. Add toasted bread, coat well, and let soak for 10 minutes.
- Pour the vinegar-oil mixture (with soaked bread) over the macerated 'Group 1' vegetables. Add garlic and cayenne. Use a blender to puree until smooth.
- Strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer or China cap into the bowl, using a ladle to work the liquid through. Discard pulp that is left behind. Fold in the 'Group 2' small diced vegetables into the soup and mix well to combine. Store in refrigerator until chilled. Can be made the night before serving.
- When ready to serve, stir gazpacho to remix and ladle into chilled soup bowls. Drizzle olive oil on top and garnish with croutons for texture.
RELATED: Chef Ryan Trimm’s Pickled Green Beans (or Okra)
Escabeche (Mexican Pickled Vegetables)
On a list of our favorite summer recipes, you’ll always find a quick pickle recipe or two. And truth be told, during the hottest days of the season, the only heat we want on our plates is courtesy of a little hot chile. A jalapeño-infused brine lends these pickled veggies a tangy, subtly spicy flavor, without robbing them of their crunch.
These pickles get their tangy-spicy flavor from a nice long soak in a jalapeño-infused vinegar brine. Image: bartaco
bartaco Escabeche
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 large carrot, peeled, 3-inch by 1/4-inch bias cut, ridged
- 1/2 jalapeño, 1/4-inch half moons
- 1 medium yellow onion, 1/2-inch julienne
- 1 medium red bell pepper, 3/8-inch julienne
- 1 head of cauliflower florets, halved
- 1 whole garlic head, halved
Escabeche Brine
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Cut carrots on a bias.
- Cut remaining vegetables by hand and combine in a deep container, set aside.
- In a stock pot, bring escabeche brine to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over vegetables while still hot.
- Store in refrigerator in brine for a minimum of 12 hours.
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For more recipe inspiration, visit the StyleBlueprint Recipe Library!