Cucumber Basil Gimlet Cocktail

• Produce

  • 2 cups Basil leaves plus, packed fresh
  • 3/4 oz Cucumber, juice
  • 4 Persian cucumbers ends

• Condiments

  • 2 3 cup granulated sugar or honey plus 1 teaspoon
  • 3/4 oz Basil simple syrup
  • 1/2 oz Lime juice, freshly squeezed

• Frozen

  • 1 Ice

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 2 oz Hendrick's gin

Found on saltandwind.com

Description

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar or honey plus 1 teaspoon for cucumber juice
• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves plus 4 leaves for cocktail
• 4 Persian cucumbers ends trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice divided
• 2 ounces Hendricks Gin
• 3/4 ounce cucumber juice
• 3/4 ounce Basil simple syrup
• ice

Directions

• For the Basil Simple Syrup: Whisk together 3/4 cup of water with 2/3 cups of sugar or honey in a small saucepan then place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, add the 2 cups of basi leavesl, and set aside at room temperature to cool, at least 30 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh sieve, discard basil, then cover simple syrup, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. 
• For the cucumber juice: Combine cucumber, 1/4 ounce of the lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey in a mini food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a mesh sieve, pushing on the back to extract juices (you should have about 1/2 cup). 
• For the cocktail: Reserve one basil leaf for garnish then place remaining three basil leaves in a shaker and bruise a few times with a muddler. Add 3/4 ounce cucumber juice, 3/4 ounce Basil Simple Syrup, remaining 1/4 ounce lime juice and add ice. Shake until chilled then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Smack reserved basil leaf between your hands over the glass (to release essential oils) then float on the cocktail’s surface and serve.