Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes
Basil Cucumber Martini
- Prep time
- 5 minutes PT5M
- Cook time
- N/A PT0
- Yield
- 1 drink
- Difficulty
Refreshing combination of cucumber and basil makes this a great summertime martini.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Cucumber Vodka
- ½ ounce Cocchi Americano
- 6-8 English cucumber slices
- 3-4 basil leaves
Preparation
Combine Vodka, Cocchi Americano, 6 cucumber slices and 3 basil leaves into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds and strain contents into a martini glass. Garnish with basil leaf and cucumber slices.
Techniques used in this recipe:
- muddle
-
muddle, v.: to combine ingredients, usually in the bottom of a mixing glass, by pressing them together with a muddler before the majority of liquid ingredients are added.
Examples of when this method is applied:
For a mojito sugar, fresh mint leaves and club soda are muddled.
Limes are often muddled with sugar syrup or other fruit as in a Caipirnha and Bésame.
You muddle a sugar cube and bitters in cocktails such as Sazarac and Old-Fashioned.
Glossary:
- basil
-
Native to tropical Asia and Africa; there are 30 to 40 different species but generally only one common to the spice industry.
The basil plant is a low-growing annual approximately 18-inches in height. When seen growing in the field, it is almost succulent in appearance and gives off a sweet fragrance as one brushes by. The leaves are quite large, up to 2 1/2-inches in length and from 1/2 to 1-inch in width. The taste of fresh Basil is reminiscent of licorice, and the dried leaves have a lemony, anise-like quality.
Basil is versatile in its uses, which are limited only by the degree of inventiveness of the cook. It has a special affinity for tonatoes and tomato-based recipes, whether they be salads, vegetables, sauces, or main courses.