Featured Recipe
Cucumber Basil Martini
By Kate
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A crisp, herbaceous martini with fresh cucumber and basil notes. Uses muddled cucumber for juice, vodka, and dry vermouth. Rimmed with a basil-salt blend. Garnished with cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices on skewers. Chill and shake with ice. Salt mixture adds a savory bite. Fresh lime for rim moisture adds citrus brightness.
"
Prep:
17 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
17 min
Serves:
4 servings
cocktail
martini
cucumber
basil
Introduction
Cucumber and vodka. Basil instead of coriander. Salt swapped to sea salt, coarser but less quantity. Tomatoes still with stems. Rim gets a twist. Juice strained differently, less volume but more flavor concentration. Some shaking longer by 5 seconds. Everything cut slightly bigger, chunkier pieces, demand a rough edge. No sugar, no fuss. Cool down fast, serve immediately. Skip presser to keep clear juice. Basil’s earthiness clashing with salty edge. Citrusy lime juice, a hint of summer heat grabbed from the rim. All in just over fifteen minutes.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Cucumber must be English type for least seeds, almost watery juice. Basil replaces cilantro, softer taste but aromatic, plays well with bright cucumber. Sea salt coarse texture grabs aromas better, mix thoroughly to color the salt with basil. Cherry tomatoes add sweet pop and color contrast. Vodka: smooth, clean base. Vermouth dry but balanced. Ice for chilling. Picks sturdy to hold slices. Lime wedge for rim moisture, helps salt stick better. Quantities shifted around to make flavors brighter but less salty. Chunk size bigger for visual impact and juice extraction.
Method
Technique Tips
Blender at medium speed to avoid over pulverizing. Juice strained but don’t press to avoid bitterness from pulp. Basil-salt mixture finely chopped, not pureed, aims for flecked, textured grit. Rim wet with lime, then rolled firmly in salt-basil mix to coat well. Shake vigorously enough to blend but no ice shards in drink. Strain out ice to keep martini crisp and chilled, no dilution. Skewer assembly done last to keep veggies fresh, placed gently on glass rim or inside. Serve immediately so salt rim stays intact and flavors fresh. Timing important: juice extraction takes time, shaking only brief. No dilutions or additional sweeteners.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Chop cucumber big. Helps juice extraction. Muddle well. Blend until smooth, but watch pulping. Extracting juice requires patience.
- 💡 Basil-salt blend should be chopped finely but not pulverized. Mix until vibrant. Color matters - it enhances presentation and flavor.
- 💡 Keep picks sturdy. Skewer cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices last. They stay fresh. Place gently on the rim for aesthetics.
- 💡 Rim technique? Moisten with lime. Tray the salt-basil mix. Get a good coat. Tap off excess. Keeps flavors bold but not overwhelming.
- 💡 Serve right away. Instant chill. Salt rim stays. The taste pops. Avoid letting ice melt. Maintain integrity of flavors. Crisp is key.
Kitchen Wisdom
What if the cocktail is too salty?
Adjust salt on rim. Use less salt. Experiment with the flavor balance.
Can I prep this ahead?
Juice cucumber and basil early but keep separate. Assemble when ready. Freshness matters here.
Best way to store leftover ingredients?
Keep basil hydrated, cucumber in water. Tomatoes at room temperature.
What if I don't have fresh basil?
Use dried basil in smaller amounts. Fresh is brighter, but dried can work. Adjust taste.
