Green

If you read my recipe blog regularly, you know that it’s more about balance than devotion to 100% clean eating. This month’s recipe is for a refreshing basil lime cocktail with vodka that I got from MJ’s wife, Cassie, which she adapted from Foxes Love Lemons and which has been helping her to use her bumper crop of basil. She and the Ging have nicknamed it Green. (See their other favorite, Pink.) Makes 1 cocktail.

INGREDIENTS

  • 10 medium basil leaves

  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

  • 1 ½ ounces vodka

  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (Cassie uses ½ oz)

  • Tonic water

  • Fresh basil and lime wheel for garnish (optional)

 PROCEDURE

  1. Place basil leaves and sugar in cocktail shaker and muddle until sugar is dissolved and no large pieces of basil remain. The mixture should have a dark green, soupy appearance.

  2. Add vodka, lime juice and a handful of ice cubes to shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.

  3. Fill a double old-fashioned glass with ice and strain vodka mixture into glass. Top glass with tonic water. Garnish with basil and lime wheel and serve immediately.

NOTES FROM ORIGINAL AUTHOR 

  • I used granulated sugar for this basil cocktail because the grit from the sugar helps to break down the basil leaves. But, there are other options.

  • If you have simple syrup on hand, you can use that for this basil drink. Start with 1/4 ounce (1-1/2 teaspons) per drink, and add more to taste if needed.

  • You can also use agave nectar (also so good in agave lemonade) for these cocktails with basil. Again, start with 1/4 ounce per drink, and add more to taste if needed.

RecipesSusan JohnsonComment