After the last few weeks of cucumbers in the CSA box you might need a new strategy. Drink your cucumbers. Juicing cucumbers or blending them and straining the puree is a great way to cool down for the summer and offer an interesting beverage while waiting for the grill to get hot at your mid summer barbecue.
Triple Lemon Refresher
Slice one lemon cucumber thinly and put into a cocktail shaker. In the shaker combine equal parts gin (Hendrick's) and fresh lemon juice. I usually squeeze one lemon per person and eyeball the gin to match. Add lemon basil simple syrup to taste. Add ice and shake well.
Put a slice or two of the boozy lemon cucumber into each cocktail glass, add fresh ice and strain cocktail into the glasses. If you still have fresh lemon basil, a leaf or two crushed into the glass is nice.
You could stretch it out with some seltzer if you like.
Lemon Basil simple syrup
How to Make It:
Put one bunch lemon basil in a small heavy pot with one part sugar and two parts water. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Cover and steep, the longer the better, at least ten minutes. Decant into a jar and keep in the fridge. Use it to flavor seltzer water, hot or iced tea, cocktails, brush on pound cake or fruit pies and tarts, drizzle over plain yogurt, sliced fresh peaches, strawberries, plums...
Thyme and rosemary also make good simple syrup, but the lemon basil syrup is so special and addictive.
or try
Cucumber Lemonade Mocktail
from Food and Wine
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