Basil Gimlet with Celery and Lime
Gin, fresh lime and a basil simple syrup, with an ounce and a half of celery juice for a savory floor and a color that comes out of the vegetable rather than a bottle. Double strained and served up.
Ingredients
Basil Simple Syrup (makes about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 large basil sprigs leaves and stems, stems carry most of the aroma
The Gimlet
- 3 fresh basil leaves sweet Italian basil, not Thai
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice squeezed to order
- 2 ounces London dry gin
- 1 1/2 ounces fresh celery juice about 3 or 4 large stalks
- 1/2 ounce basil simple syrup from the group above, chilled
- 1 celery leaf top and a basil leaf to garnish
Instructions
Make the Basil Syrup
- Warm the sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup just trembles. Do not let it boil, which concentrates it and makes the finished drink cloying.
- Take the pot off the heat, push the basil sprigs under the surface and leave them to steep as the syrup cools, about 30 minutes. Strain, pressing the sprigs lightly, and refrigerate. It keeps 2 weeks and darkens slightly, which is normal.
Shake and Strain
- Chill a coupe or a small footed glass in the freezer. Press the 3 basil leaves gently against the base of the shaker with the lime juice, four or five turns only. Bruise them, do not shred them.
- Fill the shaker with large ice, add the gin, celery juice and basil syrup, and shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the tin frosts.
- Double strain through the shaker's strainer and a fine mesh sieve into the chilled glass, so no basil fragments or celery fiber come through, and garnish with the celery leaf and a basil leaf.
Notes
The syrup group makes about 3/4 cup, roughly a dozen drinks, and keeps 2 weeks refrigerated. Make it once and the drink itself takes ninety seconds.
Add the basil off the heat. Hot syrup poured over basil cooks it and tastes stewed. Take the pot off the burner, push the sprigs under, and steep 30 minutes as it cools.
Press the leaves in the shaker, do not shred them. Torn basil goes bitter and turns the drink olive. Four or five gentle turns is the whole job.
Celery juice must be fresh. Bottled tastes cooked, and even home-pressed juice flattens within 24 hours.
For a classic basil gimlet with no celery, use 2 1/2 ounces gin, 3/4 ounce lime juice and 3/4 ounce basil syrup.
No juicer: blend 3 or 4 stalks with a splash of water and press the pulp through a fine sieve.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1drink | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 95mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 12mg