Mint, Cucumber and Vodka Cocktails

Martha Stewart Living, 2007

Makes 4 servings

    2 English cucumber                                             
    Small ice cubes                                                
    1 cup loose pack mint leaves                                   
    2 teaspoons sugar                                              
    3 tablespoons lime juice                                       
    4 ounces vodka (1/2 cup)                                       
    1 ounce cointreau (2 tbsp)                                     

PREP: 5 MIN/TOTAL: 10 MIN

Cut 4 thin spears from 1 cucumber, and reserve for garnish. Peel remaining cucumbers, and quarter them lengthwise. Scrape out seeds with a spoon, and discard. Coarsely chop cucumbers, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add mint, sugar, and lime juice, and shake. Add 3/4 cup cucumber juice, the vodka, and Cointreau, and shake. Strain into 4 glasses filled with ice. Garnish each cocktail with a cucumber spear.