LEFTOVER
HERB AND CELERY COCKTAIL
PREP TIME
15 minutes
ACTIVE TIME
15 minutes
TOTAL TIME
1 hour 30 minutes (includes infusing time)
EASY
What a great way to use up the inevitable leftover herbs from that mega meal prep! When a cocktail both makes you happy and feels healthy, you’ve got a winner.
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups water
1 small bunch thyme, plus 6 sprigs for garnish
6 large fresh sage leaves
10 celery stalks, thinly sliced
9 ounces gin (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Ice
Tonic water
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and ¾ cup of the water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the thyme bunch and sage leaves, using a spoon to press down on the herbs to make sure they are completely covered by the sugar syrup. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to let the flavors infuse.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the celery and the remaining ¾ cup water and puree until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to push down on the celery pulp to extract as much juice as possible (you should end up with about 1½ cups celery juice). (The celery juice can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.)
3. Rinse the strainer, set it over a second medium bowl, and strain the cooled herb syrup, using the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to press down on the herbs to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the herbs.
4. To assemble each cocktail, in a cocktail shaker, combine 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of the herb syrup, 1½ ounces of the gin, ¼ cup (2 ounces) of the celery juice, and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice. Add enough ice to fill the cocktail shaker (about 4 cubes), cover tightly, and shake vigorously for a few seconds, until the mixture is very cold.
5. Hold a mesh strainer over the top of the strainer on the shaker top and double-strain the cocktail into a lowball glass filled with crushed ice. Repeat for each cocktail. Add a splash of tonic water to each glass, garnish with a thyme sprig, and serve immediately. (Any leftover herb syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.)
Most herbs are great for the syrup, but avoid rosemary, which can taste medicinal.