Unfortunately, this is another one of those recipes that I’ve had around so long I don’t remember its provenance. But it’s wonderful, wonderful if you just have too many cucumbers to eat fresh. It’s lightly sweetened and enhanced with a little mint and lemon juice. It’s a take-off on the version Lisa Rochon sells at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. You can vary the herbs – Lisa makes her cucumber water with basil.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 cup boiling water 1 pound of cucumber (about 2 1/2 cups roughly chopped) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
Put the mint leaves and sugar in a small pot and crush the leaves with a wooden spoon. Pour in the boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to steep and cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a blender, purée the cucumber with 2 cups cold water. Strain the cucumber liquid and mint liquid through a fine strainer into a large bowl; discard the solids. Pour the liquid into a large pitcher. Add the lemon juice and 3 cups cold water; stir to combine. Serve over ice.