Cocktails
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[Photo: Heather Meldrom]

Tart rhubarb and sweet, red strawberries are the perfect foil for fresh basil in this pretty spring cocktail. You can refrigerate the unused portion of puree in an airtight container for up to one week.

About the Author: Heather Meldrom is a former Senior Food Editor at Martha Stewart. Currently she works as a freelance food stylist, writer, and recipe developer based in NYC. She can be found at heathermeldrom.com and sweetandsavored.com.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: makes 2 1/2 cups puree
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup diced rhubarb, from about 2 stalks
  • 1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Leaves from 1 small bunch basil, small leaves reserved for garnish
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry sparkling wine for every 5 drinks

Procedures

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries, water, and sugar over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until fruit is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add large basil leaves, and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

  2. When cool, remove and discard basil leaves. Add remaining mixture to blender and blend on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons mixture into each glass, add a small amount of sparkling wine to loosen purée, then fill glasses with sparkling wine. Garnish each glass with small basil leaves.