Thai Basil & Lemongrass martini

One of our first couture cocktails the diner, it is still one of my favorites.  A couture cocktail is one we crafted specifically to compliment a meal.  Blending flavors and ingredients to evoke a mood we hope meal will embody.

Start by picking 5 fresh Thai basil leaves and put them in a cocktail shaker.  

Slice two pepper slices from the center of a jalapeno or thai chili; you want some of the pith and seeds for the heat. 

Add the vodka, ginger liqueur, lemongrass liqueur and muddle well.  You really want to crush the flesh of the peppers and bruise the leaves.  Don't rip them to tiny pieces, but you want the oils released to flavor your cocktail.

Add the lime juice and the coconut milk.  Put on the shaker lid and give it a good shake BEFORE adding the ice.  This is to get the coconut milk to blend into the drink.  It can clump if it gets cold before incorporating.

Add the ice and shake again.  When the shaker is frosty, pour into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with the chili slices and lime slice.