Icy Lemon-ginger Vodka Cocktails

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 3 inches piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 cups crushed ice
• 2 cups vodka
• 8 mint sprigs, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 in a small saucepan, combine the sliced ginger with the water and sugar and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. simmer for 5 minutes, then let the ginger syrup cool slightly. transfer to a blender and puree. strain the syrup into a large, shallow glass dish. stir in the lemon zest and juice. cover and freeze the lemon-ginger syrup until firm, at least 4 hours.
• 2 let the frozen lemon-ginger mixture stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. chop the mixture into large pieces. put half of the pieces in a blender, add 4 cups of crushed ice and 1 cup of vodka and blend until slushy. pour the vodka cocktail into 4 glasses, garnish each with a mint sprig and serve. repeat with the remaining frozen lemon mixture, ice, vodka and mint sprigs. serve at once.
• 3 make ahead the lemon-ginger mixture can be frozen for up to 1 week.
• 4 notes
• 5 cooking club tip: peel ginger's thin and delicate skin by scraping down the root with a metal teaspoon. a spoon maneuvers around the nubs more easily than a pairing knife.