Cucumber Infused Gin

• 0.750 lt Gin
• 1x pc Vanilla pod, seedless
• 0.250 kg Cucumber peels
• 0.050 kg Fresh dill stems
• 0.050 kg Fresh fennel base/stems

1. 1 Wash but do not peel the cucumbers; cut in length of 5 to 7 cm.
2. 2 Split a vanilla bean in ½; reserve the paste for another use. Scrape the pod of any paste. Cut the pod into 2 to 3 cm length batônnets.
3. 3 In a sous-vide bag, pour the gin.
4. 4 Add the chopped dill stems.
5. 5 Add the fennel base / stems slices, cucumber and the vanilla pods.
6. 6 Seal the bag under vacuum.
7. 7 Infuse @60°c for 2 hours.
8. 8 Remove the bag from the immersion tower, put the bag in an ice bath until completely cooled off.
9. 9 Filter the gin and keep it in a clean bottle.
10. 10 Use well chilled; can be kept in the freezer.
11. 11 Nutritional highlights: a cucumber-vanilla-fennel-infused gin is a zero-sugar, zero-carb spirit. By preparing it sous-vide at low temperatures, you preserve the volatile herbal oils and vitamins while skipping the calories, fat, and carbohydrates found in sugary liqueurs.
12. 12 Calories: ~97 kcal per 1.5 oz (44 ml) serving, entirely sourced from the base alcohol.
13. 13 Macronutrients: 0g of protein, 0g of fat, and 0g of sugar or net carbs.
14. 14 Vitamins & antioxidants: cucumber peels are rich in vitamin C and polyphenols. Fennel seeds contain antioxidants (like anethole) and minerals.
15. 15 The sous-vide advantage: cooking under a precise, low-temperature vacuum prevents the oxidation and evaporation of volatile compounds. This means a fresher, more highly concentrated botanical flavour profile than traditional steeping, extracting maximum bioactive ingredients without adding calories.
16. 16 Digestion & gut health: both fennel and juniper act as traditional aids for bloating and digestion.

Sustainability impact

Wasted avoided: vanilla pods, cucumber skins/peels. By-product used: vanilla pods, cucumber skins, fennel bulb outer leaves. Valorisation strategy: extracting flavour sous-vide relies on low heat and time to pull volatile compounds out of the botanicals and into the alcohol. However, this leaves behind solid waste that is heavily saturated with flavour, essential oils, and alcohol. A circular economy approach ensures no material is wasted. 1. Culinary Upcycling (Dehydration). Spent fennel seeds and cucumber peels still retain deep aromatics and are completely safe to consume if your equipment is sterile. Method: spread the spent cucumber and fennel mixture onto a baking sheet or dehydrator tray. Temperature & time: dehydrate at a low temperature 50C to 60C until completely dry and brittle. Application: once dry, grind the mix into a fine botanical spice. This makes an excellent garnish or rub for grilled fish, salads, or roasted vegetables, utilising the licorice/anise notes of the fennel and the fresh aromatics of the cucumber. 2. Polyphenol & Antioxidant Extraction. Fennel seeds and cucumber skins are rich in bioactive compounds, polyphenols, and essential oils. Method: you can maximise the yield of these health-promoting compounds by processing the solid waste in a solvent extraction using water or a water/ethanol mixture. Application: the extracted liquid can be concentrated into a botanical extract used for natural flavouring, food preservation, or as an antioxidant additive for cosmetics and agricultural biostimulants. 3. Agricultural Valorisation (Compost / Fertiliser). If the spent botanicals are not needed for culinary purposes, they can be repurposed directly into horticulture or gardening. Method: the spent mixture (containing residual sugars and plant matter) can be added to an anaerobic digestion system or a commercial bokashi/compost bin. Application: decompost the waste to create a rich, nitrogen-heavy bio-fertiliser, effectively returning the carbon and plant nutrients back to the soil. 4. Distillation Stillage Processing. In commercial settings, leftover spent botanicals can be processed to capture residual alcohol or converted into biogas. Method: used botanicals can be steam-distilled a second time to recover any trapped ethanol before composting the remaining solids. Circular economy principle: applying circular economy principles by repurposing organic waste (e.g., cucumber peels from salads) and utilising the whole botanical. Maximise extraction efficiency using the low-temperature, rapid-infusion method in Sous-vide infusions.