Mint: Uses & Storage

[tommy]

i've got more mint than i know what to do with growing in my yard. the basil is doing quite well as well. i'm thinking of making a pasta tonite with mint and possibly basil. any suggestions?

[Jinmyo]

If you have some pancetta (or bacon) and some peas...

[LaNiña]

How about some pesto, with a nice amount of mint added?

Make some mint ice tea, how about some mojitos...

[tommy]

If you have some pancetta (or bacon) and some peas...

are you thinking a cream-based sauce jinny?

[SobaAddict70]

tommy, you might try cooking it in a sauce of garlic, white wine and herbs -- along with shrimp, scallops and/or crab. maybe add a bit of red pepper flakes for bite.

Mint is used extensively in pasta sauces from the Roman region.

SA

[Jinmyo]

Sorry this is late, tommy. I'd use cream if I had a few wild mushrooms or bits of chicken or such.

But a simple farfalle with peas, pancetta, mint, a bit of garlic, EVOO and then some pecorino and shattered pepper bits is pretty nice.

So what did you do, tommy?

[Jinmyo]

Ah well, then. Mint pesto with chestnuts and pecorino. Pho, pho, and pho with mint. Boiled or roasted tiny potatoes with a bit of cream, butter, and mint. Grilled lamb chops with a mint marinade and then vinaigrette. Mint julep. Mint with tomatoes, onion, yogurt, zataar and pita chips. Mint...

[Jaymes]

Taboule

[SobaAddict70]

I second the pho with mint.

[LaNiña]

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Mint and Garlic on Spaghetti

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves, or more to taste

3/4 pound spaghetti

In a large skillet, place the garlic and 2 talespoons of the oil.

Cook over low heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and cook until the garlic is golden,

about 10 seconds longer. Add the tomatoes and cook over high heat,

stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick but chunky and some

tomato liquid still remains, about 10 minutes. Turn of the heat

and season with the salt, pepper and mint.

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti

until tender but still firm, about 8 minutes. Drain and toss with

the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Reheat the sauce over moderate

heat. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl and toss with a

third of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the spaghetti;

toss lightly and serve.

[LaNiña]

Pasta with Zucchini and mint sauce

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

90 grams butter

3 medium zucchini -- grated

250 grams cream cheese

1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup milk

1 clove garlic -- crushed

1/2 cup fresh mint sprigs

250 grams fresh pasta

Heat butter in pan, add zucchini, stir over medium heat for 2 minutes, or

until zucchini are just soft.

Blend or process cheeses, milk garlic and mint until smooth.

add to zucchini mixture, stir gently until heated through.

Add pasta to large saucepan of boiling water, boil, uncovered until just

tender; drain.

Return to saucepan, gently stir in zucchini mixture.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Serving Ideas : extra parmesan cheese

[Jinmyo]

Okay, okay. Pasta.

Saute a sweet onion, add garlic, add rough chopped green tomatoes, add capers, a bit of limoncello, some shrimp or lobster meat. Add some minced mint. Now dress pasta (I'd say ziti because I love ziti). Add a bit more mint, some EVOO.

Or. Roast some rabbit with a mirepoix. Remove rabbit, debone. Remove mirepoix and clean it up, reduce sauce. Add white wine, mint. Cook large wonton wrappers. Assemble three or four layers of wrappers with rabbit in between, Nap with the sauce, surround with a bit of the (cleaned-up) mirepoix. Or a few shavings of good parmesan.

[Jinmyo]

All right, so not pasta. But you could have pasta with this.

Take some tomato sauce and poach a few eggs in it. A scattering of chopped mint (some basil too, if you want). Crank the pepper (I know you carry a grinder with you). A nice dust of parmesan. Some crostini.

Really.

In fact, a touch of mint with some (over easy) fried eggs can be nice.

[Jason Perlow]

You could buy a food drier and dry the mint for use to mix with green tea during the winter. Thats what I intend to do with all of ours that is left over this summer. We've already dried a ton for some friends, and it quickly grew back.

[tommy]

You could buy a food drier and dry the mint for use to mix with green tea during the winter. Thats what I intend to do with all of ours that is left over this summer. We've already dried a ton for some friends, and it quickly grew back.

is there another method of drying? perhaps in a 150 degree oven for a coupla hours?

[LaNiña]

I just hang up the sprigs to dry, then pull the leaves off when it's dry. Sorta like drying flowers.

[Jinmyo]

I prefer freezing most herbs. But I'll dry oregano (it's actually just as good though different from fresh) and sometimes mint and rosemary. I just hang them (upside down) on bright, hot days.

[Shiva]

It's so humid here in NJ that just hanging herbs will not work. They either turn brownish or get moldy, depending on how frequent the last few thunderstorms were.

A 110 deg oven with the door propped open an inch or two works for me (if you can stand the fact that you're heating the house up). I've been thinking about trying the attic, but haven't yet.

Spread the individual leaves flat on a screen or 'hardware cloth', a 1/2" by 1/2" galvanized mesh available at a Home despot near you.

Wait a long time.

Bag in a Ziploc.

Enjoy all winter.

[southern girl]

Jinmyo...in regard to freezing herbs...which ones do you freeze and how do you do it...just bag them and freeze them or is there a trick to it? Do they retain their color?

[tommy]

I've been thinking about trying the attic, but haven't yet.

that's an interesting idea. my attic has to be about 110 degrees. although, it's probably pretty humid. i'll do the oven trick. and maybe i'll make some beef jerky at the same time. yummy.

[col klink]

Mint Julep. Whiskey (preferably bourbon), mint and sugar.

That's why I have a mint plant next to my basil and tomatos.

[stagis]

Tabbouleh

Mint Juleps

[Ron Johnson]

Mint Julep. Whiskey (preferably bourbon), mint and sugar.

Well, thats why I have a mint plant next to my liquor cabinet.

Actually, down here in Kentucky, the home of bourbon, we rarely add sugar as good bourbon is already sweet. Here's a good recipe for a refreshing minty summer drink.

Fill rocks glass with crushed ice and sprigs of mint to taste, fill halfway with Maker's Mark or Woodford Reserve, top off with ginger ale.

For your second one, repeat but leave out the ginger ale.

[Wilfrid]

Chopped and sprinkled over fresh peas.

[Blue Heron]

Last week with some mint in my garden, I made a fruit salad with cantaloupe (and one can also add watermelon & honeydew). I marinated the melon in a little orange juice w/some fresh squeezed lime juice, then topped it with crumbled feta cheese and a chiffonade of mint.

edit: I forgot to mention, to also add a little pinch of salt before serving.