From Our Friends
powered by ZergNet
I just started gardening, and my mint has blossomed and then some. I don't want it to go to waste, but I just don't use that much mint in my normal cooking (I usually use it as a drink ingredient/garnish). I'm looking for help on how to use it so it won't go to waste!
Congratulations on starting a garden! It sounds like you're on the right track with your mint plants so far. I have a lot of mint around my garden and let most of it flower to attract bees to my garden...they love mint. A nice and simple recipe that incorporates mint is thinly sliced summer squash pan fried in olive oil until lightly brown with a reduction of balsamic vinegar (the good stuff) with sliced mint over the top.
No need to hoard your mint by storing it. Once it gets a start in your garden it will take over the place.
To keep it for the winter, pack it in ice cube trays and pour a little water over. Freeze and then put the cubes in freezer bags. When you need some mint for a soup or stew take a cube or two out for your recipe.
You can cut large branches off the plant, and leave them in the sun for a few days to dry the mint for use later.
I love this---thinly sliced cucumber with juice from 1 lime. Let sit 30 mins. Squeeze another lime in and mix with good amount of chopped mint. And can also do this and toss with chunks of watermelon.
We had a very similar question recently (mint is clearly growing!!). Check out this thread...http://food52.com/hotline...
Also, epicurious has a "recipe" for a minted citrus salad (something like that)----in blender or processor combine fresh mint and sugar, sprinkle over mixed citrus fruits. Minted pea soup (Bittman, maybe?). Mint tea. So many things.
We made mint jelly. Next time I will cut back on the sugar a bit, but you need pectin for it to set. Due to the sugar content it keeps in the fridge for a long time. The color is not the green you see in the store - ours is more of a golden color - but a full mint taste.
Or, chop up and dry in a slow oven and bottle for future use.
mint pesto is good way of using it and it freezes well top
Make mint tea daily! http://www.kitchenbutterfly...
Make a paste with green chilies, spring onions, cilantro if you have it, ginger and garlic. Store in ice cube trays. Pop into rice, sauces and soups