Mint syrup

It is snowing and I can not get to the store but I am making a recipe that calls for mint sryup.http://familyspice.com/recipes/recipe/?recipe_id=534
I have mint but not cucumbers, which the link for the syrup recipe calls for.
What do you think of just the oranges with mint????
Really over the snow!
And another question - I grated the peel from all the oranges, didn't want to waste it. How can I save them for later use. Freeze them?

Lucia from Madison
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4 Comments

AntoniaJames January 30, 2015
Make orange scented sugar! Mix the zest from 3 oranges with a cup of sugar; store in a small canning jar; stir every few days for about a week. Sprinkle on cakes, cookies, muffins, stir into plain yogurt with a touch of vanilla, use in custards or this sauce (or its cousins, also posted by me on this site): https://food52.com/recipes/32115-roasted-pears-with-a-lemon-quince-jam-and-brandy-sauce Oh, the possibilities are endless. ;o)
 
Maedl January 31, 2015
I think I might be tempted to use salt rather than sugar--that would add extra flavor to savory dishes--especially tomatoes. I would only use the peel from organic oranges, though.
 
BakerRB January 30, 2015
You can freeze the orange peel. It sounds like you zested it, right? It isn't strips of peel. The way I've most successfully stored it for easy future use is to put little piles of peel (either per orange, or per tsp/tbsp) on little pieces of plastic wrap, sealing that up, then wrapping again in foil (either individually or all together). Press down to get most the air out. The zest may dry out, but it retains quite a bit of flavor for quite a long time.
 
keg72 January 30, 2015
The citrus salad looks delicious! I am sure omitting the cucumbers will change the taste from the original, but I, frankly, might prefer the dish without them! I definitely think you can save the peel. I'm not sure what state your peel is in, but if you've peeled the oranges with the pith still attached, you could make candied orange peel. I haven't made it yet but I've saved a recipe for it from this site that I've been wanting to try: https://food52.com/recipes/25369-candied-orange-peel
 
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