13 things you can do with mint (besides putting it in your tea)
You know this after your first season in the garden: don’t plant mint directly in the ground, but put it in a pot, because it spreads like wildfire. And even in a balcony planter it can become a huge bush! What are you supposed to do with all that mint? We’ve put thirteen ideas in a row.
Is the mint growing out of control? Cut off no more than a third of the plant at a time. When the plant is about to flower, cut it right back so it can start growing again. And if you only need a few mint leaves, snip off the youngest, light-green leaves: they taste best. Right, that concludes the agricultural and horticultural announcements; now on to the tips for using all that green abundance.
1. Mint vinegar
Give apple cider vinegar a herby flavor by steeping a few sprigs of mint and black or red peppercorns in it for a few days.
2. Mint oil
Bright green oil with the fresh scent of mint. Briefly blanch the mint in boiling water, then immediately place it in an ice bath, squeeze it dry and pat it dry with some kitchen paper. Use a few deciliters of neutral oil, such as rapeseed or peanut oil, add the mint and purée with an immersion blender. Let it sit for a moment, then pour it through a coffee filter. The result: bright green mint oil.
3. Mint dressing
Dressing made with the juice of a lemon, a few tablespoons of honey, olive oil and the leaves from a few sprigs of mint, briefly blended or attacked with an immersion blender. Brilliant dressing for a salad with mozzarella, figs and prosciutto – according to Jamie Oliver, the sexiest salad ever (and he’s right).
4. Mint sauce with lamb
Traditional British sunday roast calls for mint sauce with the lamb. Super easy to make: finely chop the leaves from a bunch of mint, pour a little hot water over them and let them cool. Then mix with some white wine vinegar and fine sugar, and season with pepper and salt.
5. Yogurt-mint raita
Refreshing dip made with yogurt, mint and cucumber, plus a squeeze of lime, to cool down spicy Indian snacks.
6. Chutney with green chilies
It resembles mint raita, but contains green chilies and a spoonful of sugar. That means the sauce initially tastes lightly sweet and fresh, but then gets an enormous kick from the green chilies you’ve chopped into it. Not intended to fool anyone, but you can if you want.
7. Salsa verde with mint
Finely chop all kinds of green herbs, such as parsley, chives and whatever else is growing in your vegetable garden, together with a generous handful of mint. Add a few cloves of garlic to the mix and use oil to turn it into a smooth salsa.
8. Mint, feta and watermelon salad
A classic: this salad of watermelon cubes, crumbled feta, mint and red onion. A barbecue favorite!
9. Salad with figs and carrots
Drowning in figs, don’t know what to do with that bunch of carrots, and still have a mint surplus? All problems solved in one crazy-good salad.
10. Mint ice cream
Do you make your own ice cream? Mint ice cream is perfect with fresh strawberries. And how about mint-and-chocolate ice cream? A kind of frozen After Eight. And you can cheat: simply buy a tub of delicious vanilla ice cream and stir mint and chocolate through it.
11. Mint water
On every terrace, large glasses of tea are served with bunches of mint. And a carafe of water on the table: it’s sure to contain a sprig of mint and a few slices of lemon. There’s a good reason for that—it’s simply delicious. It can be even better: this pineapple-mint spritzer, for example.
12. Hugos
… but it can be even tastier. For example: elderflower syrup, ice cubes, prosecco, sparkling water and mint leaves – those are Hugos. Give it a try. You’re welcome!
13. Mojito
… and it can be even tastier, for example with all those cocktails made with fresh mint. Mojitos, of course, with rum, brown sugar and, if you feel like it, raspberry.
