MASS quantities of mint...
I found a patch of mint today I didn't even know was here. I only knew of the little patch near the kitchen door.
While dinner tonight will be preceded with mint juleps, not even I can consume enough bourbon to put a dent in the amount of mint I am facing.
I planned to make some mint jelly, but I'm also up to my eyebrows in peaches (for butter, jelly, etc) and apples are coming in also.
Any ideas as to how to go ahead and harvest the mint in the next few days before my man takes out the weedeater to get ready for a party we are catering on our patio in 2 weeks?
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14 Comments:
not even I can consume enough bourbon to put a dent in the amount of mint I am facing.
Keep practicing.
Mint ideas:
-Mint tea
-watermelon-mint-feta salad
-cold cucumber soup with mint (can also add avocado, carrots, onions, dill)
-Keep some mint (with lemon, if you'd like) in a pitcher of water.
I think you can freeze mint for the off season. I have no method for this but I'm sure some SE readers do. Google will help you here. I'm guessing that it can be stored in an air tight bag.
CanadianFoodieGirl at 3:50PM on 08/10/08
Mojitos!
PeanutButter at 4:05PM on 08/10/08
Hopefully LPC isn't listening. Mint is a WEED!!!!!!!
izatryt at 4:26PM on 08/10/08
Mojitos, yes. Weed is not a bad thing so lighten up izatryt. Wash it. dry it really well and put the leaves in some sugar. Leave it for at least 5 days and you have some really good stuff. As long as moisture does not get into it, it will stay for a pretty long time. Use it for future mojitoes or anything that you would make a simple syrup for. Yummy!!!!!
finsbigfan at 5:13PM on 08/10/08
I agree, the sugar-drying method is good. You can also hang or dry in a dehydrator. Process til fine and mix with just a little water and freeze in ice cube trays. Then you have fresh-tasting mint for the cold months.
You can make mojito cake, chocolate mint cupcakes, mint chocolate candies etc.
You can dip the leaves in a sugar/water mix cooked to hard crack stage, then you have mint candy. Lasts in an airtight container for a long time.
Mix into a simple syrup and use over fruit salad/watermelon other desserts.
Minty pesto over a pasta and veggie salad.
Just put some sprigs in a bottle of booze for a few days/til it wilts to infuse your own minty vodka/bourbon etc.
Make your own extract.
Yum. I am jealous. I have no mint this year.
sadiepix at 6:32PM on 08/10/08
Harvest bunches of mint with enough stem to bind each cluster with an elastic band. Then bind a paper bag around each bunch, and hang to dry in a clean, well aired, dry location in your house. It should take a week or so for each bunch to completey dry. After it is, strip the dried leaves from the stems and store in a jar with a good seal.
The dried mint will be good for making tea or for cooking with. Fear not the weed strimmer, mint is a very hardy plant, and will not only come back, this year (it's still early) and next year as well.. only it will spread further as it sends out taproots underground. It will take over a garden if you allow it to.
Mares at 6:48PM on 08/10/08
I made a big batch of mint infused simple syrup. Put some in a squeeze bottle for mojitos and juleps. The rest I froze in smallish quantities. It's also great in iced tea, lemonades, limeades, etc.
Another refreshing use for mint is cucumber water. Like the kind at spas. You don't need much mint, a little cucumber, a little lemon, fresh water. Let steep in fridge overnight, strain into a pretty pitcher with a few fresh slices of cucumber, lemon, and a mint sprig.
I'm really looking forward to trying the sugar-drying method. Thanks @finsbigfan
wookie at 7:30PM on 08/10/08
wookie: great ideas..... love all of them.
i love steeping long strands of mint in a large tea pot.... especially when
the weather starts to cool down... nice to sit and sip at sunset!
(mojito's also work in this setting as well)
pooch at 9:08PM on 08/10/08
Mint is fabulous in salads - go with classics like tabouli to use up lots or try this one with lentils for a really great salad for a summer evening - http://practicallydaily.blogspot.com/2008/07/lentil-salad.html
bron99 at 9:26AM on 08/11/08
Chiffonade repellent?
J/K - enjoy your mint!! Whip up some tabbouleh - I've seen it called for in that.
chiff0nade at 10:07AM on 08/11/08
Some chopped mint is great mixed w/ricotta cheese in ravioli, stuffed shells, manicotti, lasagna filling.
mepolo at 10:31AM on 08/11/08
I would make this:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/SUMMER-FRUIT-SALAD-WITH-MINT-SUGAR-109657
It's a really yummy recipe!
When I have mint leftover I make mint sugar and put it into ice cube trays and freeze them. Once they are frozen i pop them into a ziploc and use them for fruit salad or mojitos.
missus_p at 4:03PM on 08/12/08
So who was the person that named weeds as weeds?? Anyhow, i have lots of different types of mint in my weed-er-herb beds and when the kentucky colonel and grapefruit weeds-er-plants get quite full and lush I pluck the leaves and put them in the cuisinart with either ex virg olive oil and almonds or just the oil and process it just like a pesto and then freeze the product in tiny take-out containers--like the ones you get for "salad dressing on the side". Then i have fresh mint or fresh mint pesto for lamb, pasta, chutney, curries and the like. We have such a wonderfully producing small garden that i try to take advantage of every bit of the bounty- and fresh herbs, frozen for future use, have saved my cook's behind on more than one occasion.
hobcat57 at 9:03PM on 08/12/08
I was going to suggest mojitos too or a watermelon mint feta salad but I see both have already been suggested so I've gotta come up with something better...
How about mint and ginger chicken?
A perfect mix to make your chicken even more delicious.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. fish sauce
2 Tbs. dark soy sauce, divided
1 piece fresh ginger root, peeled, 1-1/2 in. long
2 chili peppers, chopped
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1 lime, peel grated, juiced
3 C. Nappa cabbage, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 C. mint, chopped fresh
Directions
Place chicken in medium bowl and sprinkle with flour, turning to coat. Add fish sauce and 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce; set aside. Place ginger in blender or food processor and mince, about 30 seconds. Add chilies, remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and 1/2 tsp. grated lime peel. Blend or process for about 1 minute and set aside. Heat oil over high heat in wok or Dutch oven. Add chicken, onion and cabbage, stir frying about 4 minutes until chicken turns white. Pour ginger sauce mixture over chicken and continue to stir fry over high temperature until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with lime juice and top with mint.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 4:50PM on 08/13/08