mint sauce which mint?

[sherpa]

Hi all,

I have peppermint and spearmint, in the garden and I only cut them back last autumn, I see from reading other posts that I should continually cut it back? Both plants are looking fine at the moment, full of colour and the peppermint blooming beautifully. bees very happy. My question is which one do I use for mint sauce for with lamb? and does anyone have a recipe. I can't think of any uses for my mint at the moment other than with lamb. Do I freeze in stalks?

[sarraceniac]

Hi Sherpa. Which mint is really a matter of taste. Peppermint is rather, well, peppery and spearmint is a bit more subtle. I have several mints and my favourite for lamb is apple mint. I also make mint jelly using this one. If I can't use it for any reason though I like spearmint with lamb. But either will do. As I said it is all a matter of taste. Just chop your mint leaves (not stalks) finely put a sprinkling of sugar on and splash on some vinegar. Malt vinegar is OK or if you want a milder flavour use wine or cider vinegar. Like many things in cooking there are no rules, just taste it and if it needs more of anything then add it, if it needs less then remember that next time. To freeze mint then I would suggest taking it off the stalks and just freezing the leaves. Or you could dry it by hanging bunches (including stalks) in a warm place for a couple of weeks.

[Two_Sheds]

Posh Mint Sauce

makes one 6oz jar (175g)

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1oz fresh mint leaves (no stems)
1oz fresh parsley (flat leaf has the best flavour)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (Tesco basic?)
pinch of caster sugar (or ground up normal sugar)
4 oz extra virgin olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 180C / gas 4
2) Roast garlic in a little oil for 15 mins
3) Pop cooked garlic out of its skin
4) Blitz mint, parsley, vinegar & sugar in a food processor. Add garlic & blitz again
5) Pour in oil, mixing well. Season with salt & pepper

No idea how long it lasts in a fridge, sorry.

(from Andi Clevely 'The Allotment Seasonal Planner')

[sarraceniac]

Wow that looks great Two Sheds. Must try it (yes, I do most of the cooking chez nous. I'm no male chauvinist) when I can spend extra time on that Sunday lunch. Got all the ingredients too.

[burnie]

Mints nice in Pimms or a dry Vermouth,just drop a leaf in whole,obviously nice with tatties or peas when you cook them and apparently makes nice tea(mine tasted flippin' horrible but then I'm no herb tea drinker)

[falkon]

Ingredients

• 150 g fresh mint leaves, discard the stalks
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 green chilies
• 1 1/2 spoon lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. Wash mint leaves and combine all the ingredients in an electric blender.
2. Add 1 tbsp water.
3. slightly blender it with your mixer
4. Push the sauce down with a rubber spatula.
5. Again blender it for 1 minute.
6. Empty the paste into a glass bowl.
7. Variations:

a) Yoghurt Mint Sauce- Add 2 tbsps of yoghurt to the sauce paste just before serving.
b) Garlic Mint Sauce- Add 4 cloves of garlic instead of onion while grinding.

[sewer rat]

I've just bottled up 5 bottles of Mint Sauce - simple recipe

large bunch mint finely chopped
Just boiled water (250ml)
White Wine Vinegar (300ml)
4 tbsp sugar

Place chopped mint into large jug - pour over freshly boi;led water and leave to infuse. When mixture is lukewarm, add vinegar and sugar - stit til sugar is dissolved - pour into sterilised jars / bottles

[annacruachan]

The only mint in my garden is apple mint. It seems to fit the bill for just about everything.

Mint and lemon salad dressing.

Crush a handful of mint with a couple of garlic cloves and some olive oil in a mortar. When it is all amalgamated add salt and pepper and a good slosh of lemon juice.
Balance the oil and lemon juice to your taste and enjoy.
It has a lovely fresh taste, just right for a summer salad, or tomatoes on their own, or new potatoes. It might even go well with lamb - haven't tried it - too expensive, the meat that is!

[ohbeary]

I'd go with apple mint, best all round flavour, Bowles Mint? think this is it!, certainly the most common, I only have black pepper mint in the garden, great for indigestion, bowles/apple mint readily available close by.

[Mac]

Sarraceniac - how do you make your mint jelly?

[sarraceniac]

Sarraceniac - how do you make your mint jelly?

I use the cheat method. Technically you should make an apple jelly but I use a 35p lemon jelly from the supermarket and dissolve it in half a pint of warmed vinegar (again, any will do but I use distilled white usually) dissolve sugar to taste (about 1 lb usually) in the hot vinegar as well and chopped mint to taste. I usually add about two large double handfuls of apple mint but again, whatever mint you like. Jar it up in sterilized jars and let it set in the fridge when cold enough. It's cheap and cheerful and, even if you would normally use windfalls and do it properly, this way is really easy and tastes lovely.

[Mac]

Sounds fantastic! Might try and get some done this weekend, as both my mint bushes are goint a bit mad. Thanks