Date: 11:29 pm Fri Apr 12, 1996 Number : 51 of 100 From: Galen Starwalker Base : [PODS] Herbal Tips & Tricks To : All Refer #: None Subj: Culinary Herbs 09 Replies: None Stat: Sent Origin : 12 Apr 96 00:51:00 Archive-name: culinary-herbs/part2 2.9 The mints ----- Latin names: The mints: Mentha sp. Peppermint: Mentha x piperita (Mentha aquatica x M.spicata) Spearmint: Mentha x spicata (Mentha longifolia x M.suaveolens) Pennyroyal: Mentha pulegium These might not be up to date as botanists make a hobby out of changing latin names for Mentha genera. ===== 2.9.1 Growing mint ----- When you move spearmint, trust me and only transplant it into a container of some sort. You can bury the container if you want. Good containers to use are those big multi-gallon types that roses come in. Bury it right up to the rim. Otherwise, in a few yrs, you will have only one herb in your garden and that is mint because it is VERY invasive. From: Gary & Jeanne Ross Spearmint will keep spreading unless you start pulling some of it out by the roots. We however have let it and several other mints spread thruout the lawn. It smells so great when you walk across it. ===== 2.9.3 Using / preserving mints ----- >I've got way too much peppermint / mint / spearmint ...: From: hattie@netcom.com (Susan Hattie Steinsapir) Make a simple sugar syrup and add a whole lot of fresh mint to it. Use this when making granita or to sweeten sun tea. Lemonade made with the mint syrup would be nice, too. I like to make iced tea heavily minted. Steep a whole lot of mint with the tea bags. Or better yet, boil them with the tea water, then add the tea and steep. Discard the leaves. Make cold asian type noodle salads with finely chopped mint added. I use mint to line a bowl in which I'm serving fresh whole strawberries. Don't see why you couldn't use them to line a bowl in which a fruit salad will be served. Melon salad would be nice. Some middle eastern dishes call for lamb and mint. Ground lamb and finely chopped fresh mint (and a few other goodies) would make interesting meat balls. Use it in flower arrangements. I've put rosemary branches and mint leaves together when I wanted something but hadn't picked up any fresh flowers. Give it away to your friends! ... You also might want to preserve it in vodka or aquavit... ... Boil a handfull of peppermint leaves in a pot of water, strain it, add sugar and serve over ice ... wonderful peppermint drink -- tastes a lot like candy canes, but very summery. Also good hot. Leftovers can be frozen in an ice cube tray and popped into iced tea to make it minty. From: thavey@boi.hp.com (Tom Havey): Pesto.....a bunch of peppermint leaves, some peppermint or walnut oil, a bit of sugar, all whipped up in a food processor. Dried, put in decorative jars for gifts, or mixed in some homemade potpourri stuff. Tea. ... Raviolis stuffed with peppermint, pepper and raisins and a bit of goat cheese (or cottage cheese) topped with a light and spicy curry sauce. From: libby@igc.apc.org (Libby Goldstein) Just add it to water or seltzer, crush it a bit and serve over ice. It's lovely. From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow) Mint planted at the kitchen door keeps ants away. From: MORAVCSIK@clipr.Colorado.EDU (Julia Moravcsik) You can make tabouleh with the mint. You can boil water with sugar and dip the leaves in for crystalized mint leaves. You can freeze them for later use. You can make a sort of pesto by putting them in a blender with some oil and then freezing the pesto for later use. You can put it in fruit salad, chopped fine. You can chomp on a leaf before you drink water to make the water taste better. From: sgoddik@bgnet.bgsu.edu (Steen Goddik) One of our friends describe chocolate-covered mint leaves as a great "social lubricant" for her 5-year old son. All the neighbor kids love it, and it has made him rather popular. From: snielsen@orednet.org (Susan L. Nielsen) Tea from spearmint is a pretty usual solution; I find it perkier than peppermint. It also makes a terrific addition to iced tea made from regular black tea. We make what is conventionally called sun tea by the gallons all year 'round, though without the sun. Seven tea bags (good ol' Lipton's or Red Rose) steeped all day in a gallon jug of water will make good tea for icing with or without Sol. Use the spearmint fresh, or dry it, or freeze it in baggies. I also add it to raspberry leaf tea (calcium boost) because the raspberry has very little flavor of its own. Straight mint tea is good for bad tummies. From: donwiss@bondcalc.com (Don Wiss) Looking it up in my Wise Encyclopedia of Cookery I find: candied mint leaves, mint butter, mint ice, mint jelly, mint julep, mint mousse, mint sauce, mint syrup, mint wafers, and sprigs in the ice tea. ----- >I need a recipe for a Morrocan dry rub called Tabile. From: awoods@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Alan Woods) Don't know if this is tabile or not, but it's Moroccan, from Erica Klein's _Skinny Spices_: Moroccan Mint Blend 2 T dried mint leaves 2 T garlic granules or powder 2 T toasted sesame seeds 1/2 T lemon peel 1/2 T onion flakes She uses this as a rub, as flavor for a yoghurt-based soup, and as the main ingredient in marinade. ----- Spicy Mint tea From: DonW1948@aol.com 6 c Water 2 Cinnamon sticks 4 Clove, whole 4 Allspice, whole 2 c Mint leaves Bring the water, cinnamon, cloves and allspice to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in mint leaves. Remove from heat and steep for five minutes. strain into cups. From Taste of Home Magazine. ----- Orange Mint Vinegar From: DonW1948@aol.com 1 sm Orange; peel; thin spiral - colored portion only 1/2 c Mint leaves; fresh Vinegar, white Remove peel (colored portion only) from 1 small orange in a thin spiral, and place in a sterilized pint jar. Lightly bruise 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, add to jar. Heat apple cider or distilled white vinegar to just below the boiling point. Fill jar with vinegar, and cap tightly. Allow to stand 3 to 4 weeks. Strain vinegar, discarding peel and mint. Pour vinegar into a clean sterilized jar, adding a new sprig of fresh mint, if desired. Seal tightly. Use in dressing for tossed green salads with orange and grapefruit sections, or in marinades for chicken or lamb chops. ----- Mint jelly From sherae@zeta.org.au (Sheri McRae): 4 lb. tart apples 3 cups strong mint water 2 cups white vinegar sugar To make the mint water, soak a large quantity of mint (about a pound) in 3 cups boiling water overnight. Next day, chop apples and place in a pan, and barely cover with water. Cover and simmer about an hour until apples are soft. Strain. Combine apple juice, mint water, and vinegar and strain again. Measure and place in a pan, adding cup for cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to boiling and cook rapidly until the jelly will set. Bottle and seal. Mint Jelly is good with meats, especially lamb and is also good on toast, etc. I haven't tried this recipe but it came from a reliable preserving book which I have used and like. ===== --- DB 1.58/003790 * Origin: The Rain Forest * Denver,CO * (93:9083/4)