Southside CSA

csa mint by esther giangrande

By now you have most likely rocked some delish hot tea with your mint. (nothing is much easier than adding hot water, eh?; and not much is more comforting than fresh mint tea after getting drenched in a downpour…). While mint is a lively/natural addition to teas (and chocolate), it also goes really well in more savory dishes like chilled rice, tabbouleh, and couscous salads. In fact, in Greek and Lebanese cuisines, mint has been traditionally used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Storing mint is rather easy, although it wilt quickly if not done “right”. A bunch of mint can be stored in the fridge for about a week. Best results come from keeping it stems down in a glass of water with a plastic bag covering the leaves, changing the water every couple of days.

In celebration of mint, which we should be getting on a regular basis as part of our share, here are some other ways to get your mint on; Let us know your favorite uses/recipes for mint.

SAVORY MINT DISHES

So, with a lot of the savory dishes, meat becomes a main part of the recipe. To that effect, we will be posting lots of meat stuff (no offense veg heads) but i recommend trying them meatless. Lots of the recipes are great fodder vegan/vegetarian adaptations. (and please send us pics and hints for any adaptations you might try)

• At a bbq this past week, a csa friend rocked this marinated eggplant dish with mint that was my favorite dish of the night. Naomi fiddled with the recipe, baking rather than frying the eggplant. A divine dish, which will find its way onto my table many times this season.
• Savory Mint Pesto: Found this out in the internet world. Sounds yummy and i am a sucker for new types of pestos…
• Chayote Squash with a Mint Marinade by Raw Jules. Nice raw dish that uses the squash to fake pasta.
• Savory mint marinade that would go well with most meats or tofu. Garlic-Cilantro-Mint Marinade A Raspberry version
• Steak Spring Rolls with Basil & Mint Sauce. Mint always pairs up nicely with whatever you got rolling…
• This sounds like an interesting new lasagna flavor combo (from a brit blog, natch); Lemon, Lamb & Mint Lasagna
• Lamb, Mint, Feta with Leeks & Scallions. This recipe combines a lot of csa goodies. Served with flatbread sounds like a great dish for a picnic at the beach
• Mint Carrot Soup by Chocolate & Zucchini (one of the best foodie blogs about)

SWEET MINT TREATS

Here are some different takes on the sweet side of mint.

• Mint Julep Rice Pudding from the Candy Dish blog
• Blueberry Mint Cupcakes by Coconut & Lime (another of my go-to blogs for amazing foodie fun). The mint is steeped in the milk in the cupcakes….i heart steeping herbs in milk for flavor fun. (try basil infused whipped cream or marscapone on top of berry pie. super yums)
• Mint Gelato by Coconut & Lime. (seriously, if you love cooking, cruise this blog for great ideas and flavor combos) Great way to use mint and those pastured eggs.
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies. (Scroll down) This recipe uses fresh mint and an extract. You could probably make your own extract too if you’ve got a mint plant in your garden and are harvesting tons

COCKTAILS & OTHER MINT DRINKS

• Mint Julep-Slightly Muddled by the Cocktail Hacker. Good instructions.
• Gin & Red Tea Cocktail with Mint by Modern Beet. Summer chillin…
• Mojitos by Two Drink Minimum. Great run down on how to make a killer mojito with recipes for an italian, blue, & apple version.
• Citrus-Cilantro-Mint Cocktail by thats the spirit. Lots o herbs in this beauty.
• Mint Lemonade by Desert Candy. Mint Lemonade-Middle Eastern Style…Another great go to blog with amazing middle eastern recipes.
• Ginger Mint Lemonade by Appetite for China. A spicy take on a summer fave.

And if you are feeling CRAFTY, check out this blog for a how-to for a Mint Lemonade Sugar Scrub

Filed under: Recipes | Tagged: cocktails, gelato, mint, Savory Ideas, sugar scrub, Sweet Things |