Mint -- The Underappreciated Herb

Mint is an easy-to-grow herb that's always best when fresh. Mint can be found at farmers' markets from now until the middle of the month, along with other perfect end-of-summer produce such as peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon.

As a cooking ingredient, mint is surprisingly subtle. Compared to its sharp flavor when fresh, cooked mint adds a depth of subtle flavor to savory dishes, including grilled meats and fish.

Keep your mint fresh by storing it properly. Just rinse it, dry it, and wrap it up with a paper towel in a plastic bag. Kept in your fridge, it will be fresh for about a week.

Mint has several varieties. Peppermint has a strong, menthol flavor found in candy-canes, gum, and toothpaste. Spearmint is milder, tastes much better when used in cooking, and is what Wilson cooked with on the show. The most unusual varieties of mint include pineapple mint, chocolate mint, orange mint, lemon mint, and black mint.

Try mint for a refreshing flavor that gives a lift to mixed greens, grilled meats, herb sauces, fruit salads, yogurt-based dips, flavored syrups, and cakes.

RECIPES

Grilled Lamb Skewers with Spiced Mint Marinade

Fresh leaves give the classic lamb and mint sauce pairing a new twist. Great with jasmine rice and bok choy.

4 to 6 servings

1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup dry Sherry
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed
1 1/2 pounds 1-inch cubes trimmed leg of lamb

Combine all ingredients except lamb in medium bowl for marinade.
Thread lamb onto metal skewers.
Place skewers in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over.
Cover with plastic wrap; chill overnight.
Transfer lamb skewers to baking sheet.
Pour marinade into small saucepan.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper.
Grill to desired doneness, turning, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to platter.
Boil marinade for 5 minutes.
Strain, then spoon over lamb and serve.

Baked Fish with Thai Lemon- Mint Sauce

A delicious balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy.

6 servings

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mint leaves, divided
1/2 cup sugar
5 teaspoons fish sauce
3 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel, divided
1 teaspoon hot chili paste
3 tablespoons corn oil
2/3 cup finely chopped lemongrass (bottom 3 inches of about 6 stalks)
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
6 banana leaves, each leaf cut into 10-inch-wide, 20-inch-long piece*or six 10-inch-wide, 20-inch-long pieces of parchment paper
6 6-ounce halibut fillets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided

Stir 1 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup mint, sugar, fish sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon peel, and chili paste in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set Thai lemon-mint sauce aside.
Mix remaining 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1 cup mint, and 2 teaspoons lemon peel in small bowl. Set mint topping aside.
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.
Add lemongrass and shallots and sauté until shallots are slightly softened and golden, about 6 minutes. Cool.
Place 1 banana leaf or parchment sheet on work surface.
Place 2 tablespoons cooled shallot-lemongrass mixture in center of banana leaf.
Place 1 fish fillet on lemongrass mixture on banana leaf.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.
Top with 1 tablespoon butter; spoon 2 tablespoons mint topping over.
Fold 1 short side of banana leaf over fish. Fold long sides in. Roll up to completely enclose fish.
Repeat with remaining banana leaves, shallot-lemongrass mixture, fish, butter, and mint topping.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place fish packets on rimmed baking sheet and roast until fish is opaque in center, about 10 minutes.
Unwrap fish and serve with Thai lemon-mint sauce.

For more recipes, go to Page 2.

Coconut- Mint Cream Cake

Mint gives a delicious lift to the coconut flavors in this cake, which gets moistness from sweetened condensed milk and coconut cream.

8 to 10 servings

For the cake:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
4 large egg whites
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 14-ounce can coconut cream

For the mint whipped cream:
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
Sweetened flaked coconut

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour.
Place round of parchment paper in each pan.
Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
Mix milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract in small bowl.
Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended.
Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in several batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just to blend after each addition.
With clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry peaks form.
Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions.
Divide batter between prepared cake pans.
Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine condensed milk and coconut cream in medium bowl.
Remove cakes from oven and let cool 5 minutes.
Poke holes all over top of each cake layer with skewer.
Pour coconut cream mixture by half cupfuls over cakes, allowing mixture to be absorbed before adding more.
Cool completely in pans.

For the mint whipped cream:
Stir 1/3 cup mint, sugar, and 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.
Cook just until bubbles appear.
Cover and remove from heat; let steep 30 minutes.
Strain syrup into large bowl, pressing on mint.
Cool completely.
Add 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream to syrup and beat until firm peaks form.
Turn cakes out of pans onto separate plates. Peel off parchment.
Spread 1 cup mint whipped cream on 1 cake layer.
Top with second cake layer.
Spread remaining mint whipped cream over top and sides of cake.
Sprinkle with sweetened coconut.
Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.

Ingredient Tip
Coconut cream is a thick mixture made from shredded coconut and water, and is often sold in cans or cartons. If unavailable, buy coconut milk and open the can without shaking. The thick white coconut cream will be at the top of the can, separated from the milk. Don't confuse coconut cream with cream of coconut, which is a sweetened mixture often used in drinks and desserts.

Southside

2 sprigs of fresh mint
2 lime wedges
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces gin
4 ounces soda water

Muddle 1 mint sprig with the limes, lime juice, and simple syrup in the bottom
of a pint glass/bar glass.
Add gin and shake well.
Pour into a highball over crushed ice and stir until glass frosts.
Top with soda water and garnish with sprig of mint.