Mint
When one thinks of mint, refreshing tea or other
drinks come to mind, but there are many other uses for mint as well!
Lentils,
Pasta, Rice & Buttery Mint Sauce
The flourish of buttery mint added at the end is what makes this so special.
Make this when you have leftover rice, lentils or pasta (or all three).
Otherwise it will be excessively complicated and it should be simple.
1 cup farfel or other dried pasta (2 cups cooked)
1 large onion, diced into ½ inch squares
2 tablespoon olive oil
8 Roma tomatoes seeded and neatly diced
Salt and pepper
2 cups cooked lentils, preferably green
1 ½ cups cooked long grain white rice
4-6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, then drain and rinse. Sauté the
onion in the oil in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until
well browned, 12-15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and plenty
of pepper, and turn off the heat. Heat the lentils, rice and cooked pasta in
a large skillet with ½ cup water. Season well with salt and pepper, then add
the tomatoes and onion and turn the heat to low. Melt the butter in a small
skillet over medium heat, when it is sizzling, add the mint leaves and fry
for 30 seconds. Grind in plenty of pepper, and the
Herbal Fruit Cooler
2 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice
2 tablespoons crushed fresh apple mint leaves
2 tablespoons crushed fresh lemon balm leaves
½ cup lime juice
½ cup sugar
Fresh mint
2 (12 oz) bottles club soda
Ice
Heat 1 quart of pineapple juice and pour over mint, lemon balm and sugar.
Steep 30 minutes. Add lime juice and rest of pineapple juice. Store in
refrigerator. When ready to serve, add club soda, pour over crushed ice,
garnish with sprig of mint or balm. Makes about 1 gallon.
Mojito
A hot summer day calls for a cool drink like the refreshing Cuban mint and
lime cocktail. You can muddle the mint with the sugar together in a mortar
or other vessel and then transfer it to the serving glass.
8 large fresh spearmint leaves plus 1 nice spring for garnish
4 teaspoons superfine sugar
1 lime
Crushed ice as needed
2 fluid ounces of light rum
Cold club soda as needed
In a tall narrow glass, mash the mint leaves into the sugar with a muddler
or a similar tool (like the handle of a wooden spoon) until the leaves look
crushed and the sugar starts to turn light green, about 30 seconds. Cut the
lime into quarters, squeeze the juice from all four quarters into the glass,
dropping two of the squeezed quarters into the glass as you go. Stir with a
teaspoon until the sugar dissolves into the lime juice. Fill the glass with
crushed ice and pour the rum over the ice. Top with club soda, stir well,
garnish with the mint sprig and serve right away.