What to do with dried mint?

hev_2

OH loves mint - I'm not so keen but can tolerate it.

Got dippier than unusual and bought 3 jars of dried mint.

Okay, I'd looked at the sell by date of all my herbs and spices, gone :eek: gone to restock and was not really on this planet while I was shopping. I'm determined to use my herbs and spices well before their sell by dates - but 3 jars of dried mint?

Any suggestions heavy on the dried mint very welcome.

Magentasue

Not something I'd ever cook with, but peppermint tea?

hev_2

Magentasue wrote: »

Not something I'd ever cook with, but peppermint tea?

I think it's spearmint in the jars.

Can't face tea that doesn't have loads of milk, caffeine and tannin in, but OH sometimes can be persuaded, so it's a thought, thank you.

Honestly, I wasn't exactly a mine of common sense before I had DS, but since I had him I don't think I've got two brain cells to rub together.

Penelope_Penguin

You could try mint sauce. Alternatively, add to meat or veg based sauces.

TBH, though, I'd chuck it. It bears no resemblance to fresh mint which is really easy to grow, even if you only have room for a tub :j

Penny. x

Magentasue

Penelope is a bit more blunt than me! I have to say I agree with her, I'd chuck it. The only dried herb I use is oregano in the winter for stews and pizzas. Time to start a little herb garden, hev, even if it's just a couple of pots of parsley and mint!

I think if I had some to throw away, I might try putting some in the hoover bag - I've done this with the dusty bits when I've dried lavender.

purpleivy

I have to say I'd chuck it. I recently chucked the mint and parsley. heaven knows how I came to have them! It's like you've dried the contents of the lawn mower hopper and left it for three weeks! DO you get what I'm trying to say?

Swan_2

hi hev,
wow, that's a lot of dried mint! :eek:

it's not something I use a lot, only in my aromatic salt mix (it needs to be dried for that) which is a spice & salt mix, wonderful added to curries & good with other things too
off the top of my head I know you can put it in taboulleh (sp?) salad, which is a Middle Eastern grain-based dish, but it's not nearly as good as fresh

I'll dig out the recipes for posting if you'd like them (unless someone else does it first) but it'll still take you a while to get through all 3 of those jars


EDIT ... brainwave (maybe) if you're into doing home-made presents, you could make up a huge batch of the aromatic salt, pack it nicely & give it to friends as gifts

hev_2

Thanks for the input - much appreciated!

Herbs - mmmmm. Well, the coriander I tried to grow died (actually, practically everything I tried to grow dies ), the chives are doing okay and the rosemary bush is still alive after nearly twelve months, though not really thriving (rosemary is supposed to thrive where the woman wears the trousers and every time OH realises that it is just hanging in there he looks baffled :rotfl:)

I did uproot a patch of spearmint (eventually, after a huge amount of effort) because it was closely packed with self seeded foxglove and I felt a bit uncomfortable about eating it for some reason I still can't work out. I may try again with some in a tub, and perhaps have another go at parsley.

I'll try loads of mint sauce. OH loves that so at least it won't be entirely wasted. Sigh

hmkn

Don't throw it! It's used a lot in Middle eastern cooking and is actually quite nice but enrtirely different to fresh mint. I would never use it as a substitute for fresh mint (my mum would use it on potatoes), it doesn't work at all then as the other posters said, but added to a lentil dish or something it can really be quite tasty!

The Turkish version of tzaziki (Cacik) often has dried mint in, according to Claudia Roden, and it's in her recipe for sweet and sour onions, with vinegar, sugar and sultanas.

I add it to Masafi- cooked rice mixed or topped with red lentils cooked with dried mint, garlic and chopped fried onion (tho' I don't always bother with the onion) and then lots of caramalised fried onion slices. It tastes much better than it sounds!

Nigella does a lentil, goats cheese and mint salad. My version based on hers would be to marinate the goats cheese (I'd sub Feta if you prefer it) with lemon zest and juice, oil and dried mint. Cook green lentils with garlic and chilli oil (I'd use tabasco or chilli flakes at the end I think). Pour the marinade over the warm lentils and season. Add the goats cheese when it's cooled and sprinkle chopped fresh mint over. She adds bottled peppers too. I'd roast fresh ones if I had them in, or use oven dreis tomatoes instead.


Google for middle eastern recipes for more ideas or ones without lentils. Claudia Roden would be a good cookery writer to look at.

HTH

HMK

hev_2

Thank you so much hmkn. !!!!!

Best bit - I just bought a load of lentils after reading Weezl's thread, so I should be sorted!

Fresh mint is best finely chopped with raw mushrooms and a lemon juice and oil dressing - mmmmm

pigpen

I use it in stews and casseroles, a taspoon full in with new potatoes while cooking (or fresh if it isn't raining and I will go outside and pick it) in salad dressings.. oil, lemon juice mint and coriander or basil.. bit of anything really. a sprinkle in spag bol.