“My grandmother used to say that mint could heat up a man’s blood. She told me that it was used in love potions in the olden times and soldiers weren’t allowed to eat it lest they run amuck with lust….”-Caroline Scott, Good Taste
I think mint is under rated and under appreciated. Love potion…perhaps? My mint has been beautiful this spring. And it is always the first green, harvestable thing.
Mint julep, mint jelly…I’ve been broadening my horizons.
We have been obsessing about street tacos lately, so since the mint grew faster than the cilantro….
Try using spring onions and mint to top your chorizo or chicken, black bean or fish tacos. Mint can double for basil or cilantro. It’s fantastic with sundried tomatoes on pasta. Goes perfectly with lemon. It’s as simple as adding a squeeze of lemon and mint sprig to your water to make you feel elegant.
What’s in the first bucket? MINT…Tuscan kale, Russian kale, spring onions, kohlrabi, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce.
Farm News:
The girls and I have been working in the garden together some. They are getting older….and the garden work can be tedious and hard, so I don’t ask too much. But fun to hitch them on a beautiful day and try to get a few rows cultivated.
I love a simple recipe. Following, mint pesto …. it will dress up any cheese board or charcuterie plate.
Franca’s Fabulous Italian Mint Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil maybe a bit more
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
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Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Add the mint leaves and set a timer for 40 seconds. After 40 seconds, drain in a large strainer and rinse well with cold tap water. Allow the mint to drain in the strainer then grab it with your hand and squeeze out as much water as you can.
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Now transfer the mint to a clean dish towel and pull it apart so it’s not one big clump. Roll the mint in the dish towel to remove any last bits of water.
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Place the blanched mint on a cutting board and, using a large, sharp chef’s knife or a mezzaluna (see notes in the post) chop, chop, chop. You want the mint very finely chopped. When you think it’s finely chopped, chop it a little more. (Take a break if you need to, to give your wrist a chance to rest!)
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Transfer the chopped mint leaves to a medium-small bowl. Add ½ cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Add more oil, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
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Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Will keep well for a week to 10 days.
Happy Eating, happy first CSA bucket and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!