Far too often, Mints are only considered a culinary and medicinal herb. The Mints that we think of most today were bred over hundreds, if not thousands, of years to be strong in volatile oils for medicinal purposes. It would not have occurred to our ancestors to use Peppermint, for instance, as a flavoring in cookies, candy, gum and ice cream. Mints were valued for their antimicrobial value and their soothing effect on sore throats and coughs. Greek legends tell us that tables were scrubbed down with fresh mint leaves before entertaining guests. Mints were used in many religious ceremonies and even as a tithe in the ancient Jewish Temple. Mints were very valuable in earlier eras where water was not safe to drink without being infused with antimicrobial herbs and the nose was often offended with odors. Mints were also used, along with other herbs, to preserve meat from spoilage. Many herbs are in the Mint family, such as oregano and basil, etc. Using these herbs, dried, along with salt and garlic is the origin of salamis and other heavily herbed/spiced cured meats.
The strongest of the Mint family that are to be found in the wild are Water Mint and Penny Royal. These are so strong in volatile oils that they can actually be quite dangerous and should never be used by pregnant women. Save these for the herbal medicine cabinet and use with care, in small amounts. While Peppermint is quite strong, it is generally regarded as safe but still care should be taken – never use the essential oil of mint straight and undiluted. A few drops in a recipe or in an herbal formula may be okay. But, the mints are actually responsible for one of the few recorded deaths attributed to herbal medicine, when in the early 1900s a woman tried to use Penny Royal oil to induce an abortion. Not only was the baby killed, but so was she… bleeding out from every orifice.
I mostly use Spearmint and Apple Mint. Spearmint was widely planted by early settlers, and Apple Mint grows wild commonly in the Appalachian Mountains. There are many Mints though. In recent years, seed catalogs have been full of “Lemon Mint”, “Chocolate Mint” and most anything the skilled plant breeder can devise. It is nice that most of these garden varieties can be grown from seed. The strongly flavored and scented Peppermint we know is best grown from cuttings taken from a parent plant.
Most people these days associate Mint only with sweets and alcoholic drinks such as the Mint Julep and Mojito. Although I rarely, if ever, turn down such things, I prefer the savory aspects of Mint. What is truly amazing is how well Mint pairs with tomato, garlic, onion, other herbs in the Mint family, such as basil and oregano, meats, cheeses, etc. The volatile oils of Mint act as a flavor enhancer, bringing the scent of the dish into the nose, while the flavor of the mint provides a slightly bitter balance to sweeter flavors of vegetables and other herbs. Eggplant also pairs remarkably well with Mint, due to the natural bitterness of the vegetable.
Salad with Mint
Perhaps the best way to get used to Mint as a savory herb is to begin with fresh salads. Where I live, Mint is one of the first spring plants to pop out of the ground. I toss Mint and Parsley (which is always available at about the same time) into most everything from soups to sauces and roasted meats – both are flavor enhancers that are full of vitamins and medicinal properties. Chives are also coming in about that time, so Chives usually factor in as well, but you could substitute scallions/spring onions, Ramps, etc.
Often times, I will make a salad of just the above herbs with salt, pepper and a simple dressing. But, that may be a bit strong for most folks… and actually a little dangerous for pregnant women. Interestingly though, such combinations were once often used to help rid the body of intestinal worms. So, we will balance the flavors with more mild ingredients.
Ingredients for a large salad for 2 people, or a side salad for 4:
1 Handful of freshly picked Mint
1 Handful of freshly picked Parsley
½ handful of freshly cut chives or other green allium
1 big bunch of mild/sweet salad greens such as young lettuce, spinach or a mix
A few fresh edible flowers like sweet Violets and peppery Nasturtiums
Finely sliced radishes and carrots – or anything a little sweet, peppery and crunchy. Some fresh sweet garden peas or cherry tomatoes would also be nice
Celery tops – these are a must for me!
Salt and pepper to taste
A splash of lemon juice
Dressing of your choice – I like vinaigrette or blue cheese
Sliced boiled eggs are perfect for blue cheese or you can use a poached egg and mix it with the vinaigrette as you eat to make a natural mayonnaise as the egg and dressing come together, which is even better if you add some grated cheese and a few croutons. Ham also goes very well.
Minty Soft Scrambled Eggs (or omelet) with Cheese
Mint, Parsley and Chives pair so well with eggs and cheese that it is really hard to go wrong with that combination – cook the eggs as you like. They say everyone has only one favorite way to eat eggs, but I have many. Most often, I cook simple soft scrambled eggs. But, a French style omelet is just soft scrambled eggs, cooked a bit more on the outside and rolled – stuffed omelets in this style are sliced open and herbs, cheese, etc are added to the inside while the omelet is still hot. Of course, you can do the same thing just by topping scrambled eggs. The same ingredients are just as good with soft/medium boiled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, frittatas, etc.
Ingredients:
2-3 eggs per person
Fresh Mint, Parsley and Chives (or any substitutions you like)
A little milk or cream
Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chevre (a tangy goat cheese) or cheese of your choice. Brie and Camembert are VERY nice! Swiss cheese is always good with eggs. I like Chevre because it is soft and tangy. It melts easily and combines well with the herbs.
Instructions
If possible, use fresh eggs from your back yard. If you do, you may find cream to be your preference in terms of dairy. Whole milk works better with older eggs because it is more liquid. Either way, break your eggs into a bowl and whisk them together with just a splash of dairy. Cook gently in melted butter, stirring to get nice, large curds. If the pan is too hot, the eggs will separate into a watery, partially burned mess – don’t do that! True egg purists only season their scrambled eggs either in the pan or on the plate, claiming that the salt (at least) can alter the texture of the eggs. I don’t find much difference, so I may whisk in salt and pepper in the bowl. But, do wait to add the herbs until the eggs are partially cooked, and the cheese at the end. I like my eggs soft and creamy. How cooked you enjoy them is up to your preference. However you do it, don’t overcook them. Top, plate and ENJOY!
Minty Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a Mediterranean dish that is the perfect way to use a lot of the more abundant vegetables when the summer garden is really coming in. Classically, it is a combination of finely sliced zucchini, eggplant, sweet peppers and tomatoes, garlic, onions and herbs, salt, pepper and lots of olive oil, roasted in the oven and enjoyed with a glass of good wine. I am not going to give you ingredients for this recipe, as I see it more of a technique than a recipe. Use what you like. I grow a lot of yellow, crook-neck and white, patty-pan squash. I prefer these to zucchini, but I will certainly use zucchini if I have a few on hand. I think eggplant is a must, as are tomatoes. For the alliums, I will use any and all! To those veggies, I will add most anything coming into the garden at the same time that would taste good and work with the textures – artichoke hearts are fantastic! Mild greens are nice. Green beans are good. Asparagus is wonderful, but it is more of a spring vegetable. The stems of broccoli and cauliflower are good. Fresh sweet corn sliced off of the cob is always good. A number of foraged plants would be nice additions, but I tend to think of this dish as a “use up the garden surplus” combo. I will add any mushrooms I have on hand, and summer is oyster mushroom season here. Mint is usually fairly rampant in the garden in the summer, so I include a LOT of Mint, along with parsley and any Mediterranean herbs I have on hand, such as oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil and/or rosemary… even a little lavender. You can mix it all together or arrange everything into attractive color combinations. Season with salt and pepper, dress with olive oil and roast in a hot oven until browned and fully cooked. I am a little less traditional – I think a glass of white wine and either a little Worcestershire sauce or dark mushroom soy sauce, some hot pepper (green or dried) and cured olives make the dish perfect for my taste. And, if I don’t put corn in it, I will usually have a roasted, buttered ear on the side.
Minty Eggplant Parmesan
My late uncle was a mayonnaise fanatic – he put mayo on everything! One dish he came up with in which this is a surprising asset, is a very non-Italian version of eggplant parm. As odd as that sounds, having fallen in love with the mint/tomato/garlic/eggplant combo through Greek food, I did a little tinkering with the sauce and came up with a remarkable dish. I know this sounds outrageous, but give it a shot… I bet you will LOVE it!
Ingredients (proportions are up to you – I usually make a huge pan of eggplant parm, but you may just want to try a serving or two):
Purple eggplant (I suppose you could use any eggplant, but I use purple eggplants and I know they taste good cooked this way)
Crushed tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Mint
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
Bread crumbs
Mayonnaise
Olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Slice your eggplants into rounds, leaving the skin on (optional – peel off alternating strips of the skin if the eggplant is a little tough. That way, you get the flavor of the skin, but not as much chew.. and it looks pretty)
Lightly salt both cut sides of each slice of eggplant. Stack these between paper towels or tea towels on a plate. Place another plate on top and some kind of weight – I usually use canned veggies. Allow the salt and pressure to draw out the bitter water from the eggplant. This takes 30 min or so. It gives the eggplant a better flavor and a meaty texture. It also makes it easier to fry.
Dry and coat each cut side of your eggplant in a light coating of mayonnaise. Dredge (or sprinkle on) breadcrumbs seasoned with dried herbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Fry each slice in olive oil, or arrange them on an oiled baking sheet and top with olive oil and brown them in the oven, turning half way through.
Make a sauce by sweating down finely chopped onions in olive oil with salt. Add crushed garlic when the onions are translucent, along with all of your fresh herbs and pepper. When that has come together, stir in your crushed tomatoes, simmer and season to taste.
Spoon a layer of the sauce into a casserole or baking dish.
Add a layer of fried eggplant and top with grated parm
Repeat until all sauce and eggplant are layered in the dish
Top with more parm and mozzarella
Bake in the oven until brown and bubbly
Of course, you can add some meat to this – hot Italian sausage is best, and mushrooms in the sauce make it better. I like a bold red wine with this dish, and I usually toss a glass in the sauce, too. Spinach-like, or even kale-like greens work very well as an alternate layer, and when I do that I usually include a layer of ricotta or cottage cheese on top of the greens.
This article is an excerpt from
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Growing Your Survival Herb Garden for Preppers, Homesteaders and Everyone Else
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Disclaimer
The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.
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