Cook with Mint

REFRESHING AND ABUNDANT, MINT GIVES A GENTLE LIFT TO ALL KINDS OF SWEET AND SAVORY SUMMER RECIPES.

- 

BOUNTIFUL IN WARM-WEATHER MONTHS, mint grows like a weed from late spring all through summer. That's when you'll find an abundance of varieties sold in bunches at the farmers market and available as starter plants at your local nursery, ready for a spot on the patio or a sunny windowsill. Whether you pluck them from your garden or pick them up at the store, mint's fragrant, fresh sprigs and its characteristic cool, tingly, and subtly sweet effect are an easy way to add interest to a wide range of summer-ready dishes and drinks.

Mint is fresh, forward, and versatile, the same way a crisp white shirt works with all of your summer outfits—there isn’t much that mint can’t match up with. It shines in cocktails, as a tisane, in sauces and pesto, used fresh as a garnish, infused into syrups, or leveraged as a primary essence in desserts with chocolate or dairy. It’s a classic partner for peas, fava beans, melons, stone fruit, and citrus. In Salatet Malfouf (p. 86), a crunchy Lebanese slaw laden with chopped fresh mint leaves and drenched in a lemony dressing, mint plays against the slight bitterness of shredded cabbage and the brightness of sumac and lemon. In a Cucumber-Mint Agua Fresca (p. 85), mint accentuates the thirst-quencher’s icy sweetness. Mint is especially good for balancing the richness of all manner of proteins: It’s the key to a zippy sauce for grilled merguez patties (p. 85) and gives a lift to the vibrant, umami-rich flavors of a Lao laab (p. 86).

Ready to make more of your mint? Read on for our favorite tips and recipes for cooking with summer's coolest herb. —CHERYL SLOCUM

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH MINT?

There are several ways to incorporate mint into your cooking and eating. Start with the freshest sprigs: Choose vibrant green leaves with no discoloration (brown spots or yellowing) or bruising. (Bruised spots will appear dark green.)