Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1 pinch Kosher salt
1 drop green food coloring, if desired
1 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Fill a large bowl with ice; set aside. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 1 cup milk together. In a separate bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine remaining cup milk with heavy cream, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in cornstarch mixture. Bring mixture back to a boil and cook over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat and gradually whisk hot mixture into cream cheese until smooth. Add chopped mint, salt, and food coloring. Set bowl in ice bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes. Strain ice cream into an ice cream freezer, pressing mint leaves with back of a spoon to extract all flavor. Stir in chopped chocolate and freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. When frozen, pack frozen ice cream into a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze until firm. When ready to serve, spoon ice cream into bowls and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Yield: 6 servings
Watermelon and Fresh Mint Salsa
1 medium-size ripe watermelon
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups fresh mint leaves, chopped
Juice and zest of 4 limes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh mint and lime wedges for garnish
Cut watermelon in half, cutting edge of 1 half decoratively, if desired. Cut watermelon flesh out of both halves, removing all seeds. In a large bowl, chop watermelon into bite-size pieces. Place shell upside-down in a sink to drain. This will be used as your serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients to chopped watermelon, stirring to combine. Place salsa in a covered container and chill for several hours, stirring occasionally, adding more salt and pepper if needed. When ready to serve, return the watermelon salsa to the drained watermelon half and garnish with mint and lime slices. Serve cold with tortilla chips.
Yield: 8-10 cups salsa
Feta Cheese and Fresh Mint Salad
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a medium-size bowl, place chickpeas and feta cheese then add peppers, cucumber, and mint and gently toss together. For dressing, in a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Check seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Pour over salad and toss again. Line a platter with lettuce leaves and mound salad over leaves. Garnish with extra fresh mint leaves and serve with crostini if desired.
Yield: 8 servings
Honeydew Soup
This is the most refreshing dish during the hot summer months!
1 ripe honeydew, cut into chunks
1 cup fresh mint leaves
5 fresh basil leaves
Juice and zest of 2 limes
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
In the bowl of a food processor, place honeydew, mint leaves, basil leaves, juice and zest of limes, and salt and pulse until very smooth. Check seasonings, adding more salt and lime juice if needed. Place in a bowl with a lid, and chill until very cold. When ready to serve, divide between 4 bowls and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Yield: 4 servings
Southern Mint Julep
It’s the epitome of a Southern classic!
8 fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon simple syrup (recipe below)
Crushed ice
2 ounces bourbon
Mint sprig for garnish
In a silver julep cup, add mint leaves and simple syrup and muddle together. Fill with crushed ice and pour in bourbon. Garnish with mint sprig and serve immediately.
Yield: 1 serving
Simple syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer several minutes until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let syrup cool. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Grilled Squash and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing
2 medium zucchini, sliced very thinly
2 medium yellow squash, sliced very thinly
Salt
Juice and zest of 2 limes
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add zucchini and squash parboil for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables and drain on paper towels. In a small bowl, combine lime juice and zest, mint, garlic, and ¼ cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Alternately thread zucchini, squash, and prosciutto onto 4 pairs of bamboo skewers. Lightly brush kabobs with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat and grill skewers until lightly charred, about 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove from heat and serve with mint dressing.
Yield:4 servings
Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Mint, Feta, Tomatoes, and Kalamata Olives
1¼ pounds heirloom grape tomatoes
12 ounces thin spaghetti
2 ½ cups chicken stock
2 cups water, plus more
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¾ cup kalamata olives, gently smashed
½ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves
¼ cup loosely packed oregano leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a large saucepan, stir together tomatoes, pasta, stock, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes in saucepan using back of a spoon. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and liquid has thickened and reduced slightly, about 6 minutes. Add additional water until sauce reaches desired consistency. Stir in olives, black pepper, and remaining salt. Divide between 4 bowls and sprinkle each with feta, mint, and oregano. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Yield: 4 servings
