— Recipes & Entertaining —

Mighty Mint Recipes

July 12, 2021
mint recipes

These three mighty mint recipes are from one of my go-to cookbooks: the Bride & Groom First & Forever Cookbook

Mint Recipe #1 – Mint Vinaigrette

This salad dressing is great on mixed greens, fabulous on fruit salads, and dreamy swirled into room temperature couscous or drizzled on salmon. Lamb is also a great mate for this sassy sauce! The green vinaigrette look prettier on the platter than the traditional mint jelly and tastes far brighter!

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Combine the olive oil and mint in a blender and blend until purified, about 15 seconds. Add the vinegar, mustard, honey, kosher salt, and pepper to taste and blend until just incorporated, about 5 seconds. Do not over blend or the vinaigrette will be too thick. The vinaigrette will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week.

Mint Recipe #2 – Sweet Peas with Red Onion and Mint

The combination of mint and peas is a natural and harmonious as two peas snuggled together in a pod. Add red onion for a mellow backdrop and the result is a delicate spring-fresh gift from the garden. You can make this recipe year-round. It’s great in the springtime when baby peas come fresh from the market and it is also delicious paired with frozen peas in the winter.

  • 2 cups fresh peas or 1 box (10 ounces) frozen baby peas
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 small red onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground pepper

If using frozen peas, put them in a strainer or colander. Run cold water over them to remove any ice crystals. Let thaw for about 10 minutes.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the red onion and 1/8 teaspoon of the kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook until warm, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the mint, olive oil, the remaining kosher salt, and pepper to taste.

*for another mouth watering pea recipe, try this one with pancetta and shallots

Mint Recipe #3 – Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa and Blackberry Syrup

This recipe is great for entertaining; it impresses every time. As beautiful on the plate as it is on your taste buds, this pork has another plus – it can be prepared in under an hour. Serve with mint peas and fluffy white rice. Feel free to substitute peaches or nectarines in place of the mango.

Mango Salsa

  • 1 1/2 cups diced mango (about 1 large mango)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 teaspoon seeded, deribbed, and chopped jalapeno pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Blackberry Syrup

  • 3//4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons seedless blackberry preserves
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 pork tenderloins (about 12 ounces each)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • mint sprigs for garnish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

TO MAKE THE MANGO SALSA

Combine the mango, red onion, mint, 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, lime zest, 2 teaspoons lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl. Season with more jalapeno, lime juice, and salt to taste. Let stand, covered, at room temperature.

TO MAKE THE BLACKBERRY SYRUP

Whisk together the vinegar, preserves, and kosher salt in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Keep an eye on the reduction during the final stages of cooking to avoid over-reducing or burning.

Season the pork with the kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the pork and saute turning as needed, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roast until pork is just cooked through but is still pink in the center, 8 to 12 minutes. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat should register 150 degreed F.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let sit for at least 5 minutes, then slice on the diagonal. Fan the slices on a serving plate, top with the mango salsa, and drizzle with the blackberry syrup. Garnish with mint sprigs.