In our last post, Master Gardener Brook told us stories about her childhood love for mint tea and how that has carried on to adulthood. With summer in full swing, you may have more mint than you know what to do with, and more on the way. Mint is a welcome addition to both sweet and savory applications and is often found in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian dishes. It pairs well with meats, vegetables, fruits and seafood. It can be the star of your dish or just an accent to push it over the top! Here are a few of our favorites. The best part? They’re easy, quick and delicious!
Watermelon Feta Salad
Serves 6-8
8 cups, peeled and diced watermelon cut into 1” cubes
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 small sliced red onion (optional)
- In a small bowl, mix citrus juice and oil. Add mint and set aside.
- In serving bowl, place diced watermelon, onion (if desired) and drizzle dressing over the top and toss gently.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese, being sure to leave some larger chunks. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
Serves 4-6
2 cups cooked bulger wheat, quinoa, or cous cous
¼ cup chopped Italian Parsley
¼ cup chopped mint
½ cup chopped green onion
1 medium tomato, diced
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
- In a large bowl, combine grains, herbs, onion and tomato. Toss to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mixt lemon juice, oil and garlic. Dress salad and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Salt to taste before serving.
Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Mint
Serves 4
1 pound zucchini and yellow squash, cut into large chunks or 1” rounds
1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2-3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons Capers, drained and roughly chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Walnuts, Pine nuts, or sunflower seeds; toasted and roughly chopped
2 anchovies, chopped (optional)
- Heat oil in medium sauté pan over med high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add zucchini and/or squash in a single layer, being careful not to crowd pan. You may need to cook these in 2 batches. Note: DO NOT SALT! This causes the zucchini to leach out water and will keep them from caramelizing correctly.
- Once all the zucchini is cooked and golden brown, remove from pan and set aside. Add the garlic, capers and anchovies (if using) and sauté for about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the mint and vinegar, and turn off the heat. Return the zucchini to the pan, toss to coat, and serve topped with chopped nuts.