To dry mint, lay sprigs of mint between two paper towels and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until dry. You can also dry mint by tying several bunches together and hanging upside down in a warm, dry place. It is also possible to freeze mint by placing it in ziplock bags and putting in the freezer.
You can chop it up and toss it with sliced oranges in summer, spiked with a splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Its leaves give salads an unexpected fresh flavor, and it's brilliant in beverages, from juleps and mojitos to strong, sweet tea, either hot or cold. You can combine it with lemon verbena and honey for an aromatic summer cooler. And it is a proven tummy tonic, very soothing for indigestion.
- Spice Up Your Vegetables: Put mint in water used to steam vegetables.
- Mint tea: To make peppermint tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried peppermint leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes.
- Minty potatoes: Mix chopped mint with butter for boiled new potatoes (or with parsley or dill).
- Minty rice: Toss whole mint leaves in cooked rice before serving.
- Mint Ice Cubes: Freeze whole mint leaves in ice cubes for tea or lemonade.
- Minty Salad Dressing: Make salad dressing with mint, lemon juice, vinegar and a light oil.
- Spice up your tuna: Chop spearmint and mix with olive oil and use as a marinade for fresh tuna. Marinate 30 minutes, grill
- Scrambled eggs and omelets, for a change of pace flavor, or to egg substitutes to enhance the flavor. Add the mint at the end of cooking of scrambled eggs or omelets. Too much heat will turn the mint bitter. Fresh mint leaves are good in salads.