Dont let those sprigs go soggy or dry up. Mint can freshen up many ingredients from broad beans to a courgette and feta saladIn Greek mythology, poor old Minthe, the naiad that caught the wandering eye of Hades, was transformed into a mint plant by his vengeful wife, Persephone. Clearly a simple hands off, you hussy wasnt enough. Much like the unrepentant little minx, the herb mint can be a little overpowering, but unlike the nymph, a little goes a very long way. While I treat most of my fresh herbs much as I would coriander, I sometimes find that mint has a much shorter shelf life, but I suspect that this may be something to do with what type of mint (usually spearmint) I have bought. Treat mint (or other fresh herbs) like cut flowers by removing any bindings holding the bunch together. Trim the ends and remove any leaves that will be immersed in water. Place the stems in an open container and add just enough water to cover the cut ends. Leave in a cool place and change the water every two days or so, or if it is cloudy.Another way of preserving mint is to separate the stems and layer between paper kitchen towels. I store these in a sealed plastic container and find they will last quite happily in the fridge for about a week.While you can freeze mint, it will become mushy. A good way around this is to make ice cubes containing small amounts of chopped leaves. You can now add the cubes to cool summer drinks for an extra vibrant flavour. Continue reading...
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