Kitchen Adventures: Experi-mint-ing

Mint has never struck me as an herb with wide-ranging uses...until recently. I bought a small mint plant on an impulse at Whole Foods a few months ago. As it flourished in my south-facing apartment window, I racked my mind to find uses for its fragrant leaves beyond herbal tea, mint juleps, and typical dessert fare.

Meanwhile, my new plant quickly demonstrated a quality that many gardeners know: mint grows like nobody's business. In fact, when grown outside it's considered invasive, and will overtake other plants unless potted or contained by a boundary of some sort. And even in a 6" pot inside, mint is still ambitious - after just a couple of weeks in its new home, thick-leafed tendrils had already shot outside their own territory to twine around the unsuspecting basil and sage nearby. It was time to take action.

A search for "mint" on Epicurious.com yielded a profusion of lamb recipes, but also offered more intriguing and unusual fare. I took a chance on mint-pistachio pesto, served over fish (I used salmon), and voila! - a new favorite dish was born.

I was worried that the mint aroma would overpower everything else and make me think longingly of a good traditional basil pesto. Not in the least! The pesto tastes mild when first prepared, but bursts with flavor after a day in the fridge; however, the mint remains part of the blend rather than being an assertive voice. The recipe is also fantastically versatile; pair it with roasted potatoes, sauteed zucchini and summer squash, pasta, or any food with a smooth, bland flavor.

In fact, mint and fish make a happy duo in general. A few fresh leaves laid on a fillet lightly brushed with olive oil or teriyaki bring the taste to a new level.

I've also been trying mint with various fresh fruits and vegetables. The best so far: ribbons of mint sprinkled over sliced strawberries and dusted with confectioner's sugar, and chopped tomatoes, mint, and crumbled feta cheese.

Though I cut it back quite a bit, my mint plant is quickly regrouping from its role in these culinary experiments. I repotted it to give the expanding roots more room, and made sure to cut each sprig above a leaf node, so that new growth could take place from the stems. In another week, it should be ready for a batch of mango-mint salsa! Chopped mango, a handful of mint, a squeeze of lime, maybe some onion...I can almost taste summer.