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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Season: June to August. I can’t help feeling that we should all make more use of garden mint. I’m sure that if it didn’t run amok in the garden in a rather annoying way, we would prize it more highly not just as a nice thing to chuck in with the potatoes, but as the wonderful sweet-scented herb that it is. This simple recipe is best made with young, bright green mint leaves picked just before flowering, when the volatile oils are at their strongest. Gather them on a sunny day, when the plant is fully dry and the leaves are warm. Use the leaves immediately after picking to retain every bit of their amazing warming and cooling menthol character. Mix 2 teaspoons of mint syrup into a glass of ice-cold water, lemonade, or tonic for a cooling summer drink. To make delicious hot, sweet mint tea, add 1 tablespoon of the syrup to a pot (silver, of course, if you have one) of steaming green tea. Ingredients:
2 ounces freshly picked mint leaves |
juice of 1 lemon |
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar |
1 teaspoon sea salt |
Directions:
1. Check the mint leaves for any insect life, then tear the leaves into shreds. Put the lemon juice into a large bowl. Add the mint and pound with the end of a wooden rolling pin. Add the sugar and salt and continue to crush the mint leaves to release their menthol essence. Leave to macerate for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
2. Pour 2 1/2 cups of boiling water over the macerated mint mixture and let stand for a further 12 hours.
3. Strain the syrup through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth into a saucepan. Gently bring to a simmer and simmer for a couple of minutes. Pour into warm, sterilized bottles (see p. 125) and seal with screw-caps or corks.
4. This syrup will keep unopened for 4 months, but once opened, it should be stored in the fridge. If you want to keep it longer, it will need to be sterilized in a water bath straight after canning (see p. 125).
5. Per serving: 500.0 calories, 0.0 calories from fat, 0.0g total fat, 0.0g saturated fat, 0.0mg cholesterol, 1190.0mg sodium, 128.0g total carbs, 2.0g dietary fiber, 126.0g sugars, 1.0g protein Nutritional analysis provided by TasteBook, using the USDA Nutrition Database The River Cottage Preserves Handbook by Pam Corbin.Pam Corbin has been making preserves for as long as she can remember, and for more than twenty years her passion has been her business. Pam and her husband, Hugh, moved to Devon where they bought an old pig farm and converted it into a small jam factory. Using only wholesome, seasonal ingredients, their products soon became firm favorites with jam-lovers the world over. Pam has now hung up her professional wooden spoon but continues to jam at home. She also works closely with the River Cottage team, making seasonal goodies using fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers from her own garden, and from the fields and hedgerows.
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