Mint is a refreshing herb that can add zest and flavor to many dishes. There are many types of mint, from peppermint to ginger mint. Generally, the mint you find in the supermarket is spearmint. Mint can be added to drinks, mixed into side dishes or used to season meats.
Drinks
Mint is often added to drinks to create an interesting flavor and for its health benefits. Mint, especially spearmint and peppermint, is used in tea because of its ability to ease upset stomachs. Mint can be added to water for its refreshing qualities, and it is added to alcoholic beverages such as mojitos. To make a mojito, combine rum, seltzer water or club soda, liquid sugar, mint and lime. A Mint Julep is another popular alcoholic beverage made with mint. To make this southern drink, "Old Mr. Boston De Luxe Official Bartender's Guide" recommends dissolving powdered sugar in water, and adding bourbon, ice and sprigs of mint.
Middle Eastern Cuisine
Mint is very popular in Middle Eastern dishes, such as tabouli. The Fine Cooking website gives an example of a Middle Eastern meal made with mint. The website includes a recipe for toasted Israeli couscous salad with mint, cucumber and feta, which is a pasta salad seasoned with spearmint or pineapple mint, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, feta cheese, salt, black pepper and chopped cucumber. The couscous needs to be toasted in a pan and boiled before adding the other ingredients.
Meat
Mint complements certain kinds of meat, especially poultry and lamb. In England, lamb is traditionally served with a mint sauce. This is a popular Easter dinner, according to the Michaels Reisetagebuch website. This site's recipe for mint sauce uses water, caster sugar and salt, which are boiled with chopped fresh mint leaves. Chill and add vinegar, and you have a mint sauce for your lamb. Mint can also be used to season poultry. Mojito chicken or turkey is one option to use mint. To make this dish, season chicken with the main ingredients of a Mojito drink--mint and lime. You can also season the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook the chicken as directed on the package. If you desire, you can use rum and sugar, brown sugar or honey to stay true to the Mojito recipe and add flavor to the chicken.