As I went about preparing the backyard for a summer of Jamie Oliver fueled BBQs, I was surprised to see that my mint plant had evolved into a giant bush of flavor. Two things came to mind: more dranks (drinks with a twang) or some sort of herbal condiment. Although Chef Dharma is known to enjoy a mojito or mint julep (these posts may come in the future), I decided to get out of my wheelhouse and try for a mint jelly.
As a prelude to my adventure, I must warn you that I am a challenged canner and am not particularly skilled in the art of preserving. Fresh, raw and seared is my slogan, as opposed to salted, cured and sterilized. Nevertheless, I have much respect for the preservation of foods, as this skill is what allowed my ancestors to survive when the crops ran dry and the antelope ran away.
Mint jelly is really a simple creation: extract some mint flavour by boiling crushed leaves in water. This leaves you with a brown liquid, not the bright green fluoride look we all associate with mint flavouring.
Next, I followed the recipe and added heaps on heaps of sugar and then some lemon juice. A bit of pectin and food colouring (quite a bit of you want that real bright green look) and that's it.
Also had to sterilize my Mason Jars, which is not the most glamorous thing in the world.
The product was tart and sweet, albeit runny. This is because I chose to be stubborn and not add the 3 full cups of sugar required for the 3 cups of liquid. The amount of fine white sugar that is consumed for preserving fruits and making jellies is quite ridiculous. In the future, I will go with the "No Sugar Needed" liquid pectin variety.
I look to throw this green solution on my next roasted lamb shank or some salty chicken creation.
Also, the remainder of my mint will go in smoothies for a fresh boost. Excelerate your breathe!
Live well,
Chef Dharma
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