May #1 - Mint and my harissa lamb hummus bowl
Is there more to mint than mojitos?
HISTORY:
Wild mint is ancient. Dried leaves have been found in Egyptian pyramids dating back to 1000 BC, and native mint species grow across almost every continent. In antiquity, it was used as perfume and to make decorative crowns but it’s always been prized for both its flavour and medicinal properties. Renowned for freshening breath and soothing dodgy stomachs, it’s also had a whole roster of reputations: aphrodisiac, antibacterial, strengthening tonic, mental focus aid, and a friend to those suffering from menstrual cramps.
FUN FACTS:
You might know by now that I can’t resist a good Greek myth. You’re probably already familiar with Hades: lord of the underworld and Persephone’s less-than-consensual husband. The story goes that Hades fell in love with a beautiful nymph called Minthe. Persephone, understandably unimpressed (I mean, the man did kidnap her, the least he could do is stay faithful), turned Minthe into a plant out of spite. But Minthe’s beauty endured through her sweet, heady scent.
There are hundreds of mint varieties, each differing in leaf shape, size, and flavour. The flavour comes down to levels of key aroma compounds like menthol, menthone, and limonene. Menthol is the one that gives peppermint that intense cooling effect. For comparison, spearmint has just 0.5% menthol, while peppermint boasts a whopping 40%.
Mint tea is beloved around the world, served fresh or blended, often with green tea. Europeans often take it with honey; in South America, yerba maté often features minty additions; but nowhere does mint tea quite like Morocco (and the Maghreb region), where it’s steeped (yes, I went there) in tradition and hospitality. The host prepares the tea, then pours it from a height into small glasses to aerate it and release its flavour. Three rounds are always served, each one stronger and more bitter than the last. Once that third cup is downed, it’s the polite cue to take your leave. I love that! It’s a bit more poetic and subtle than my dad’s go-to move: clapping his hands and declaring “Right!”.
There’s even a proverb to go with it:
The first cup is as sweet as life,
The second as strong as love,
The third as bitter as death.
(Though I’ve also seen the order flipped for a completely different message.)
HOW TO COOK MINT:
Raw: Well, obviously it’s just a lovely leaf to add to sweet and savoury dishes to enhance their flavour pairings. Some of my favourite additions are:
Mixed with yoghurt, grated cucumber, and mango chutney for a cooling raita.
Finely chopped with parsley, peppers, tomato, and cucumber into a tabbouleh.
With a lettuce leaf and spring roll, dipped in nuoc mam sauce.
Torn into a salad with cucumber, watermelon, olives and goat’s cheese.
Cooked:
Bring equal parts water and sugar to the boil, throw in plenty of mint, then leave to cool and infuse. Mix this syrup with lemonade or still water for a refreshing drink. This is a classic in France, children sometimes mix it with milk, though that’s a step too far for me!
Add mint to the water when boiling potatoes or asparagus.
The British might tell you to make mint jelly to top lamb with, but I’m not the right person to ask for that recipe.
Infuse mint leaves in custard to make ice cream or crème pâtissière, even better with the addition of shaved dark chocolate.
Mint pairs well with vegetables such as potatoes, asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms, peas, cucumber, and avocado; with sweeter fruits particularly melon, watermelon, strawberries, lemon, lime, mango, orange, raspberries, figs, and especially blackcurrants; with strong meaty flavours like goat’s cheese, duck, beef, black pudding, lamb, and oily fish; and with other aromatics such as basil, parsley, dill, coriander, cinnamon, star anise, chilli, ginger, and, of course (for some), dark chocolate.
My mint recipes:
Harissa lamb hummus bowl: below for paid subscribers
And plenty more in my spring cookbook: Seasonal Mood Food Vol.3 Spring
MOOD FOOD - CALM:
Like many herbs, mint contains a variety of beneficial nutrients, but you’ll need more than just a garnish to truly enjoy its effects.
What makes mint particularly unique is menthol, the natural compound responsible for its cooling sensation, and here are some of its proposed benefits:
Soothes digestion: Menthol may help relax the muscles of the digestive tract, which can ease indigestion and bloating.
Eases breastfeeding pain: Applying mint essential oils has been shown to reduce nipple pain and cracks in breastfeeding mothers.
Boosts alertness: Early studies suggest that inhaling peppermint oil may enhance cognitive function and increase mental alertness.
Clears the airways: While it doesn’t truly decongest, menthol can create a cooling sensation that subjectively improves nasal breathing.
Freshens breath: Chewing mint leaves to combat bad breath dates back to ancient Egypt, the inventors of the original breath mint mixed with cinnamon, frankincense and myrrh.
This week’s recipe:
Harissa Lamb & Hummus Bowl Recipe
My Harissa Lamb & Mint Hummus Bowl Recipe
Crispy harissa lamb mince with seasonal vegetables, fresh mint, and a creamy hummus base.
A few clever tricks help us achieve the creamiest hummus for this vibrant spring bowl, topped with spiced harissa lamb mince and tangy vegetables seasoned with preserved lemon, sumac, and pomegranate molasses.
Ingredients (2 portions):
The creamiest hummus recipe:
1 tin chickpeas
1 tsp ground cumin
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp tahini
Sea salt
Harissa lamb mince recipe:
1 spring onion
½ red onion
1 carrot
½ spring cabbage
½ preserved lemon
½ tsp fennel seeds
2 cardamom pods
6g mint
150g lamb mince
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp harissa paste
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar)
Optional garnish: mint leaves, pickled red onion, or pomegranate seeds
Method:
Make the hummus: Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in a saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 tsp ground cumin and a couple of pinches of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 35 minutes (the water should have reduced by more than half). While the chickpeas are still hot, blitz them in a food processor with the cooking water, tahini, lemon juice, and three large ice cubes. Leave to cool in the fridge.
Finely dice the red onion. Use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons from the carrot. Thinly slice the spring onion and chop the spring cabbage into roughly 5 cm pieces.
Halve the preserved lemon and roughly chop it. Thinly slice the mint leaves. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and roughly chop them together with the fennel seeds.
Place a medium frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add the lamb mince and brown for 7 minutes. Add the red onion, cardamom, fennel seeds, and ground cumin. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the harissa paste and chopped mint, then remove from the heat.
In another frying pan, cook the cabbage, carrot, spring onion, preserved lemon, sumac, and a pinch of salt over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the pomegranate molasses and remove from the heat.
To serve, layer in a bowl: start with the hummus, then the vegetables, and top with the crispy lamb. Garnish with mint leaves, and optionally with pickled red onion or pomegranate seeds. Tuck in and bon appétit!
As always, if you have any questions about method, substitutes etc. feel free to send me a message!