Mint

About

Spearmint is commonly paired with summer produce such as new potatoes, soft fruits, baby carrots, and peas in the UK, though its sweet flavor can easily overpower these delicate ingredients if used carelessly. It holds up better against bold flavors such as beef broth, as in Vietnamese pho, or grilled lamb, feta cheese, and dark chocolate. In the Middle East, peppermint is sometimes combined with lemon verbena for tea. Peppermint's distinct cooling character comes largely from its menthol content, and it is grown mainly for its essential oil, used in candy, ice cream, dental products, and crème de menthe liqueur.

Pairs well with mint

• CiLemonSpearmint's warmer, sweeter character, compared to peppermint's menthol coolness, works well against sour or bitter flavors, as in…
• EaPotatoMint appears with potato in various dishes, including Roman-style ravioli, popular Indian potato snacks, and a potato soup by Irish chef…
• CiOrangeMint and orange is an uncommon and divisive pairing; some compare the clash to drinking orange juice right after brushing with mint…
• SuGarlicGarlic and mint are often kept apart in French cooking, but Turkish cooks combine dried mint and garlic into salted yogurt served with…
• SpCinnamonA warm, herbaceous combination that suits red meat, or can flavor a mint syrup, as in a mint-watermelon drink, for a refreshing…
• RoChocolateMilk chocolate paired with strong mint, as in mass-market mint crisps, is a divisive combination, but dark chocolate with mint, as in…
• CiGingerGinger mint, a hybrid variety, tastes close to peppermint with just a hint of ginger.
• EaMushroomIn Tuscany, porcini mushrooms are often sold and served alongside nepitella (Calamintha nepetha), an herb with a woody flavor similar to…
• MeBeefMint is traditionally paired with British roast lamb rather than boiled beef, but other cuisines pair mint directly with beef: it is used…
• GrAniseBritish confectionery tends to pair licorice with coconut or fruity fondant, as in Licorice Allsorts, while the Dutch and Scandinavians…
• GrChiliVada pav, a Bombay street snack of spiced mashed-potato patty deep-fried in chickpea batter, is served in a soft roll with a chutney of…
• FfHoneyCertain honeys carry natural minty or menthol notes: lime (linden/basswood) honey, Greek wild thyme honey, and carob honey, which leans…
• GrAvocadoA simple dressing blends avocado, yogurt, olive oil, mint leaves and salt.
• MeLambDespite the British tradition of a vinegary mint sauce with lamb, mint's cleansing quality genuinely complements lamb's herbal affinities…
• CiLimeLime and mint, combined with rum and sugar, make the mojito.
• EaCuminCumin and dried mint together evoke Cairo-style street food, and are used to season lamb kebabs or burgers; they also pair well with fava…
• SuOnionMint is traditionally used to mask onion breath much as parsley is used for garlic breath.
• MaOily FishMint appears with oily fish across several cuisines: eighteenth-century English cookery stuffed mackerel with chopped mint, parsley and…
• ChGoat CheeseHalloumi, traditionally made from a mix of goat's and sheep's milk, sometimes has mint added during salting, giving a faint minty note…
• CrDateIn Morocco, mint tea is offered to guests constantly, often alongside a few dates, the herb and fruit drawing out each other's aromas.
• GrParsleyTabbouleh depends on a high ratio of parsley to mint, roughly five to one, and comparatively little bulgur wheat, which should be a…
• EaLentilMint pairs naturally with foods that have a pronounced mineral quality, including bittersweet chocolate, fava beans, spinach and blood…
• RoPeanutMint and peanut butter are sometimes combined in sandwiches, a pairing that makes more sense in light of the chopped mint and roasted…
• GrCilantroCilantro and mint together can read as soapy, but work well pounded with shallots and chili into a sambal, loosened with lime juice or…
• GrKaleKale and mint share an affinity similar to kale and chocolate.
• GrPeaPea and mint is a classic English pairing: the pea's bright, simple sweetness is offset by mint's cooler, more subdued character.
• GrCucumberCucumber and mint, often combined with cooling yogurt, form the basis of dishes found across a wide band from Greece to India: cacik in…
• FrStrawberryTorn mint, a little lemon juice and a pinch of sugar can amplify strawberry's natural sweetness.
• EaFava beanA Neapolitan dish combines fava beans and mint in a vinaigrette.
• WoPine nutPine nuts are sometimes added, lightly toasted or raw, to mint tea in Tunisia, where the hot liquid softens them and releases their flavor.