Mint is a highly versatile herb with a host of both savory and sweet applications. It can brighten a salad or add a delightful sweetness to snickerdoodles. You will only get these benefits when it is used in moderation. When used in excess, this herb can become overpowering and unpleasant. If you have added more mint to a dish than you should have, it may be unpalatable. Happily, there are quite a few solutions for dishes with too much mint.
Table of Contents
Dilute
As with any herb or spice that you overuse, the simplest solution is to decrease the ratio of mint to everything else. If you were making keftedes, you would simply add more of the ground beef or lamb along with more garlic and other ingredients except for mint. This would allow you to correct the excessive minty flavor without running the risk of altering the dishes’ flavor profile. This method has the benefit of being versatile-you can use it with any dish or beverage that includes mint.
Physical removal
Mint’s versatility allows it to be effective at flavoring a variety of different preparations including desserts and cocktails. In many cases where the whole herb is used, it may be possible to balance the flavors by removing the leaves. In a mojito or other mint cocktail, you should be able to pick out the extra mint sprigs before they have a chance to release all of their essential oils.
While this method is not always effective in dishes where the herb has been chopped and cooked, it can be used in some cases. For example, minced mint is one of the main flavoring ingredients in the Mexican meatball soup called albondigas. If you have added too much mint, it may be possible to skim some of the chopped mint off the top of the soup with a slotted spoon if you recognize your mistake early in the cooking process.
Sweetness
As with other herbs in the Lamiaceae family, one of the byproducts of using too much mint is bitterness. In most cases, adding sweetness can be an effective way to counteract a bitter flavor. If your dessert has too much mint in it, the key may be to add more of the sweet components.
Similarly, minted peas or carrots with too much mint may benefit from a small amount of sugar or honey. Of course, you will need to be cautious with the use of a sweetener to avoid ruining the flavor profile of a savory dish. Add it in small amounts until the mint flavor in your dish is more palatable.
Add an acid
In a dish that is overpoweringly minty, an acid may be able to cut through the sweetness of mint and mask it. Depending on the dish, your options can range from a citrus juice to vinegar. In a mojito, you can simply add an extra wedge of lime. Albondigas recipes typically include plum tomatoes, so you can double the amount to help neutralize your excess mint.
Add potato
In a soup like a pea and mint soup or a sauce like the mint sauce that is commonly served with lamb, you may be able to draw out some of the excess flavor by adding a potato. You can simply leave the potato in as the dish cooks and then remove it before serving. It should neutralize the bitterness without adding any unwanted flavors.
Must-read related posts
- Cooking With Mint: Learn the dos and don’ts behind using this herb in the kitchen.
- Eight Tasty Mint Uses: Want to ramp up your mint usage in fun ways? These uses are delicious.
- Basil Vs. Mint: How do these two herbs compare?