Ingredients
Mint
- 1large bunch fresh mint, leaves only, about 30 g
Also
- 2 tbspcaster sugar
- 3 tbspboiling water
- 5 tbspmalt or white wine vinegar
- a pinch of salt
To serve
- with roast lamb
- and with new potatoes and peas
Directions
- Use fresh mint and use plenty of it, since dried mint is entirely wrong here and gives a dusty, hay-like flavour.
- Pick the leaves off the stalks and discard the stalks, which are fibrous and bitter. Wash and dry the leaves thoroughly before chopping. Chop the mint finely with a sharp knife on a board.
- Use a genuinely sharp knife, since a blunt one bruises the leaves and turns them black rather than cutting them cleanly. Some cooks sprinkle the sugar over the leaves and chop them together, which stops the mint sticking to the blade.
- Put the chopped mint and sugar in a bowl and pour the boiling water over. The boiling water dissolves the sugar completely, which cold vinegar alone will not do.
- Stir until the sugar has entirely dissolved. Now let it cool for a few minutes before the vinegar goes in. Add more sugar if it is too aggressive, or more vinegar if it tastes flat. Now let it stand for at least thirty minutes before serving.
- Stir it again before serving, since the mint settles. It should pour freely, with the chopped mint loose in the liquid rather than forming a paste.
- Serve it in a small jug or bowl with a spoon, alongside the roast. It keeps two or three days refrigerated, though the mint darkens and it is best fresh.
Technique
- British mint sauce is a thin vinegary liquid, not the American set mint jelly.
- Boiling water dissolves the sugar and draws out the mint’s oils.
- It must stand for at least half an hour before serving.
Substitutions
- White wine or cider vinegar in place of malt.
- Fresh mint is essential; dried mint will not do.
Variations
- Made with white wine vinegar, for a cleaner flavour.
- With a little lemon juice as well as vinegar.
- Made sharper, with less sugar.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mint sauce?
Mint sauce is a sauce & condiment from United Kingdom: chopped mint in vinegar, essential with roast lamb.
How long does Mint sauce take to make?
Mint sauce takes 10 min plus 30 min standing of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes about 150 ml. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Mint sauce?
Yes, within limits. White wine or cider vinegar in place of malt. Fresh mint is essential; dried mint will not do.
What is the most important thing to get right in Mint sauce?
Use a genuinely sharp knife, since a blunt one bruises the leaves and turns them black rather than cutting them cleanly. Some cooks sprinkle the sugar over the leaves and chop them together, which stops the mint sticking to the blade.
