What to do with chocolate mint?

[lainamalone]

Bought a large bunch of it at the farmer's mkt, and now am not sure what to do with it! If you've never smelled it, it has a faintly chocolatey aroma when you crush the leaves, and has a much more potent (and less vegetal) mint smell/flavor than the kind you most often see at the store (which is spearmint, I guess?)

Everything I've found so far has advised using it in sweet things or making tea with it--anyone know of a way to use it in a savory dish? It does seem like it might be overpowering in the usual Thai/Vietnamese recipes...Any suggestions?

[karykat]

I imagine it would be good steeped in a pastry cream for a fruit tart.

This recipe calls for a minted pastry cream for that purpose and I think the bit of chocolate flavor would be good in it:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

(By the way, I think this recipe is a real keeper. The mint flavor in the pastry cream is subtle and really complements the fruit. Really great.)

[kattyeyes]

Make fresh mint ice cream. :)

[scuzzo]

Add to brownies!

[Todd Allison]

Flavored mints go great in Mojitos because the mint is such a predominate flavor. My favorite is the apple mint, but I've made plenty with chocolate mint and all have been good.

[coll]

I also grew pineapple mint this year, makes a tasty Mojito! I'm using the chocolate more for cooking and marinades right now.

[adamshoe]

Make an extract and then try to replicate "thin Mint" Girl Scout cookies!! And then invite me over to critique. adam

[greygarious]

Maybe Moroccan/North African dishes, which have that warm spice profile but sometimes include mint, would be more suitable than Thai/Vietnamese.

[coll]

I've been growing it the last few years, and use it rather than regular mint. Mojitos, Mediterranean dishes, or whatever. End of season, I dry it for a day or two on the dining room table, and use it all winter. It's still mint, and good for anything that calls for it.

[Old Spice]

I bought chocolate mint plants for the first time this year. Also had regular old peppermint. Like coll, the chocolate is now my standard mint. It just tastes better, and mintier, to me. And when used in food and teas, the "chocolate" is not as pronounced as when I just pick a leaf and chew, or bruise and smell the fragrance. Use it in anything where you like to add mint, sweet or savory.