not only adds a great taste to ice teas but it also enhances the flavour of many dishes. Try one of these recipes utilising mint below.

LAMB WITH YOGURT-MINT SAUCE 4 servings (With about 3 tablespoons sauce each) 2 cup plain fat-free yogurt 1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves 2 tablespoons sugar 4 lamb loin chops, about 1 inch thick (about 1 pound) PLACE yogurt, mint and sugar in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium speed, stopping blender occasionally to scrape sides, until leaves are finely chopped.

Set oven control to broil. Spray broiler pan rack with non stick cooking spray. Trim fat from lamb. Place lamb on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops about 3 inches from heat 12 to 14 minutes for medium (160 degrees), turning after 6 minutes. Serve with sauce.

*** MINTY LEMONADE FREEZE 8 servings 1 large bunch mint (about 10 sprig) 1 cup sugar 1 cup lemon juice (about 5 lemons) 1 cup water 1 bottle (1 litre) ginger ale, chilled Crushed ice WASH mint; remove leaves from stems. Place leaves in pitcher. Sprinkle sugar over mint leaves. Add lemon juice and water. Let stand 30 minutes. Add ginger ale and ice. Stir vigorously until pitcher becomes frosted.

Recipes from: Betty Crocker's New Low-Fat Low Cholesterol Cookbook.

*** STRAWBERRY MINT ICE Makes about 1 quart 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves, coarsely chopped 1 recipe chilled Fresh Strawberry Sauce (below) IN a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint leaves. Let the mixture steep until cooled.

Strain the liquid then pour it into a bowl. Stir in the strawberry sauce then transfer the mixture to a glass or enamelled loaf pan or casserole. Place the container in the freezer, covered with foil.

After about an hour, stir the mixture with a fork to loosen up any ice that's forming. Repeat this process a number of times, over the course of 3 to 5 hours. Check every 30 minutes or so, each time scraping the ice and pushing on it with a fork to break up big formations of ice crystals. Spoon the mixture into dessert bowls when it's firm enough to serve.

FRESH STRAWBERRY SAUCE Makes about 2 cups 1 quart ripe strawberries, hulled and cleaned 2 to 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar a few drops of lemon juice, or 1 tablespoon framboise or kirsch (optional) PUT the strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and process to a fine puree, about 10 to 15 seconds. Pour the sauce into a bowl and whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, tasting the sauce after each addition until the flavour suits you.

If you think the sauce needs it, whisk in the lemon juice, framboise, or kirsch. Cover and refrigerate until using.

*** FRESH MINT GELATO Makes almost 1 quart 1 1 Cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves 2 cups milk 2 cup sugar 3 egg yolks 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon green creme de menthe IN a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, combine the mint leaves, milk, and sugar. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes) and the milk is hot to the touch. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep for 30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Strain, the mint and whisk it into the yolks. Pour the liquid back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until it reaches 180 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

Blend the cream and creme de menthe with the chilled liquid. Pour into the freezer of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Recipes from: Ken Haedrich Simple Desserts.

*** GRILLED SALMON WITH MINT MARINADE 4 small salmon steaks, 3 inch thick (about 1 1 pounds) 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves 1 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 bay leaf PLACE salmon steaks in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 11 x 7 x 1 1 inches.

Beat remaining ingredients except bay leaf thoroughly; stir in bay leaf and drizzle over fish. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, turning fish over after 30 minutes. Remove fish from marinade; reserve marinade.

Delicious mint recipes Grill fish uncovered about 4 inches from hot coals, turning over once and brushing with marinade frequently, 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Heat remaining marinade to rolling boil; remove bay leaf.

Serve marinade with fish. 4 servings.

TO BROIL: Marinate fish as directed above. Set oven control to broil. Place fish on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops about 4 inches from heat about 5 minutes, brushing fish with marinade frequently, until light brown. Turn carefully; brush with marinade. Broil 4 to 6 minutes longer, brushing with marinade frequently, until fish flakes easily with fork.

Recipe from: Betty Crocker's Best Barbecue.