makes 6 cups; adapted from Jerry Traunfeld of The Herbfarm
Combine cream, milk, and pinch of salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Bruise the mint leaves by rubbing and coarsely tearing then add to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, immediately remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or bowl and return the infused cream to the saucepan.
Wash the measuring cup or bowl as you will use it again for chilling the ice cream base.
Put the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl set over another bowl filled half-way with hot tap water. Whisk the yolks until they are lukewarm, 90–100°F (this will just take a minute or two), then remove the bowl from the water.
Add the sugar and salt to the milk/cream and bring back to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat and immediately pour a gradual stream into the egg yolks, whisking constantly for a minute. (This will cook the egg yolks, an instant-read thermometer will register 170–180°.) Whisk for another minute to slightly cool the mixture and pour through a fine sieve into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or bowl. Refrigerate overnight to cool completely.
Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer instructions—the Cuisinart with freezer bowl takes 20 minutes. For stracciatella, melt chocolate and drizzle into the ice cream during the final 5 minutes of churning.
Ice cream will be soft-serve. Transfer to a container and store in freezer for a firmer texture.