Cooking with Tea Segment
April 25, 2015
Chamomile Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
1/4 – 1/2 c. Chamomile tea (steep 1 Chamomile tea bag in hot water, remove tea bag, and allow to cool)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 2 TBS. lemon juice)
3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil (or more, depending on how much oil you like in your dressing)
1 tsp. tahini
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 tsp. Honey
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients together, or put in blender and blend until smooth. Start with 1/4 c. chamomile tea and then add more at the end if you prefer a thinner dressing
2. Serve over chopped greens, such as chopped baby kale, baby spinach and romaine combined. Add finely chopped fresh sweet peas and carrots. Garnish with about 3 TBS. Slivered almonds, dried cranberries or currants.
Ginger and Jasmine Tea-Poached Pears
Ingredients
3 cups strongly brewed jasmine green tea (I used green tea and a Spicy Indian tea)
1/3 cup sugar
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
3 ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc, peeled, halved and cored, with stems left attached
Directions
1. Put tea, sugar and ginger into a wide, shallow pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Arrange pears in pot in a single layer, cut sides down. Cover and simmer gently, spooning the liquid over the pears from time to time, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Let pears cool in liquid, then serve warm or at room temperature with the fragrant poaching liquid spooned over the top.
Tea-infused Braised Chicken
Ingredients
3 T black tea leaves (I used 3 black tea bags)
1 quart spring water
fruity olive oil, enough to coat pan for searing
4 cloves garlic smashed then finely chopped
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions, about one large onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 10 ounce can Ro Tel tomatoes or 1 ½ cup fresh chopped tomatoes
2 1/2 lb. chicken (salt and freshly ground pepper), to taste.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Prepare tea by brewing it in warm water then sieve out the leaves (remove tea bags) and set aside the liquid.
3. In a large pan (or Dutch oven) sauté the garlic and onions in the olive oil until softened. Add sugar and tomatoes and stir until sugar dissolves. Place in a bowl and set aside.
4. Place the chicken in pan and season with salt and pepper, browning on both sides. Cover with the sautéed mixture; add the brewed tea then bake, covered, until the chicken is tender, about 40 – 45 minutes and tests done by thermometer at 165 degrees F.
