Wednesday, July 29, 2009

COOKING WITH TEA - Tea Punch

Half pint strong black tea
6 ounces sugar
Half pint orange juice (not solid)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cans ginger ale
1 large bottle seven-up
1 orange sliced

Put hot tea in a bowl. Add sugar until dissolved. Add orange and lemon juices. Strain.
Chill. Just before serving mix in the ginger ale, seven up and orange slices.

COOKING WITH TEA NATURALLY - Tea dressing/Marinade

Half cup strong Earl Grey tea (substitute another flavorful tea, such as English breakfast, if desired.
2 tablespoons orange juice
Half teaspoon sugar
Half teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Quarter cup fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Quarter teaspoon salt and pepper

Place tea, orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan or skillet. Bring to boil.
Reduce to about two tablespoons. Combine tea mixture, vinegar, garlic, slat, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Stir in basil.
Use for cooked pasta,green salads etc.

COOKING WITH TEA -Sencha Scented Lamb on Rosemary Skewers

1 pound lean lamb
1 recipe Sencha green tea marinade
12 rosemary skewers
24 garlic cloves, roasted.

Marinate lamb in Sencha green tea for one hour
Cut meat into cubes, skewer size
Saute lamb in olive oil until medium rare
Roast garlic cloves in 350F degree oven until soft and golden
Place roasted garlic, peel if desired on each rosemary sprig and then a cube of Sencha lamb. Continue with lamb, until it is all used. End with the other garlic clove. Serve immediately. Substitute chicken if desired. Serves 6

COOKING WITH TEA - Sencha Tea Marinade

Marinade
Half cup Sencha green tealeaves
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic
sea salt
pepper
1 shallot

Pour boiled water over tea leaves in an open dish. Chop garlic and shallot finely.
Add garlic, shallot and lemon juice to tea leaf mixture.
Use to marinate meat, fish or poultry. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

COOKING WITH TEA -Chai Tea Bread

1 three quarter cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Half teaspoon salt
three quarter cup sugar
8 ounce packet cream cheese
2 large eggs
Three quarter cup mashed bananas
Quarter cup of brewed Chai tea

Preheat oven to 350F. In separate bowl beat sugar, cream cheese and eggs until light and fluffy. Add mashed bananas, brewed chai tea and mix together gently. Gradually add flour
until thoroughly incorporated. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9" x 5"baking pan.Baking for approximately one hour, until bread tests done.

COOKING WITH TEA - Tea Jelly

Tea Jelly:

2 lemons
1 packet lemon jelly
Half pint (approx.) freshly brewed tea
Whipped cream to decorate

Grate zest from the two lemons. Place jelly in measuring cup and make up to one pint with the freshly brewed tea. Stir until dissolved, then cool. When jelly is slightly thickened stir in lemon zest and pour into rinsed one pint mold. Refrigerate until set.
Unmold. Decorate with whipped cream.

COOKING WITH TEA-Fried Tea-Scented Basmati Rice

Half cup lapsang souchong or other black tea
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 minced clove of garlic
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
Half tablespoon red pepper flakes
Half each red & yellow peppers chopped small
1 small onion chopped small
1 cup snow peas
2 cups cooked basmati rice
2 green onions chopped

In a bowl whisk together tea, fish sauce, light soy sauce & toasted sesame oil.

Heat canola oil in Wok, over medium heat. Add to red pepper flacks. Cook for one minute, until slightly browned. Increase heat to high. Add peppers and cook for about 3 minutes. Add snow peas and reserved tea mixture. Boil 2 minutes until liquid is reduced and somewhat syrupy. Add cooked rice and green onions, cooking tossing together for three minutes.

Add cooked shrimp, chicken if desired. serves 4

COOKING WITH TEA - Pasta Salad/Earl Grey Tea Vinaigretet

Dressing/marinade

Half cup strong Earl Grey tea
2 tablespoons orange juice
Half teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon onions, minced finely
1 clove garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Quarter cup chopped fresh basil

Salad

4 cups cooked fussili or other short pasta
1 cup each red and green pepper diced
1 cup red onion, finely chopped

Place tea, orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan or skillet and bring to boil, reduce to about 2 tablespoons.Combine tea mixture, vinegar, onions, garlic, salt and pepper and sesame oil. Stir in basil. (Can be made two days ahead).Doubles easily.
In large bowl toss together, pasta, peppers and onion. drizzle over dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

COOKING WITH TEA - Tea Soup

5 cups vegetable stock
4 large cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons dried thyme, lightly crushed
3 cups broccoli, chopped small
Half pound shelled macaroni
1 cup green tea, prepared at regular strength
Juice one lemon
Eight teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine the stock, garlic and thyme in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Stir in broccoli ad macaroni. Reduce heat and simmer until the macaroni is just at the al
dente stage, about ten minutes. Stir in the green tea. Heat through for about one minute.
Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and pepper. Adjust seasonings,adding a little salt if desired.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Homemade Buttermilk Scones

Preheat oven to 400F

Ingredients

4 cups flour
Third cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Half teaspoon baking soda
1 and one half sticks unsalted butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream for brushing

Method
Combine sifted flour sugar,salt,baking powder,baking soda in large bowl.
Add butter. Mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk until just combined.
Transfer dough to a floured board. Divide into two parts.
Cut each round into 8 wedges and place, slightly separated on a greased baking sheet.
Brush tops with cream and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve warm, split in half with whipped cream and preserves such as strawberry, raspberry or lemoncurd.