Lapsang Souchong Tea Glaze

My favorite tea of all times on a cold morning is Lapsang Souchong Tea. It comes from China’s Fujian Province. The flavor is produced by laying premium black tea leaves out on bamboo trays and allowing smoke from pinewood to permeate through the tea. If you have not tried this tea you are really missing something. It is so beloved that it is blended to make perfume.

While I was drinking my morning cup this morning; my thoughts went to how wonderful this tea would be as an infusion in food. In researching I came upon a wonderful recipe that I would like to share with you. It comes from Ward Bradshaw a wonderful chef.

He glazes salmon, chicken and pork with this recipe.

1 quart Lapsang Souchong, strongly brewed

2 tablespoons of honey

1 sprig of thyme

Chili oil

1 cup of olive oil

½ cup chopped garlic

1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup samba



Twinings Lapsang Souchong Tea, Tea Bags, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)

Reduce the tincture of tea to 1 cup and add the honey.  You will then prepare the chili oil.

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan to about 325 degrees and add the garlic. Fry the garlic until a light golden brown. Remove the oil from the heat and add the sesame oil, soy sauce, sambal and tea tincture. Let cool until room temperature.

Marinate salmon in the lapsang chili mixture for 1 hour. The salmon can then be grilled.

You will need to marinate chicken or pork loin over night. Mashed potatoes and sesame green beans is a really nice a compliment.

Spinach Cobb Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing

Dressing

5 cloves of garlic roasted in skin until golden
1 tablespoon of finely minced shallot
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons of Dijon Mustard
salt & freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup of lime juice
zest of one lime and orange
juice of one orange
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves
1 pinch of red pepper flakes

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until mixed. Do not over blend.

Salad

1 package of prewashed spinach
8 ounces of mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup of roasted and chopped pecans
1 avocado sliced
2 hard boiled eggs sliced
1 tomato sliced
3 slices of oven roasted bacon crumbled *

                                             * Note: You can replace the bacon with sliced smoke turkey

Toss the salad or place the ingredients on a platter in groups. Serve the dressing on the side.

Lipper International Large Cherry Wavy Rim Bowl with Salad Hands is really nice. Take a look.

But better yet is this Ebony Wood Salad Serving Set

Enjoy !

Cashew Nut Chicken with Hoisin

1 pound chicken breast

1 red pepper

3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon of fresh ginger

1 green chile

1 red chile

1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 egg white

2 tablespoons of roasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons of peanut oil

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 bunch of spring onions

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

1 1/4 cups of roasted whole cashews

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
1 lime
1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves
3 tablespoons of chicken stock

Toss the chicken breast cubes with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Let stand for thirty minutes.

Now begin your prep work by dicing the garlic, peppers and green onions. It looks wonderful when the green onions and red peppers are diced on the bias. Zest the lime with a microplane and then juice the lime and set aside.  Mince the ginger very fine or you could microplane.

Now heat a wok with some of the peanut oil until the wok is almost smoking. Add just the chicken and brown.

Do not over cook the chicken.

It should still be a little pink inside.

Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Add the last of the peanut oil to the wok.

Then add the diced peppers, green onions, garlic, ginger and half of the spring onions. Saute a few minutes and then add the sauces. The hoisin, oyster, sugar and soy sauce. Then add the chicken, cashews and lime zest. Add a little chicken stock if the sauce is to thick. Finish chicken with the rest of the toasted sesame oil, coriander leaves and reserved green onions and lime juice. Serve with steamed rice.

T fal Specialty 14-Inch Nonstick Jumbo Wok, Black is a great tool !

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups of cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1/2 cup buttermilk (not low fat)
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until well mixed. Then add the egg and mix until well incorporated. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, Grand Mariner and vinegar mix just until combined. Then add the dry ingredients. Add the vinegar in at the last and then scrap the bowl making sure to get all the ingredients. Pour batter into a paper lined muffin tin. Bake in the middle level of your oven for 17 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.

Frosting

4 ounces of cream cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon juice

pinch of salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup of lightly toasted coconut

Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, salt and lemon juice. Mix again until just incorporated. Then add confectioner's sugar. Mix until well incorporated. Add the coconut and then prepare a piping bag with a star tip.

You need to toast the coconut to match the cocoa flavor in the cake. You can top the cake with the toasted coconut or add it to the frosting. I like sprinkles, so I added the coconut into the frosting. You can choice not to add coconut all together.

                                                                                         

             

I recommend the Ateco Extra Wide Pastry Decorating Tip, Set of 3 and Wilton 2104-7778 Master Tip Set