The
Spice of Life
Rising
Tea Trends in America
by Chas Kroll
 |
Sensational
smoky sea bass |
It
might be optimistic to say Americans are turning into a
culture of tea drinkers, but along with rising interest
in the healthful benefits of Camellia Sinensis
(especially its antioxidant properties) and the ubiquity
of chain tea and coffee shops, more and more people are
incorporating the taste of tea into their daily lives.
In
the past, the marriage of tea and food was mostly limited
to the grassy flavor of green tea in ice cream or other
Japanese sweets. You may have encountered tea-smoked duck
on Yujean Kang's menu or at Bastide under Ludovic Lefebvre,
who might spike a dish with green tea—both chefs have
a passion for experimenting with world spices. Lately, though,
you may meet more complex situations like rice simmered
in fruit-flavored black tea, African rooibos as a delicate,
creamy accompaniment to fresh fish, or a fragrant ratatouille
cooked in a Darjeeling bath.
In
China, cooking with tea is as old as the story of tea itself.
Oolong leaves were stuffed into fish for a pungent steamed
dish, and “Dragonwell is commonly stir fried with
shredded chicken breast and bean spouts for a fresh grassy
punch,” writes Diana Rosen, co-author with Robert
Wemischner of Cooking with Tea. These days, chefs
are recognizing the versatility of tea as a spice, meat
tenderizer, marinade or edible leaf.
Asian
10 Spice |
White
Peony |
Hawaiian
Colada Roobois |
La Jolla, Calif.-based tea master and self-trained chef
Chas Kroll and San Diego chef Joseph Sands combined their
creative forces to create Asian 10 Spice, an aromatic seasoning
using Lapsang Souchong black tea, Chinese five-spice powder
and four other ingredients. The result is a distinctive
rub and seasoning for beef, pork, chicken, duck and fish.
Its smoky aroma is balanced by sweetness to satisfy the
palate. We had the pleasure to experience these tea-focused
creations first-hand in the form of sea bass topped off
with the sweet taste of papaya-mango salsa and served alongside a bed of Forbidden Black Rice.
RECIPE:
Sensational Smoky Sea Bass
Forbidden
Black Rice
3
tablespoons peach apricot black tea
2 cups rice
2 cloves garlic
4 thin slices fresh ginger
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
Preparation:
Add ten cups of boiling water to the tea in a four-quart
pot. Cover and steep for five minutes. Strain the
tea to remove the leaves and set aside. Heat the sesame
oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottom iron skillet on high
heat. As soon as the oil begins to smoke, lower the
heat to medium. Add the rice, garlic, ginger and one
cup of tea at a time. Sauté and simmer, carefully
adding more tea as needed to prevent the rice from
sticking to the pan. Cover on simmer and set aside.
Cooking time is 45 minutes.
Papaya-Mango
Salsa
1
ripe papaya, peeled, diced
1 ripe mango, peeled, diced
¼ cup fresh pineapple, peeled, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, stems removed, chopped
1 orange, cut in half
1 lime, cut in half
¼ teaspoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (to taste)
Preparation:
Put the papaya, mango, pineapple and cilantro in a
two-quart mixing bowl. Add the juice from the orange
and lime, plus the chili sauce. Mix gently with a
spoon. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
Cream
Ani Glace
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons Hawaiian Colada Roobois Red Tea
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
Preparation:
Bring the milk to just under a slow boil, lower the
heat to medium and add the tea. Steep for at least
five minutes. Strain the tea to remove the leaves
and set aside. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl
and add the sugar to achieve a light lemon color.
In a 12-inch heavy-bottom iron skillet on medium heat,
slowly drizzle the tea into the eggs, whisking slowly
at first. Once incorporated, place over a double-boiler
and stir for six minutes. Set aside.
Sea
Bass
8 eight-ounce fillets, one-inch thick
Lightly dust both sides with Asian 10 Spice
Preparation:
Heat a heavy-bottom iron skillet on medium-high heat
for five minutes and carefully place the fish in the
pan. Cook for three minutes per side, turning once,
being careful not to overcook the fish.
To
plate the meal, place a half-cup of rice slightly
off the center of the plate. Place a piece of sea
bass partly over the rice and partly on the plate.
Add two tablespoons of salsa directly on top of the
fish. Drizzle a teaspoon of Ani Glace cream on the
open area of the plate. Serve immediately.
Serves
8.
|
Match
with Organic White Peony
To
compliment the experience, serve with a premium-grade white
tea like organic white peony. In addition to its health
benefits, its light, delicate taste is an ideal palate cleanser.
Prized for its mild flavor as well as low astringency and
savory finish, it is often consumed during and after a meal
in many areas of China and is low in caffeine because of
a unique natural processing.
Sources
Asian 10 Spice, Peach Apricot Black Tea, Hawaiian Colada
Roobois Red Tea and Organic White Peony are available online
from Royal Dynasty Tea, www.royaldynastytea.com,
or by calling 619-574-6909 ext. 121. Forbidden Black Rice
is available online from Lotus Foods, www.worldpantry.com/lotus,
or by calling 866-972-6879.
|
Chas
Kroll, Tea Master of Royal Dynasty
Tea (www.royaldynastytea.com),
is dedicated to promoting tea consumption for its
health benefits. His company is an online wholesaler
and retailer of many of the world's finest premium-grade,
loose-leaf teas. He can be contacted at (619) 574-6909
EXT. 121 or by email at chas@royaldynastytea.com.
______________________
Joseph Sands,
executive chef and owner of Five Star Dinner Parties,
specializes in innovative gourmet dinner parties.
He is also the owner of Sushi Specialties, a wholesale
supplier of fresh maki rolls to caterers and colleges.
He can be reached by email at joesands@cox.net.
______________________
|
Copyright © 2004. Joe Sands and Chas Kroll. All rights
reserved.
Tea Books
Tea Features
Tea Tastings
(Updated:
10/10/08 KR)
