As tea fanatics, we’re always looking for ways work more tea into our lives. Tea is especially well-suited to being an ingredient in other recipes because of the variety of flavors. The options are nearly endless, but we’ve chosen three of our favorites to share with you this month.
Tea Brined Slow Roasted Chicken
For the wonderful effects of slow roasting be sure to choose a 3 pound chicken. Any bigger and you will have to adjust the roasting time or temperature. To fully appreciate the infusion of the tea, the slow roasting is essential.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BRINE
- 4 cups water
- 4 China Mist English Breakfast Tea bags
- 3 2-inch slices of lemon peel about an inch wide
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- Juice of one medium lemon
INGREDIENTS FOR THE ROAST CHICKEN
- 1 China Mist English Breakfast Tea bag, tag removed
- 4 large cloves garlic, halved
- Juice of 1 medium lemon
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp granulated garlic 1 3-pound chicken
DIRECTIONS
To make the brine:
• Boil the water and steep the tea for 20 minutes.
• Add the rest of the brine ingredients and stir till the sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Place in a container that will accommodate the chicken and cool the brine in the refrigerator.
• When the brine is cool, place the chicken in the brine and cover. Put it back in the refrigerator and let the chicken sit in the brine for a minimum of 8 hours, up to 24 hours.
To roast the chicken:
• Preheat oven to 250° F.
• Remove the chicken from the tea brine and pat it dry inside and out with paper towels.
• Place the garlic cloves and the remaining tea bag in the chicken’s cavity. Tie the chicken’s legs, tuck the wings under the chicken, and place it breast-side up into a 9 x 13-inch roasting pan.
• Rub the lemon juice all over the skin of the chicken and then rub on the olive oil. Combine the salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic and pat the mixture over the skin.
• Roast for about 3 hours. After the first hour of roasting, start basting occasionally, tipping the pan to release the juices from the cavity. Do this about every half hour or so.
• After the slow roast, raise the oven temperature to 375° F and continue to roast for about 15 minutes.
• Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Classic Jasmine Green Tea-Soaked Eggs
These eggs are classic delicacy, as beautiful as they are tasty. Cracking the shells prior to marinating in the tea and spices produces a gorgeous, marbled design; but you can also peel away the shell completely for a more even soaking and stronger flavor. The sweet, floral bouquet of China Mist Jasmine Green Tea makes a perfect canvas for the flavors to come together. Use them anywhere you’d use boiled eggs. They are especially perfect on a bowl of ramen or udon.
INGREDIENTS
- 12 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 4 slices peeled fresh ginger
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 tsp whole Sichuan or black peppercorns (Sichuan peppercorns are quite different from black pepper, but their flavor is worth seeking out)
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 3 China Mist Jasmine Green Tea sachets
DIRECTIONS
• Take the eggs out of the refrigerator to let them come to room temperature (or close). Cold eggs often crack when boiled.
• Combine the soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar, ginger, star anise, peppercorns and salt in a medium saucepan. Add 3 cups water and the tea bags and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer while the eggs cook and cool.
• Bring a few inches of water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven (one that can accommodate all the eggs in a single layer) to a boil over high heat.
• Using a spoon, carefully and quickly add the eggs one at a time. Cook for 6 minutes for jammy yolks, 7 minutes for just-set yolks and 8 to 10 minutes for hard-boiled yolks.
• Pour the boiling water out of the saucepan, keeping the eggs back with a lid or spatula, then fill the saucepan with cold water from the tap. Let stand until the eggs are cool enough to handle, then drain.
• To create a marbled look, tap the eggs with the back of a spoon to create hairline cracks all over with some bigger cracks but without breaking off the shells. For solid-colored eggs, peel the eggs completely.
• Transfer the eggs to the tea and spice mixture. Remove from the heat.
• Cover the saucepan or transfer everything to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 7 days before peeling the eggs and eating.
• For the clearest design, be sure to peel the eggs without removing the fine membrane between the shells and eggs.
Salted Brown Sugar Chai Tea Caramels
The subtle spices of our China Mist Masala Chai Tea lend a little something special to these simple to make salted caramels.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup half & half
- 2 Tbsp China Mist Masala Chai Tea (from tea sachets)
- 1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- dash of salt
- Flaky sea salt for finishing
DIRECTIONS
• Butter an 8×8 inch pan, line with buttered parchment paper, and set aside.
• Heat the half & half until near boiling, then submerge the tea and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain the tea leaves out and set the half & half aside.
• Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large, heavy saucepan, whisking continuously until melted and well blended.
• Add the corn syrup, salt, and Masala Chai-infused half & half. Whisk to combine, then bring to a simmer (and stop whisking) and cook until a candy thermometer reads 244 F°.
• Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and pour into the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
• Once cooled, cut into small squares.
