TEA-SMOKED CHICKEN SALAD
Serves 4-6
15ml Sichuan pepper
3ml Chinese five spice powder
5ml salt flakes
4 chicken breast fillets
40g loose tea leaves of your choice - I used loose Darjeeling
30ml rice
30ml brown sugar
DRESSING
60ml soy sauce
15ml honey
15ml rice vinegar
5ml sesame oil
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
SALAD
1 bunch of spring onions, chopped
200g green beans, cut into 3cm pieces
2 avocados, sliced
1 pillow packet of baby lettuce leaves
Crush pepper in a pestle and mortar until fine, add the five spice and salt and mix well. Rub this on the chicken fillets and set aside. Line an electric wok with a double layer of tin foil. Combine tea, rice and brown sugar and mix well and put this in the base of the wok. Place a wire rack on top. Replace the lid and heat the wok until smoke begins to form. Put the chicken breasts on to the wire rack. Cover tightly and smoke over a medium heat until the chicken is cooked, 20-30 minutes. Cut through a piece of chicken to make sure it is cooked through and not pink inside. Remove and cool. Slice the chicken.
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.
Combine all the ingredients for the salad except the lettuce, add the chicken and drizzle over the dressing. Toss to combine.
Line a serving platter with lettuce and pile the salad on top.
TEA BABOOTIE
Serves 4
2 slices of white bread
125ml rooibos tea
30g butter
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
10ml garam masala
3ml turmeric
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground ginger
5ml dried mixed herbs
500g lamb mince
15ml malt vinegar
5ml salt
2ml black pepper
50g dried apricots, chopped and soaked in 80ml rooibos tea
60ml chutney
50ml flaked almonds
30ml chopped parsley
TOPPING
250ml milk
3 rooibos tea bags
3 eggs
salt and pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
4-6 bay leaves
Soak the bread in the tea, then mash with a fork. Heat butter and fry onions and garlic until soft. Add the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger and herbs and cook for a minute. Add the mince and fry, breaking up the lumps with a fork. Remove from heat and stir in the bread, vinegar, seasoning, soaked apricots, chutney, almonds and parsley. Mix well and spoon into an ovenproof casserole.
TOPPING: Heat milk and the tea bags and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the tea bags, add the eggs and season. Beat well. Pour on top of the mince mixture. Place lemon slices on top and spike with bay leaves. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until the custard is set.
STICKY EARL GREY CAKE
Makes 1 cake
125g butter
125ml brown sugar
60ml golden syrup
2 extra large eggs
5ml finely grated lemon rind
375ml flour, sifted
10ml baking powder
125ml ground almonds
125ml buttermilk
whipped cream for serving
SYRUP
4 Earl Grey tea bags
250ml hot water
180ml castor sugar
15ml lemon juice
Cream butter, sugar and syrup in a bowl until light and creamy. Beat in eggs and lemon rind.
Fold in flour, baking powder and almonds alternately with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
Spoon the mixture into a greased and base lined 20cm spring form cake pan. Bake at 180°C for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Prepare the syrup.
Remove cake from oven and pour over warm syrup. Cool the cake in the pan before removing. Delicious served with whipped cream.
SYRUP: Infuse the tea bags in the hot water for five minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Combine the tea, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five to six minutes until syrup thickens slightly.
If you use loose tea, infuse 20ml Earl Grey tea leaves in 250ml water for 3-4 minutes. Strain and use.
LEMON AND DATE TEA LOAF
Makes 1 loaf
3 lemon-flavoured tea bags
330ml boiling water
250g dates, chopped
5ml bicarbonate of soda
125g butter, softened
180ml brown sugar
2 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
500ml flour
5ml baking powder
GLACÉ ICING
375ml sifted icing sugar
15ml lemon juice
15-20ml of cold lemon-flavoured tea to mix
Add the tea bags to the boiling water and then add dates. Cover and stand overnight. The next day remove tea bags and stir in bicarbonate of soda. Cream the butter and sugar well and add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add lemon rind.
Sift flour and baking powder and add alternately to the creamed mixture with the date mixture. Mix well. Spoon mixture into a greased and lined 22x11cm loaf pan. Bake at 160°C for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven. Turn on to a cooling rack and cool completely. Cover with glacé icing.
ICING: Place icing sugar into a bowl and add lemon juice and enough cold tea to make a thick spreadable icing.
ANGELA DAY
l For household queries, recipes and tips, call The Angela Day Helpline at 011 836 7181 from 8.30am to 12.30pm weekdays, or e-mail Janice at [email protected].
l see www.angeladay.co.za.
l Follow us on Twitter @verveangeladay
Saturday Star