The taste of tea - recipes

Published Apr 16, 2015

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Tea is not only for drinking, but is great for cooking and baking. Try these tasty recipes.

 

TEA-INFUSED RYE BREAD

Makes 2 small or 1 large loaf

500ml cake flour

500ml rye flour

2x10g sachets of instant yeast

2 Earl Grey tea bags, opened

15ml caraway seeds

10ml salt

300-400ml warm strong brewed Earl Grey tea

45ml honey

30ml olive oil

Extra rye flour for dusting

Combine the flours, yeast, contents of the tea bags, caraway seeds and salt in a bowl and mix well.

Combine the tea and honey and stir until dissolved.

Add the olive oil and enough warm tea to form a dough that is soft but not sticky.

Knead well until smooth.

Place the dough into an oiled plastic bag and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Remove the dough from the bag and knead gently.

Divide the dough in half and shape into loaves. Place on a baking tray and cover lightly and set aside to rise for 30-40 minutes.

Dust lightly with extra rye flour and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

 

ROASTED SWEET POTATO

Serves 6

45g butter

10ml rooibos tea leaves

1kg sweet potatoes, washed, cut in wedges

30ml olive oil

10ml rooibos tea leaves

15ml salt flakes

Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt the butter and tea leaves in the microwave on high for a minute.

Allow to cool and infuse for 10 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve and discard the tea leaves.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and pour over the infused butter and the olive oil. Toss to combine. Arrange on a baking tray.

Grind the rooibos tea leaves and combine with the salt.

Sprinkle the rooibos salt over the potatoes. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until tender.

 

TEA-MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts on the bone

MARINADE

250ml cold chai tea

a handful of fresh thyme

5ml chopped garlic

15ml Worcestershire sauce

15ml olive oil

15ml honey

5ml salt

RUB

250ml flour

5ml cayenne pepper

10ml paprika

5ml dried oregano

5ml salt

2ml pepper

30ml olive oil

30g butter

In a re-sealable plastic bag, combine the chicken with the tea, thyme, garlic, Worcester sauce, oil, honey and salt. Refrigerate for a few hours.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cayenne, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.

Drain the chicken and dredge in the seasoned flour.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the chicken and cook over high heat until browned all over.

Transfer to an ovenproof dish and roast in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

 

TEA-SMOKED DUCK BREAST SALAD

Serves 4

4 duck breasts

SMOKING FLAVOURS

125ml jasmine rice

125ml fruit-flavoured black tea leaves

125ml brown sugar

rind of 1 lemon

rind of 1 orange

3 star anise, ground

SALAD

300g green beans, halved diagonally

1 red pepper, julienned

1 bunch of spring onions, sliced at an angle

140g mangetout, halved diagonally

125ml mint leaves, torn

125ml coriander leaves

DRESSING

80ml olive oil

60ml sweet chilli sauce

30ml lime juice

5ml sesame oil

3ml salt

Line the base of a wok with a few pieces of foil.

Mix the smoking ingredients together in |a bowl and pour over |the foil.

Place the duck breast skin side up on a rack, place in the wok over the smoking ingredients.

Cover and cook on a high heat until smoke appears from the wok.

Lower to a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.

Do not open the wok lid as you will lose all the smoke.

Transfer the duck to a frying pan and cook skin side down for 2 minutes to crisp it. Allow the duck to rest before slicing.

Meanwhile, combine all the salad ingredients, pour over half the dressing and arrange on a serving plate.

Place the sliced duck on the salad and pour over the rest of the dressing.

DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

 

CRANBERRY BANANA TEA LOAF

160ml dried cranberries

125ml hot fruit-infused brewed tea

125g butter

250ml light brown sugar

2 extra large eggs

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

500ml flour

10ml baking powder

pinch of salt

2 fruit-infused tea bags or 45ml loose tea

50g pecan nuts, chopped

Put the cranberries in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Set aside for 30 minutes to infuse. Drain and discard the tea.

Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.

Cut open the tea bags and empty the contents into the flour. Add this to the creamed mixture, and mix until well combined, stir in nuts.

Spoon mixture into a greased and lined 20 x 13cm loaf pan and bake at 180°C for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Note: I used a cinnamon, cranberry and apple tea infusion for the loaf.

 

TEA BAKLAVA

SYRUP

375ml water

4 rooibos tea bags

375ml sugar

15ml lemon juice

4-5 strips of lemon peel

FILLING

100g walnuts

100g almonds

30ml sugar

5ml ground cinnamon

500g phyllo pastry

125g butter, melted

SYRUP: Combine the water and tea bags in a pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar, lemon juice and peel. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove and cool then chill until ice cold.

FILLING: Place the nuts in a blender and process until finely chopped. Add the sugar and cinnamon and blend until combined.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on your work surface and brush with melted butter.

Top with another sheet of pastry and brush with butter. Sprinkle over some of nut mixture.

Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush with butter.

Fold up the phyllo concertina style along the shorter side and place in a large baking tray brushed with melted butter.

Repeat this process until all phyllo has been used, placing concertinas next to each other to fill up the tray.

Sprinkle over a little more nut mixture and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until golden-brown and crisp.

Remove from oven and pour over the cold syrup.

Angela Day, The Star

 

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