Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/173967
prepared food focus Cooking with Tea Hints of jasmine, notes of bergamot and smoky tastes spice up prepared fare. BY JOANNA PRUESS W ith the many flavors and healthful benefits tea offers, a growing number of creative cooks are including it in stylish dishestoimpartflavor,textureandcolor. Novicestocookingwithtealeaveswilldiscoverthediversityofflavor, size,colorandintensityisakintoopeningahugenewspicecabinet.As withotherseasonings,high-qualityteaisessentialandshouldbebrewed correctly.(Seeguidelines,opposite.) Creativity may be as simple as steeping the leaves in a liquid to enhancethetaste.Useittocookpastas,grainsandevenpotatoes.The leavesalsomaybeuseddecoratively.ToimpartanAsiantwisttogravlax, Lapsangsouchongleavesinthecuringmixtureaddavisualadornmentas wellasasmokytaste.Tealeavesmayalsobegroundwithcoarsesaltto embellishfoods.Herbalandfruitteasoffermorepossibilities. Goat Cheese, Red Pear, Walnut and Field Green Salad • Seared Tuna and Fennel Over Jasmine Rice • Candied Ginger and Green Tea Bread Goat Cheese, Red Pear, Walnut and Field Green Salad Yield:4servings•Preptime:5minutesplusrestingtimefordressing;5minutesforsalad Shelflife:1daywhendressed Teacanenhancevinaigrettesandcreamysaladdressings.Inthissalad,adaptedfromarecipebycookbook authorLindaDannenberg,EarlGreyteaisbrewedinvinegarbeforebeingwhiskedtogetherwithhoney,shallots,herbsandoil,impartingadelicious,slightlymysterioustaste. Forthevinaigrette: 1 rounded teaspoon Earl Grey or other black tea in a tea infuser or tea bag ¹⁄₃ cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon chopped thyme 1 teaspoon minced shallots fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup canola oil Forthesalad: 4 ounces field greens 6 ounces watercress, coarse stems removed 2 ripe red Bartlett pears, cored and cut thinly lengthwise 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese 2 ounces walnut pieces, lightly toasted 1. Preparethevinaigrette:Inaverysmallsaucepan,combinetheteaandvinegarandbringtoaboiloverhighheat. Lowertheheatandsimmerfor1minute.Removethepanfromtheheatandsetaside,allowingtheteatosteep inthevinegaruntilcooled.Removetheteainfuserandpresstoextractasmuchliquidaspossibleintothepot. 2.Transferthevinegartoaglassorstainlesssteelbowl.Stirinthehoney,thymeandshallots,andaddsaltandpepper totaste.Graduallywhiskintheoiluntilblended.Themixturewillnotemulsify.Transfertoajar,covertightlyand refrigerateforatleast4hoursbeforeserving.Tightlycovered,itwillkeepfor2weeks. 3.Dividethefieldgreensandwatercressamong4saladplates.Addthepearslicesradiatinglikespokesfromthe centeroftheplate.Sprinklethecheese,addthewalnuts,spoononthevinaigrette,addfreshlygroundblackpepperandserve. OCTOBER 2013 51