Cooking with tea: Advice?

I have several kinds of tea that I have been meaning to cook with, but I never found any good ways to get started.

Does anyone have any ideas? Techniques? Concepts?

Hi Rahsaan

I think I remember that you are a vegetarian? That might limit the possibilities.

I don't cook with tea but my neighbor has a whole cookbook on cooking with tea and the best thing so far a tea-smoked salmon dish which was quite delicate and delicious.

The most obvious thing is probably using Japanese green tea in ice cream, I have seen green tea ice cream in various restaurants and it seems to be a popular idea. The ice cream comes out really refreshing, not heavy.

Frank

I have several kinds of tea that I have been meaning to cook with, but I never found any good ways to get started.

Does anyone have any ideas? Techniques? Concepts?

I read about cooking with tea a few months back. Seem to remember that it works best if you slow brew the tea and use the liquid almost as if you would use stock.

I tried it but could never get the delicacy that the columnist promised and so I lost interest, and of course lost the article reference.

Lot of help this is to you!

I've made ice cream with Earl Grey tea that was pretty good. I would think it would also work in panna cotta or flan.

Tea is a wonderful addition to a basic cookie recipe. I started with a recipe for Earl Gray Tea cookies, and experimented from there. As previously mentioned, I noted that the recipes that show up most often is using tea to infuse flavor through a quick wok smoking process. Again, that is with meats (duck, pork, fish). IF that's out for you, there is always a good iced tea. I have a pitcher full every Sunday with dinner, using various flavor combinations infused with herbs from the garden. Try any combination of teas and include lavender, lemongrass, basil, thyme, rosehips, etc. The addition of a little citrus sometime helps when the end result might seem a little pallid. Good luck.

For what it's worth -- people are talking about using steeped liquid in their recipes here. What I know about is using the tea leaves directly. The japanese product Matcha is powdered green tea intended for use as an ingredient.

http://www.teanobi.com/products/powder.html

F

[Jenise]

Frank, interesting link--had no idea there was such a range of different powders.

Rahsaan, I once tried a recipe for a rice made with a brewed green tea--not much else in there that I recall. The result was pretty flat and unimpressive, and I didn't think there was any other way of approaching it that would have worked out better.

I am vegetarian. Although I do eat fish and seafood. Although I don't anticipate smoking any fish myself at home.

But, the idea of using brewed tea as a stock is quite attractive, seems easy enough to play around with, and as a vegetarian I often do not use stock, so this could be worth pursuing.

Thanks.

[Jenise]

Rahsaan, the problem with using tea as a stock is that, under heat, tea's natural tannins become more pronounced. Not insurmountable or objectionable in all applications, but as in the rice that I made, not always a benefit.

Rahsaan, from the way you say that, I think you are visualizing something involving a Big Green Egg or "smoker" that is devoted to fish smoking. We are not talking about making your own smoked herring here. Tea can impart a lot of nice smokey flavor in about 15 minutes on top of the stove using normal pots and pans.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/datab ... 3971.shtml

Google around for yourself, you will see what I mean.

F

I am vegetarian. Although I do eat fish and seafood. Although I don't anticipate smoking any fish myself at home.

But, the idea of using brewed tea as a stock is quite attractive, seems easy enough to play around with, and as a vegetarian I often do not use stock, so this could be worth pursuing.

Thanks.

Rahsaan,

As a non-vegetarian, I often use vegetable stock. Why can't you?

Rahsaan,

As a non-vegetarian, I often use vegetable stock. Why can't you?

Yes, I suppose I could. Actually, I usually avoid stock because I like the clean flavor of my vegetables/food, but the other day I was watching Stuart cook and he made a very nice light vegetable stock that didn't compete with the ingredients in the actual dish, so I mentally filed that away as something to pursue.

Rahsaan, the problem with using tea as a stock is that, under heat, tea's natural tannins become more pronounced..

Thanks. I will have to think about that.

Also, I was wondering what happens to the caffeine as tea is cooked for longer periods of time? I'm guessing it doesn't "go away" (as would happen with alcohol from wine). Which would mean I should also take that into consideration before eating/drinking the equivalent of a bit pot of tea for dinner.

Rahsaan, from the way you say that, I think you are visualizing something involving a Big Green Egg or "smoker" that is devoted to fish smoking. We are not talking about making your own smoked herring here. Tea can impart a lot of nice smokey flavor in about 15 minutes on top of the stove using normal pots and pans.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/datab ... 3971.shtml

Google around for yourself, you will see what I mean.

F

Ok, thanks. Interesting.

A couple of other things I can think of from Chinese cooking:

* Tea eggs, which are hard-boiled eggs steeped in tea and spices. The shells are usually lightly cracked all over once the eggs have hardened, which gives the white a sort of tie-died appearance.

* There's a recipe in which shrimp are stir fried with lung jing (Dragon Well) tea leaves. I tried it once, but my version wasn't all that good, so I haven't ventured it since.

As noted, tea smoking can be done on the stove top, but make sure you either seal things up well, or have good ventilation.

[Robin Garr]

I have several kinds of tea that I have been meaning to cook with, but I never found any good ways to get started.

Does anyone have any ideas? Techniques? Concepts?

Rahsaan, a couple of years ago, I attended - and reported on - an offbeat tea lunch at a trendy local place where the chefs are known for innovative techniques. They put together several courses in which tea was used as an ingredient while compatible teas were served alongside.

Since I was reporting, I took fairly detailed notes on ingredients and techniques. Some of the dishes may be too meatful for you, but they're certainly adaptable, and the technique comments might be right on point for your quest. Here's the link:

Tea, glorious tea: A tasting lunch at Limestone

the technique comments might be right on point for your quest. Here's the link:

Tea, glorious tea: A tasting lunch at Limestone

Thanks. Tea butter sounds interesting.