Tea Recipes #2

TEA-SMOKED CHICKEN

• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken
• 1/4 cup loose Lapsang souchong tea or tea removed from 11 tea bags
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• Asian sesame oil for brushing chicken

In a dry, small, heavy skillet toast peppercorns over moderate heat, shaking skillet, 5 minutes. Cool peppercorns and with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder coarsely grind. In a small bowl stir together peppercorns and salt.
Pat chicken dry and rub inside and out with peppercorn mixture. Transfer chicken, breast side up, to a steamer and steam over boiling water, covered, 25 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through.
While chicken is steaming, line bottom and lid of a wok with heavy-duty foil. In wok stir together loose tea and brown sugar until combined well.
Arrange a metal rack about 2 inches above tea mixture and transfer chicken, breast side up, to rack in wok. Heat wok, covered, over moderately high heat until wisps of smoke begin to appear, 2 to 3 minutes, and smoke chicken, covered, 6 minutes. Turn chicken over and smoke, covered, 6 minutes more. Remove wok from heat and let chicken stand, covered, 15 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and brush lightly with oil.

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RASPBERRY TEA GELEES WITH WATERMELON

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water plus 1 cup ice water
• 4 raspberry tea bags
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juicea
• 2 1/4-pound piece watermelon, rind and seeds discarded, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled (about 3 cups)
• 12 small fresh mint leaves

Bring sugar and 2 cups water to a boil over moderately high heat and boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add tea bags and remove pan from heat. Steep tea 5 minutes and remove tea bags, carefully squeezing any liquid in them into pan.
Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup ice water in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften. Stir gelatin mixture into hot tea over low heat until gelatin is dissolved completely. Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining 3/4 cup ice water and lemon juice. Chill mixture 45 minutes or until thickened to the consistency of raw egg white, and stir in watermelon and mint leaves. Rinse six 1-cup molds in cold water, shaking out excess water (do not dry). Spoon mixture into molds and chill until set, about 2 hours.
Dip each mold into warm water to loosen and invert gelées onto dessert plate. Garnish gelées with mint sprigs.

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TEA-AND-LEMON GRAVY

• 8 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• Neck, heart, and gizzard, reserved from 22-pound turkey
• 1 lemon
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemon (yellow part only). Add peel to broth mixture. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer until neck and gizzard are tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove neck, heart, and gizzard from broth; finely chop heart and gizzard. Pull meat from neck and chop. Strain broth. Return broth to pan; boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add tea bag. Cover; steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bag.
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook until light brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth and cream. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened and smooth, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Stir in grated peel and neck, heart, and gizzard pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

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