EARL OF GREY Smoked Chicken and Gravy

One night when preparing smoked chicken for my family and friends, I realized I ran out of smoking chips but I had a lot of ERAL OF GREY loose tea. The aroma of the tea awakened my senses as I spread the leaves at the bottom of my Carermon Stovetop Smoker. Suddenly I was inspired to create a citrus rub to complement the bergamot and citrus tones of the EARL OF GREY and a creamy EARL OF GREY Gravy to complement the smokiness of the juicy chicken. I have incorporated this recipe in many of my Cooking with Tea classes and it gotten raves reviews. Try is and let me know how you like it!!!

EARL OF GREY Smoked Chicken & Gravy
Preparation: 15 minutes/ Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours
Yields: 6 servings
Level: Easy
Season: Fall / Winter

Smoking Ingredients:
• 3 whole fry chicken, halved & gutted (2-3 lbs each)
• 4 TBS EARL OF GREY, full loose leaves for smoker
• Tea-soning: (Tea + Seasonings = Hand-crafted Tea-sonings)
o 2 TBS EARL OF GREY, grounded
o 2 TBS salt
o 1 TBS pepper
o Zest of 1 lemon
o Zest of ½ grapefruit
o 2 tsp smoked paprika
o 1 tsp rosemary
o 1 tsp garlic powder

Preparation Smoking Chicken:
1. Sprinkle EARL OF GREY full loose leaves at base of smoker
2. Grinder 2 TBS of EARL OF GREY and combine with salt, pepper, lemon zest, grapefruit zest, smoked paprika, rosemary and garlic powder to make Tea-Sonings.
3. Rub Tea-soning over chicken.
4. Place in smoker & cook for 2 hours. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 min. Uncover & broil for 5 -10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 -10 min & prepare gravy.

EARL OF GREY Gravy Ingredients:
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup sherry
• 2 TBS EARL OF GREY Tea yielding ½ cup * EARL OF GREY Tea concentrate (or any earl grey black tea)
*Hot to make Black Tea Concentrate: Bring 5 oz water to a boil. Place 2 TBS of tea in an 8 oz measuring cup. Pour 4 oz hot water over tea leaves and steep for 4 minutes. Strain tea leaves and place liquid in refrigerator to chill or add a little ice to chill faster. **Reserve tea leaves to make iced tea.
• 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup agave
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup of juice from smoked chicken
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• ½ cup scallions, finely chopped
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation of gravy:
1. Heat coconut oil over a medium heat in small pot until melted. Whisk corn starch in with oil until evenly combined and thickens.
2. Add soy sauce, sherry, EARL OF GREY concentrate balsamic vinegar, agave and whisk. Add heavy cream and whisk together until smooth.
3. Gently whisk in juice from smoked chicken.
4. Add garlic, scallions, smoked paprika & cumin and cook for 2-3 minutes, lower heat & simmer.

Matcha California Endive Rolls

I was making California rolls for a dinner party one night and the sushi rice did not turn out correct and I didn't have time to cook more rice so I decided to scoop the filling in endive spears. The result, a light, crunchy, slightly spicy and fun appetizer. The Matcha tea, a pulverized powder green tea, gives this dish a subtle earthy sweetness and complements the acidness of the lemon and vinegar, the creaminess of the mayo and the spiciness of the wasabi.

Ingredients:
• 2 TBS mayo
• 1 TBS lemon zest
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS rice vinegar
• 2 tsp Ichimi Togarshi, grounded (Japanese red pepper seasonings)
• 1 TBS Matcha, pulverized green tea
• 1-2 tsp wasabi powder (depending how spicy)
• 2 - 8 oz package crab meat (leg & claw), drained & separated
• 1 – 8 oz package surimi crab (imitation crab), drained & separated
• ¼ cup fennel, thinly sliced from of top stalk
• 6 endive heads, separated, rinsed & pat dry
• 1½ Avocado, thinly sliced
• Salt & pepper
• Fresh dill to garnish, thinly sliced
• Sesame Seeds to garnish


Prep Time: 15 - 20 min
Serving Size: 8 -10 (appetizer)
Preparation:
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk mayo, lemon juice & zest, soy, mustard, vinegar, togarsghi, Matcha, and wasabi. Add crab meat and fennel and combine evenly. Salt & pepper to taste.
2. Arrange endive spears on platter. Place 1 slice of avocado on each endive spear and spoon crab mixture in every spear on top of avocado. Sprinkle with dill and sesame seeds & serve immediately or chill.

Oolong Infused Prosciutto & Veggie Frittata

I created this Oolong infused Prosciutto & Veggie Frittata because my husband wanted eggs for dinner the other night. As I cooked, I enjoyed a cup of Oolong tea but began to feel guilty because I didn't want to throw away my tea leaves yet I didn't want to re-steep and have another cup of tea. So, I decided to alleviate my guilt by infusing the frittata with a steeping of this buttery sweet Oolong tea which complemented the savory saltiness of the Prosciutto, eggs and earthiness of the veggies. I just served it for my girlfriends for brunch this morning, after a bachelorette night and it seemed to cured everybody's hangover. 

Oolong Infused Prosciutto & Veggie Frttiata

Prep Time: 20 min / Cook Time: 15 - 20 min

Serving Size: 4 - 6 

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium yellow squash, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups mixed mushrooms (shitake, baby bellos & oyster), diced
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, diagonally sliced into 1/4 in (about 2 cups)
• 8-10 large eggs (egg white optional)
• 1/3 cup soy creamer
• 2 TBS VINTAGE OOLONG tea yielding 1/2 cup tea concentrate, chilled*
• 2 ounces sliced Prosciutto, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup Dubliner Cheese, grated 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Garnish: 1 avocado, sliced & 1 tomato, diced

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to broil
2. Heat oil in medium (oven proof) skillet over medium - high heat. Saute onions until soft. Add pepper, squash, mushrooms & asparagus and saute. Cover for about 3-4 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, creamer and chilled steeped Oolong tea.
4. Pour in egg mixture to the veggies in the skillet and gently stir. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until eggs are almost set (about 8-10 minutes). Evenly add Prosciutto and basil to skillet and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Loosen edges with spatula and turn off stove.
5. Sprinkle cheese on top, place in oven and cook until the top started to brown (about 3-5 minutes). Take out of oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Loose edges with spatula.
6. Place a large serving plate over the pan and carefully invert to turn out the fritatta. Place another large serving plate over the plated fritatta and invert again so the cheese is facing up.
7. Cut into wedges and garnish with sliced avocado & diced tomatoes.

*How to make Oolong Tea Concentrate: Bring 5 oz water to boil and let cool for 2-3 minutes, which will bring water to 180 degrees, the temperature to steep Oolong tea. Place 2 TBS of tea in an 8 oz measuring cup. Pour 4 oz of hot water over tea leaves and steep for 3 minutes. Strain tea leaves and place liquid in refrigerator to chill. Reserve tea leaves and make freshly brewed iced or hot tea.

Tune in to learn how to make freshly brewed Iced Tea...