The Food Network's Iron Chef America - The Secret Ingredient Is...

Did you know that The Food Network just launched a magazine. Well, if you didn't you should because it not only has great recipes & cooking tips from your favorite food network stars; it also has ideas on how to save on food & ways to win some extra money & gain recognition...For example, you can enter an original recipe to the Chairman of Iron Chef America and win $500 toward foodnetworkstore.com and appear in an upcoming issue of The Foodnetwork magazine...

I was so excited to read about this contest since The Iron Chef is one of favorite shows to watch. A couple of months ago I threw an Iron Chef birthday party for myself. I bet you can probably figure out what the secret ingredient was? OK, I'll give you a hint; it starts with the letter T...First 3 people to post the correct answer will win a sample of the secret ingredient...Stay tuned for next week's post and I will tell you how to throw an Iron Chef party...I'll also tell you about my personal encounter with one of my favorite iron chef's!

Anyhow, there is still time to enter Iron Chef's contest in the Food Network Magazine but in order to do so, you need to know what the secret ingredient is...CITRUS!!! What a diverse and intense ingredient. Lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, tangerines...Sour, sweet, savory, tart, caramelized, zested, juiced, peeled and seeded...

I decided to keep it simple, fresh, healthy, fun and alway Tea-Licious...

Citrus White Tea Infused Ceviche
Servings: 25-30 appetizers
Prep Time: 40 minutes / Chill Time: 6-8 hours
Level: Easy

Ingredients: Fish
- 1/2 lb. Large Scallops, roughly diced in 1/4 in pieces
- 12 lb Fresh Halibut, roughly diced in 1/4 in pieces
- 1 orange, juice & zest
- 3 lime, juice & zest
- 1 lemon, juice & zest
- 1 TBS Agave
- 2 heaping TBS MONKEY-PICKED WHITE tea yielding ½ cup *White Tea concentrate*
*How to make White Tea Concentrate: Bring 5 oz water to a boil and let cool for 4 minutes, which will bring water to 160°, a good temperature to steep white tea. Place 2 heaping TBS of tea in an 8 oz measuring cup. Pour 4 oz hot water over tea leaves and steep for 3 minutes. Strain tea leaves.*
**Optional: Reserve tea leaves to make iced or hot tea.**

Ingredients: Salsa
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 serrano, seeded and diced
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 2 Avocados, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 TBS Agave
- 2 TBS Avocado oil
- 1 Orange, juice & zest
- 1 Lime, juice & zest
- 1 Lemon, juice & Zest
- Tea-sonings (Tea + Seasonings)*
*To make Tea-soning grind all the following ingredients together:

• 1 TBS BOULDER BLUES green tea (or any fruity loose tea)
  
• 1/2 TBS salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp orange peel
•  1 tsp lemon peel
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin

Preparation:

1. In a large nonmetal-mixing bowl, combine all fish ingredients, cover and place in refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight. 
2. Drain fish in a colander, pressing fish lightly to remove any excess citrus juice. 
3. Combine fish with salsa at once or cover and place back in refrigerator.

Preparation: Salsa

1. In a large bowl, mix all salsa ingredients together.
   
2. Cover with plastic wrap pressing down lightly getting rid of any air pockets. Chill for 30-45 minutes.
   

Presentation:

1. Just before serving mix the drained fish and the salsa together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
2. Spoon atop of tortilla chips or serve in a bowl along side tortilla chips. 
   
3. Garnish with fresh citrus & cilantro
   

Let me know what you think...

Obama Loves His Tea & Ice Cream...

Obama, if you or anybody else out there like tea and ice cream, you should kill two birds with one stone and try this delectable treat that is creamy and anti-oxidant rich.

TEA + ICE CREAM = TEA CREAM

Ingredients:
3-1/4 cups whole milk
4 TBS GREEN ROASTED MINT, loose tea leaves
1/4 cup powdered fat-free milk
8 large egg yolks
1 cup agave
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer. Pour half over the GREEN ROASTED MINT tea leaves in a medium bowl and let steep for 30 minutes; strain, pressing all the liquid from the tea bags.
   
2. Stir powdered milk into remaining milk and keep warm over low heat.
   
3. Place egg yolks and agave in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat until thick and pale yellow (the consistency of mayonnaise). While mixing, slowly add the hot milk and whisk until blended.
   
4. Stir the egg mixture back into the saucepan and add the tea-infused milk; increase heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thickened like a custard sauce and registers 180 °F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
5. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Stir in cream, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before continuing.
6. Turn ice cream machine on (I personally use the ICE 20 by Crusinart); pour mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. The gelato will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the gelato to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
   

I want to hear from you...

Try this recipe, post a comment and receive a free sample of GREEN ROASTED MINT...

Do you have an Tea Cream Recipe?

Post your Tea Cream Recipe and receive a free sample of your choice of loose leaf tea ...

Creamy Crème Caramel Granita

Jennifer Armentrout, contributor with Fine Cooking, is testing tea ice creams. So I have decided to post a couple of my favorite ice cream you scream we all scream for tea cream...

Crème Caramel Granita
This is the richest and most refined of frozen treats.

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups water
¾ cup sugar
6 teaspoons CREME CARAMEL loose leaves
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ounce good–quality caramels, chopped

PREPARATION:
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan. Add tea and remove from the heat. Cover the pan and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea leaves and discard.
Place the pan over medium–high heat and slowly add cocoa, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add caramels and stir until completely melted and smooth. Pass through a strainer into a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. (Alternatively, freeze in a shallow metal pan until solid, about 6 hours. Break into chunks and process in a food processor until smooth.) The sorbet should be thick and icy after processing. If you prefer it firmer, place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Serves: 6

Let us know if you have a good cream tea...
To check out Jennifer's blog visit: http://www.finecooking.com/item/9468/green-tea-seaweed-ice-cream