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...