Tea isn’t just for cups anymore

The popularity of tea isn’t limited to a mug. It seems more and more chefs are finding ways to use the flavours or tea in their recipes. Here are two admittedly quite strange sounding recipes that use tea. If any of you teapot fans try your hand at these, be sure to write in and let us know how it tasted!

SCALLOPS POACHED IN CHAMOMILE TEA

9 tablespoons rice vinegar
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons water
1 seedless cucumber
1 quart water
1 ounce chamomile tea, loose
1 pound fresh scallops
Salt and fresh ground pepper

In a non-reactive pot over a medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and water, and heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved and the liquid is clear. Cool the liquid. Slice the cucumber very finely and toss with the pickling liquid. Let this sit for 5 minutes.
Bring one quart of water to a boil. Add the chamomile tea and allow it to steep for 5 minutes, then strain out the loose tea. Keep the liquid simmering. Add the scallops to the chamomile tea and let them poach. Remove the scallops from the tea and serve over the pickled cucumbers.

Source: www.foodtv.com, “Chef du Jour.”

ROASTED PINEAPPLE WITH GREEN TEA AND MELON GRANITA

For the roasted pineapple:
2 pineapples
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Green Tea Melon Granita (recipe follows)
For the green tea melon granita:
2 Galia melons, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons ground ginger
? tablespoon green tea powder
? cup honey
? cup fresh lime juice

To make the roasted pineapple: Peel and cut 1 pineapple into 2-inch cubes. Using a vegetable juicer, juice the cubed pineapple, (you can also use a food processor to puree the pineapple and press it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth so that you are left with pure juice). Pour the juice into a saucepan with the cardamom. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, set aside and let the cardamom infuse into the juice.

Peel the second pineapple and cut horizontally into 1-inch round slices. Cut out the center core with a small size round cutter. Place slices of pineapple in the saucepan with the pineapple juice, bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Allow it to cool and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

The following day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pineapple slices from the juice and place on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes.

To serve, place warm pineapple in a bowl and top with a scoop of green tea melon granita.

To make the green tea melon granita: Place the melon in a bowl. Add the ground ginger, green tea powder, and honey. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain into a shallow 9-by-13-inch metal pan or dish.

Stir in the lime juice, let cool, and then freeze overnight.

The following day, remove it from the freezer, scrape with a fork to make the granita, and return to freezer until ready to serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

Source: www.foodtv.com, Michel Nischan.

(the recipe’s were taken from philly.com)