This post could have almost as easily been titled “Prelude to a divorce”. You need to understand that the Wife is a lady of habit. One of the fulcrums around which she runs her life is her mugs of tea. Not tea-bag tea. Proper leaf tea. I have even been swayed over to enjoying a mug or three at 06:30 most mornings. So when I suggested that I might use a couple of tablespoons of our regular tea leafs to cook a chicken, I got a pretty frosty reaction.
That got me rummaging in the press in search of any other leaf tea. I unearthed Barry’s, Lyons, Tetley’s decaf, peppermint, jasmine, camomile, orange and mango, winter berry, lemon, juniper, ginger and even nettle teas, all in tea-bags. At the back of the press, unloved and unopened lay a pack of Tea Book brand leaf tea, all the way from Ceylon. Not being our breakfast tea, this would have to do the job.
- 1 free range chicken
- 1 handful of dried Chinese mushrooms
- 12 spring onions
- 5 cm (2″) of fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons of any leaf tea except the Wife’s breakfast tea
- 1 tablespoon of Szechuan peppercorns and extra for seasoning the chicken
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- Salt for seasoning
- Sesame oil to brush the chicken.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Slice the ginger. Put the ginger into the water. Add the chicken.
Return it to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
While it is simmering, pour some boiling water over the mushrooms to reconstitute.
Mix the sugar, tea and peppercorns.
Chop the spring onions in two.
Chop the mushrooms.
Remove the chicken from the water and let it dry, finishing the inside with kitchen paper.
Season with salt and Szechuan peppercorns.
Stuff the chicken with the spring onions, ginger from the boiling and the mushrooms.
Spread enough kitchen foil to make a ‘Chicken tent’ in a roasting tin. Spread the sugar mixture over the bottom of the tent.
Place the chicken on a rack in the tent.
Complete the tent before placing it in a 200º C oven for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven.
Paint it with sesame oil and return it to the oven for another 20 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes or so.
Chop the chicken, through the bones, into bite sized pieces. Serve with the stuffing, some baby sweetcorn (cooked with some ginger and a little soy in the wok) and some nice boiled rice.
The chicken takes on a nice ginger back note and has a distinctive tea flavour. It is absolutely delicious and preparing it is well worth risking the marriage. Thanks be to goodness the Wife enjoyed it as much as I did.
Side note on wine choice. I served this with a delicious buttery Chilean Chardonnay. A Chardonnay delivered by a very thoughtful friend. I know that is sooooooooo unfashionable (the wine, not the friendship). I also know that it is the perfect wine to go with this dish.
Linda Duffin | 6th January 2014
|
That looks amazing. And you made me laugh out loud on a Monday morning. Congratulations on both counts.
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Thanks Linda,
Glad to be of entertainment service on a Monday.
Karen | 6th January 2014
|
The chicken sounds delicious…I’ll have to use some of my morning Earl Gray tea. I can imagine how hard it was to photograph the foil as well as capturing the steam. Good job!
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Thanks Karen,
It was a bit of fun to do and tasty as a result.
Yinzerella | 6th January 2014
|
“2 tablespoons of any leaf tea except the Wife’s breakfast tea”
LOL
I think you should do a solely Asian food blog because all of these are too good!
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Yes, but the other stuff would have to go somewhere. I would need to get more time to run two blogs. One is difficult enough!
Amber | 6th January 2014
|
Given our current weather situation (a person does not want to be outside in it), this might be a nice alternative to traditional smoking for a duck. We’ve only got two left from our hunting efforts last season. I’ll give it a try one of these days.
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Hi Amber,
Well worth it. I suspect the Duck might need more cooking, to render the fat somewhat.
frugalfeeding | 6th January 2014
|
Glad to hear it didn’t actually end in divorce. That’s a delicious looking and well-stuffed chicken! You’ll be glad to hear I’ve been making full use of my new chopping board – wonderful!
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
I can’t bring myself to use it yet. Board meeting date approaches. I had better get on with it!
frugalfeeding | 6th January 2014
|
I had to force myself. I’ve resolved to chop on one side and keep the other pristine.
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
I have been oiling it. It improves the appearance and makes the chopping even more difficult.
richardmcgary | 6th January 2014
|
Looks wonderful, Conor. I have never attempted to do a tea smoked anything. Any smoking is done outside in the big smoker and they just don’t make tea leaves large enough for it. If I were to try to smoke this inside, with my luck, I would set off the fire alarm well before the chicken was ready. 😮 Of course, the fireman would have a lovely meal when they arrived. 😉
Love the shot of the chicken with the steam coming off of it. Very nicely done. The aluminum foils shots were also very well done. Reflective surfaces are such a challenge. Kudos to you on this one. 🙂
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Thanks Richard, I do suffer smoker envy. My own smoker is a small thing that I have to take out from the shed to assemble for each smoking. It becomes a bit of an occasion. However, we are planning some smoked duck from it very soon.
richardmcgary | 6th January 2014
|
I love smoked duck. I have a recipe for smoked duck gumbo I haven’t made in years. I should probably pull it out and dust it off.
If you like smoked duck, you should try the duck pastrami while you’re at it. No reason to waste the smoke. 😉
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
I will be to the pin of my collar just getting a couple of duck breasts brined and smoked. More anon…
Amanda | 6th January 2014
|
Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for risking your marriage to share with us this lovely looking post. I would have never though of using tea leaves on chicken. I’m going to try this!
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Do give it a whirl. The flavours are pretty subtle but worth the minimal effort involved.
Best,
Conor
FionaDillon | 6th January 2014
|
Conor does ‘chicken tent’ mean sealing the chicke up completely with tinfoil?
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Hi Fiona,
Yes, that is the idea though it will not be totally sealed, not unless your tent folding is better than mine, if you know what mean?
Best,
Conor
FionaDillon | 6th January 2014
|
Thanks Conor!
Our Growing Paynes | 6th January 2014
|
Lovely recipe. Great shot of the steaming chicken! A bit envious. The shot of the mushrooms and scallions stuffed up the chicken brings to mind the story of how the angel got the tree stuffed up her…. 🙂
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
I knew there had to be a good reason for that tradition…
Our Growing Paynes | 6th January 2014
|
🙂
Phil @foodfrankly | 6th January 2014
|
Great stuff Conor – no smoker used either making this a more ‘accessible’ dish to cook too. I’m intrigued by the tea flavouring. Peppermint tea smoked lamb? Hmmm..
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
I’m looking forward to your post Phil. I certainly won’t be doing it!
Mad Dog | 6th January 2014
|
Personally I won’t allow anything into the house except Barry’s Gold Blend, but perhaps the chicken deserves something more oriental. Great chicken 😉
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
I must introduce you to my youngest. She won’t try anything but Barry’s. She has a tea closed mind at 22.
Mad Dog | 7th January 2014
|
Ha ha – I had 40 years of trying all the other teas before discovering Barry’s. It can be hard to find in England 😉
Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward | 6th January 2014
|
The chicken looks delicious with all of the great aromatics. Nice wine pairing, too!
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
Thanks Shanna,
The wine was a present from a friend who knows his wine. It was pretty nice with it.
Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward | 6th January 2014
|
Nice friend! Keep him around for sure, Conor. 😉
StefanGourmet | 6th January 2014
|
Wonderful post, Conor! Love the steaming chicken and the stuffed chicken shots. I’m especially impressed by the technique to smoke in a tent (and managing to take a photo as well). I’ve never smoked anything with tea, so that’s something to try as I am curious what it tastes like. Glad you didn’t steal the poor wife’s tea for this 😉 Also glad the buttery chardonnay went well with the chicken.
Conor Bofin | 6th January 2014
|
It was a perfect pairing. Thank you again. I look forward to deciding on the right dish for the other bottle.
The problems to have…
Eha | 6th January 2014
|
What a fantastic idea! My occasional forays [usually on a dare] into the smoked chicken field have not been done in the oven so simply and neatly!! Have to try this and impress myself and others in a hurry methinks 🙂 !
Conor Bofin | 7th January 2014
|
Thanks Eha, Well worth a go. A good chicken is a very good starting point.
Mike Somerset | 7th January 2014
|
I really must try this.
Conor Bofin | 7th January 2014
|
Hi Mike,
Do, it is very nice and pretty subtle.
Best,
Conor
egg me on | 7th January 2014
|
Wow Conor, that chicken looks cooked to a tea, err, tee. Well done. Glad the Wife enjoyed just as much.
Conor Bofin | 7th January 2014
|
Tee hee!
egg me on | 7th January 2014
|
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
tinywhitecottage | 7th January 2014
|
These are the greatest photographs yet! I always get a little queasy when I see a photograph of an uncooked chicken. Not this one! And the steam coming off? Brilliant. And the recipe is so creative and looks like a wonderful dinner.
Conor Bofin | 7th January 2014
|
Thanks for that. I was pretty happy with that steaming shot. It really was delicious.
Michelle | 8th January 2014
|
Such a high bar you’ve set for yourself. Now you’ll have to add a steaming shot along with a pouring spot to every post! I’ve never tried tea smoking anything at home, but I know the results can be delicious (as that obviously was).
Conor Bofin | 8th January 2014
|
The steaming shot requires a cold day with little or no wind. Then I open the back door and when the cold air gets at the warm chicken – steam! They are rare enough events.
sheila kiely | 8th January 2014
|
Love the shot with the steam rising (I’m not alone I see). Air of Houdini about it 🙂 Sheila
Conor Bofin | 8th January 2014
|
Thanks Sheila,
I got lucky with that one.
Happy 2014 to you.
Best,
Conor
trixfred30 | 8th January 2014
|
I make a lovely cup of lemon and ginger every morning (and I do mean every morning) for the wife before I go to work. But I don’t think she drinks it. Habit. And re the mushrooms – are they not a bit gritty? I mean I’ve tried them before and I swear they put earth in them to add some authenticity…
Conor Bofin | 8th January 2014
|
Good of you on the tea. On the mushrooms, yes, occasionally but I have found if you spend a few bob more, there is an inverse relationship between money out and dirt in.
ohlidia | 9th January 2014
|
Great looking bird Conor. Glad your wife was pleased in the end. 🙂
Conor Bofin | 9th January 2014
|
She’s a great looking bird herself!
Jody and Ken | 9th January 2014
|
Wives are funny about tea. I was recently given a kombucha mother, which needs periodic refreshing with tea. My wife suggested I “use up all the old tea.” Please. Would you feed your mother old anything? Sound like a great recipe. I had assumed that tea smoked chicken actually was smoked, but you don’t mention vapors coming out of your oven. Anyway sounds delicious. Great cleaver, by the way, and yes, that shot is disturbing–I don’t have one of those in my collection yet. Ken
Conor Bofin | 10th January 2014
|
Hi Ken,
There are no clouds of choking smoke. It is far subtler than that. If fact, there was very little smoke at all.But tee process did impart a delicate tea/smoke flavour to the chicken. Well worth it. The cleaver is one of the bargains of one’s lifetime. I bought mine for £10 about 25 years ago. Still going strong. Last time I looked, they were selling at about €20. Most large Asian supermarkets carry them. Lovely to use.
Best,
C
laurasmess | 10th January 2014
|
Haha, I love the way you write Conor. Mm, tea is definitely a serious business, good to see that you used it to its full potential in this wonderful smoked chicken dish! Love that golden hue from the smoking. I can imagine how delicious it’d taste. Oh, and the chardonnay? I haven’t drink a glass of that in years! I’ll need to revisit the old faithful, definitely with this chicken!
Conor Bofin | 10th January 2014
|
I am often astounded by the effect (or should that be affect) fashion has on wine tastes. I am not ashamed to admit that I like a nice glass of buttery Chardonnay. There, I have said it!
thewindykitchen | 11th January 2014
|
this looks amazing! I am very possessive of my nice teas as well, but this dish sounds tasty enough to be worth sharing it with the chicken 🙂
Conor Bofin | 11th January 2014
|
Obviously we are divided about that over here.
dedy oktavianus pardede | 25th January 2014
|
Never simmering my chicken or duck first before tea smoked, sounds interesting technique Connor…
I guess this must be my next project then!!!
Conor Bofin | 25th January 2014
|
I’d love to see that when you do.
babso2you | 27th January 2014
|
I will be trying this one Conor! It looks amazing!
Conor Bofin | 28th January 2014
|
Simple enough and subtle. An unusual combination indeed.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide | 2nd February 2014
|
Great recipe and photos. I love the steaming chicken shot.
bluebunny01 | 18th March 2016
|
I should be writing and instead I am going through all your wonderful chicken posts – I am now hungry and anxious – which one will I try first?
Conor Bofin | 18th March 2016
|
The tea smoked is delicious. It is pretty subtle. This is not something I generally manage to achieve, either in my writing or my cooking. Take it while it’s going…