SteepedRecipes Infused with Tea

Annelies Zijderveld is a food writer and creator of the literary food blog, the food poet, selected by Alimentum Journal as one of their favorite food blogs. Her passion for working with good food companies started during her 8 years heading up marketing at Mighty Leaf Tea. She is the digital media section newsletter editor for IACP. She holds an MFA in poetry from New England College and is an associate editor of Poetry International. Her work has been published in Curator, Arthouse America, Darling Magazine, and Sated. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and sourdough pet Salvatore

“Steeped is smart, inventive, and most of all, inspiring.. Annelies has got me daydreaming about the possibilities of tea, from Sweet Tea Jelly on toast to California Tea Leaf Salad and Arnold Palmer Poppy Seed Muffins. This beautiful book deserves a spot next to your teacup.” – Molly Wizenberg, author of A Homemade Life and Delancey

CHAMOMILE CORN CHOWDER

BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH TEA BASIL TEA AIOLI

MATCHA CHIA PUDDING PARFAITS

 

Chamomile Corn Chowder

Makes 2 to 4 servings

The floral honeyed tones of chamomile beautifully complement the sweetness of corn. This chowder owes its body to being half puréed, rather than to cream or butter, making it naturally vegan. I use frozen corn here, but if you’re lucky enough to find fresh organic corn, by all means use it.

1 tablespoon safflower, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

1 medium white onion, chopped (1½ cups)

¼medium green bell pepper, chopped (¼cup)

4 small potatoes, chopped (1½ cups)

½ medium sweet potato, chopped (1 cup)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3½ cups chamomile tisane, brewed (4 bags or 2 tablespoons loose)

1 pound frozen organic corn kernels or the kernels from 2 ears of organic corn

2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley

Place an 8-quart stockpot over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Swirl the oil in the pot to coat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, sweet potato, salt, pepper, and

chamomile. Raise the heat to medium-high. Once boiling, about 5 minutes, cover and lower the heat to simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to high. Stir in the corn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Ladle half of the soup and solids into a blender, avoiding the sweet potato. Remove the cap from the blender lid and hold a towel over the opening. Purée until smooth. Return the puréed soup to the pot and stir to integrate. Grind in black pepper to taste. Garnish with the parsley.

Black Bean Burgers with Tea Basil Aïoli

Makes 6 to 8 burgers

Toasted pecans are the key to these black bean beauties, along with the matcha in the piquant aïoli.

 

BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH TEA BASIL TEA AIOLI

Black Bean Burgers with Tea Basil Aïoli

Makes 6 to 8 burgers

Toasted pecans are the key to these black bean beauties, along with the matcha in the piquant aïoli.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small carrot, shredded (½ cup)

½ medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped (½ cup)

1 medium red onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans

½ cup toasted pecans

2 eggs

½ cup dry breadcrumbs

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

GREEN TEA BASIL AÏOLI

4 cloves garlic

10 large fresh basil leaves

3 teaspoons matcha green tea powder

4 egg yolks

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ cup olive oil

TO MAKE THE BURGERS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Place a 2-quart fry pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Swirl in the oil to coat. Sauté the carrot, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and salt for about 8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Turn off the heat. Drain both cans of beans. Pour one can into a large bowl. Pour the other into a food processor with the pecans, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and pulse to a coarse paste. Add to the whole beans. Mix in the eggs, breadcrumbs, and red pepper flakes. Mound ½-cup patties onto the baking sheet, pressing lightly to flatten. Leave a ½ inch between patties. Bake 45 minutes until dry and a bit crisp.

TO MAKE THE AÏOLI:

Purée the garlic, basil, matcha, yolks, lemon juice, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste with a blender or food processor. Add the oil in a slow stream until smooth. Serve as you like: I put them on whole wheat buns smeared with aïoli and dressed with lettuce and tomato.

MATCHA CHIA PUDDING PARFAITS

Chia seeds in liquid take on a gelatinous texture perfect for puddings, as in this parfait. Serve the parfaits in tall glasses to show off the layers.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

MATCHA GREEN TEA CHIA PUDDING

1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder

1 cup whole milk

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

6 teaspoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons chia seeds

PARFAITS

1 fresh ripe peach, puréed or mashed

¾ cup fresh raspberries, puréed or mashed

TO MAKE THE PUDDING:

Place the matcha in a medium glass bowl. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to 175°F.

Slowly pour in ¼ cup of the milk, whisking vigorously for 1 minute. When the matcha is completely dissolved, whisk in the remaining milk. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk the yogurt into the matcha milk. Stir in the maple syrup and chia seeds.

Chia seeds tend to clump so make sure they are all separately immersed. Cover and refrigerate 5 hours or overnight, until custardy.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Layer in order 1 tablespoon peach, ½ cup chia pudding, 1 tablespoon raspberries.

From Steeped: Recipes Infused with Tea by Annelies Zijderveld, Andrews McMeel Publishing 2015