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Feeling adventurous? Want to put a little excitement into a ho-hum winter weeknight meal? Believe it or not, you can kick your culinary endeavors up a notch by pairing tea with food! Yep, it’s true! Much like wine, different types of tea complement different types of food, and the variety of flavors that Bigelow Tea offers makes it a perfect accompaniment to any meal. (Seriously, it’s delish!)
Taste is a matter of personal preference, so there really are no rules when it comes to tea pairings; but did you know that a cup of black tea totally comes alive when paired with savory foods like beef and game? (They’re like really, REALLY good together!) Tasty and easy to make, Pomegranate Pepper Steaks paired with smooth, robust Darjeeling is simply divine! Or pair rich, fragrant Earl Grey with this fabulous Lamb Chops with Plantation Mint Gravy recipe to make an elegant match that will dazzle even the most discriminating dinner guest. Go ahead, try it! You’ll like it……
If you’re hungry for more, check out this chart of tea and food pairing suggestions from the Tea Association of Canada. No matter what you feel like making tonight, or tomorrow, or the next day…….(or the next!), there’s a Bigelow Tea flavor that’s sure to complement any dish. (That’s right!) Have some fun with your next culinary adventure and tag #TeaProudly to swap and compare your favorite pairings!
Pomegranate Pepper Steaks
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This is a simple and comforting dinner. Just follow this easy recipe and Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz will give it that extra flavor.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250mL) boiling water
- 12 Bigelow® Pomegranate Pizzazz Herbal Tea Bags
- 3 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced in strips
- 2 tablespoons (30mL) olive oil
- 4 – 6oz. (168g) round steak, tenderized
- Salt to taste
- Dash of pepper
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Add tea bags to boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing out liquid. Reserve tea. Add olive oil to a heavy skillet, sauté peppers until soft. Set aside. Add steak to peppers and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes on each side or until done to your taste. Place steaks on a warm plate, top with peppers. Keep warm. Pour tea into hot skillet, add salt and pepper, stirring and scraping brown bits from pan. Boil to reduce liquid to ½ cup (125mL). Pour sauce over steak and peppers. Serve with hot rice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds is desired. Great with Bigelow Pomegranate Risotto.
Lamb Chops With Plantation Mint Gravy
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These lamb chops make an elegant meal, but are even better when served with this delicious minted gravy. The flavor comes from Bigelow Plantation Mint tea and a touch of honey gives it a hint of sweetness.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned beef broth
- 6 Bigelow Plantation Mint® Tea Bags
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted, at room temperature
- 6 bone-in lamb chops (about 3 lbs)
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Using a brush, coat both sides of each chop with mustard, and press breadcrumb mixture onto chops. Place chops on a rack on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until medium-doneness is achieved. While the chops are baking, bring beef stock to a boil in a small saucepan, turn off the heat. Add the teabags and steep for 10 minutes, making sure they are all submerged. Remove the teabags to a small strainer and using the back of a spoon, press as much liquid as possible back into the pan. Stir in the honey and return to a boil, stirring until the honey is incorporated. In a small bowl, combine the flour and butter into a smooth paste, using a fork. Turn off heat, add the butter/flour mixture to the gravy, bit by bit, and whisk until it is incorporated and the sauce thickened. Remove lamb chops from the oven, let stand for 3-4 minutes. Place on a serving platter and serve hot gravy on the side.
*Recipe serves 6 people— 12 loin chops = about 3 lbs (2 per person) 18 rib chops = about 3 lbs (3 per person) 6 shoulder chops = about 3 lbs (1 per person)