Have you ever thought about cooking with tea?

Most Brits will drink several of cups of tea every day but I bet not many of us use it in our cooking. PG Tips have come up with some rather inventive recipes in celebration of the launch of their new premium ‘The Rich One’ teabags (which I reviewed here a couple of months ago). I must admit, I'd never thought of using tea - especially tea bags - in cooking. Let me know how you get on if you try any of these out.

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Tea-Smoked Duck Breast Tagliatelle

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 duck breasts

½ tsp Chinese five spice 

Seasoning

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp white rice

4 PG tips Rich One teabags

300 g tagliatelle

175 g broccoli, cut into small florets

2 pak choi, chopped

6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Method:

Score the fat of the duck breast with a sharp knife, in a cross-cross pattern, then sprinkle over the spice and seasoning, and rub it in slightly.

Line a roasting tin with foil and split the teabags open. Sprinkle the caster sugar, rice and loose tea over the base of the tin. Place a rack into the roasting tin (a cooling rack is fine), with the duck breasts on top of the rack.

Place the roasting tin on the hob and heat gently. When the mixture in the base starts to smoke, cover and seal well with more foil. Cook for 12-15 minutes, depending on how smokey and well cooked you like your duck.

Turn off the heat and allow to stand for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in a pan of boiling water according to the pack instructions, adding the broccoli and pak choi to the pan for the last minute of cooking.

Trim the fat off the duck and cut into slices.

Drain the pasta and vegetables, then return to the pan and toss together with the spring onions and sliced duck.

Serve with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds

Kcal: 422

Protein: 31.2g

Carb: 45g

Sugars: 3.6g

Fat: 14.1g

Sat: 3g

Fibre: 3.7g

Salt: 0.23 g

NOTE – The smoking could also be done outside on a barbeque.

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Tea Roasted Vegetables with Brown Rice and Griddled Halloumi

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato (175 g), peeled and chopped

2 medium beetroot (175 g), peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges

2 PG tips Rich One teabags

1 tbsp olive oil

200 g brown rice

200 g halloumi cheese

30 g watercress

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) Gas Mark 5.

Place the chopped sweet potato, beetroot, peppers and red onion in a roasting tin. Split the teabags open and sprinkle the contents over the vegetables with olive oil and toss well to cover. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes.

Towards the end of the cooking time, cook the rice according to the pack instructions.

Cook the halloumi cheese in a hot griddle or in a hot frying pan for 2-3 minutes each side until golden.

Drain the rice and divide between four plates.

Toss the watercress into the roasted vegetables and spoon over the rice.

Top with the griddled halloumi.

Kcal: 493

Protein: 16.1g

Carb: 62.8g

Sugars: 14.4g

Fat: 17.9g

Sat: 9.1g

Fibre: 6.4g

Salt: 1.6 g

Note: Veggies could be roasted in foil on a barbecue

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Tea Tabouleh with Spiced Lamb Cutlets

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 PG tips Rich One teabag

100 g quinoa

2 tomatoes, diced

½ cucumber, diced

Large bunch flatleaf parsley, chopped

Large bunch mint, chopped

Small bunch chives, chopped

1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced

Juice of ½ lemon

Seasoning

8 lamb cutlets

2 tsp cumin seeds

Seeds of ½ pomegranate

Method:

Bring 250 ml water to the boil in a pan and stir in the teabag. Turn off the heat and leave to steep for 3-4 minutes then remove the teabag.

Pour the quinoa into the pan, bring back to the boil and then simmer for 8-9 minutes (according to the pack instructions, until the quinoa is cooked and the tea absorbed). Drain and leave to cool.

Place the quinoa in a large bowl and mix with the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, herbs, onion, lemon juice and season to taste.

Place the lamb chops on a grill pan and sprinkle with the cumin seeds. Cook under a hot grill or on a barbecue for 2-3 minutes each side, depending on how pink you like your lamb.

Serve the lamb cutlets on a bed of tabbouleh, sprinkled with pomegrante seeds.

Kcal: 452

Protein: 49.1g

Carb: 17.2g

Sugars: 4.2g

Fat: 21.4g

Sat: 9.6g

Fibre: 1.4g

Salt: 0.4 g

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Warburtons Quick Lunch Sandwich Alternative : Easy Margherita Pizza

Madhouse recipe : Pierre's Spiderman Birthday Cake

Madhouse recipe : Romanesco Broccoli & Salmon Bake