MY LATEST TASTE & CULINARY CREATION ADVENTURES

(Image from www.thegraphicsfairy.com)

“Usually, one's cooking is better than one thinks it is.”  Julia Child

While I love cooking and creating recipes that are in my mental recipe file, I’m generally open to trying new recipes using ingredients that take me out of my comfort zone.  Let me interject before I forget…I try not to be confined with using a recipe’s exact measurements…my creations tend to use approximate measurements that are based on my senses of sight, smell, taste, and touch; sometimes the sense of hearing comes into play as well. 

Over the years, I’ve had my share of disasters and certifiable flops…you know…the ones that make you step back and ask yourself, “What the heck was I thinking”.  I do stay in my safe zone and stick with what has consistently worked…it’s somehow easier that way and avoids a lot of explaining.   Lastly, I tend to attempt using ingredients that I have on hand, which pays homage to my trying to be frugal and cost conscious. 

If I happen to get a wild spurt of culinary inspiration, I’ll put something together with great anticipation for the completed dish, only to have my exuberance dashed by something that tastes awful…I then ask myself incredulously...”what the heck were you thinking”?  Folks not to worry…I’m not celebrity chef material…yet!  But, I do love cooking and dabbling in the unknown…

I recently had one of those culinary inspirations hit me.  I figured the worst that could happen was that the recipe would taste awful and be a certified flop.  The inspiration was to use ingredients not normally associated with how I had planned on using them and adapting them to my recipe.  My inspiration was to make a sweet and savory glaze for a pork roast using a base of herbal tea (which is technically a tisane), some flower syrup, extract and flowers, hot mustard, and a few other goodies.

Before committing to experimenting using a pork roast, I opted to use a whole chicken as my practice protein.

~ Sweet & Savory Glaze ~

(Image by Terry Herman)

Protein of your choice ~

Chicken, lamb, pork, beef, firm-fleshed fish, shrimp, scallops, etc.

Ingredients for the Glaze ~

Colman’s Mustard ~

Original English Mustard (which is peppery)

Honey Ridge Farms ~

Honey Crème Clover, Honey Balsamic Vinegar, and Serrano Honey Balsamic Vinegar

Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. ~

Heart-Tee Hibiscus Tea, Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup  Hibiscus Flower Extract, Pyramid Salt Flakes

Miscellaneous ~

Garlic powder, dehydrated parsley, black pepper, unsalted butter

Approximate Measurements ~

1 Tea Bag

1-1/2 C boiling water

½ C Honey

1 t each of the Vinegars

2 T Mustard

1 t Flower Syrup

3 drops Flower Extract

1 t Garlic Powder

1/8 t Black Pepper

1 T Dehydrated Parsley

Salt Flakes (quantity as needed) to sprinkle on top of protein

3 T Unsalted Butter (to emulsify and finish off the glaze)

Method ~

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F

Steep one tea bag in one cup of water (or fruit juice); add the remaining ingredients to steeped tea, with the exception of the Hibiscus Flowers, Salt Flakes, and unsalted butter. 

Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly to reduce by half; turn off heat.

Place protein on a rack inside a glass-baking dish, and begin brushing Glaze mixture evenly over the selected protein; lightly sprinkle Salt Flakes over the top of the protein.  Do not cover or add any additional liquid or Glaze.

Bake protein for one and one-half hours, periodically brushing additional coats of the Glaze.  Continue baking for another one hour.  Test for doneness and remove from oven; cover loosely with heavy foil, and let it rest for at least twenty or thirty minutes. 

Begin further reducing the remaining Glaze until it thickens further, then add the unsalted butter (cut in pieces) to the Glaze, and continue cooking to thicken over a medium heat, approximately ten minutes; turn off heat.

Slice protein and arrange pieces on serving platter.  Drizzle thickened Glaze over sliced protein and decorate with another sprinkling of the Salt Flakes, and several of the Hibiscus Flowers, which are edible.  Any remaining Glaze can be used as “gravy” and placed in a separate serving piece.  

Each of the sweet and savory flavors of this culinary creation, made for a complex, yet balanced and rich glaze that elevated the flavor profile of the humble roasted chicken.  The delicate, sweet, and subtle tartness of the tea; the piquant aspect of both of the vinegars, and their sweetness; the rich sweetness of the honey; the peppery aspects of the mustard and Serrano chile; the delicate taste of the flaked salt; the aromatics of the flower syrup, extract, and flowers; the seasonings and butter, all made for a surprisingly delicious accent.  I also loved the rich, mahogany color of the finished product.  

(Image by Terry Herman)

Resources ~

Colman’s Mustard

http://colmansusa.com

Honey Ridge Farms

https://honeyridgefarms.com

Wild Hibiscus Flower Co.

http://www.wildhibiscus.com

~ In Closing ~

(Image from www.flickr.com)

Going into this culinary creation, I didn't know what to expect...in my mind the pairing of these seemingly disparate ingredients made sense, but until I methodically tasted and adjusted throughout the cooking process, I wasn't convinced that the recipe would in fact work until tI ate he finished product.  It was a pleasant surprise to be incorrect.  

The combination of these ingredients resulted in a delicious twist to a simple dish, and in all honesty, I feel was one of my better culinary creations, and one I strongly recommend you try.  My recipe is a suggestion…use your own special twists to create something unique, just like yourself.

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy cooking…happy eating!

By Terry Herman

TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as the International Home+Housewares Show, the National Restaurant Show and the Sweets and Snacks Expo.  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  In addition to her blogs, her social media outreach also includes Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page, “Terry’s Second Helpings”.  Please note that the “Comment Section” has been disabled.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

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