Robert Wemischner

Yield: 4 servings

Tea is so much more than a beverage. It’s a special though certainly accessible ingredient that may be used in cooking and baking (For more ideas on the culinary potential of the leaf, see my Cooking with Tea book, available at www.amazon.com). For a sprightly composed salad using the best of summer stone fruits, I use tea as part of the smoking tinder over which soy-marinated chicken breasts are hot-smoked. The smoky and savory character of the chicken marries beautifully with the sweet juicy fruits in a salad that sings of summer. A simple dressing of half plain yogurt and mayonnaise thinned and enhanced with some freshly squeezed lemon juice rounds out the recipe.

Here’s how to do it.

The process is simple. Early in the day, marinate the chicken and then smoke it in a wok set onto the stove (or on an outdoor grill; whichever is more convenient). Cook the chicken further  if needed and assemble the salad just before serving.

2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skin and any visible fat removed, net weight approximately 12- 14 ounces

1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce to marinate the chicken breasts

1/4 c. brown sugar to lightly coat the chicken before marinating in soy sauce

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I like to be generous here with the pepper)

Smoking tinder:

2 T. black tea leaves (lapsang souchong is nice here, since its already smoky)

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. dry uncooked rice

2 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 t. allspice berries

6 whole cloves

Rind of 1 orange, cut into wide strips

Aerosolized pan spray (to coat the rack to prevent the chicken breasts from sticking)

Wash and dry the chicken breasts. Coat with freshly ground black pepper. Then marinate , refrigerated and covered,  for at least an hour (or overnight)  in the soy sauce and brown sugar mixture.

Set up the wok to smoke the chicken as follows.

Line the bottom and sides of the wok with two three-foot long double thickness sheets of aluminum foil, large enough to overhang the top rim of the wok by 6 inches all around. Position one double sheet in the wok and then place the other sheet at right angles to the first sheet. Place all of  the smoking tinder ingredients onto the foil, stir to mix up a bit,  and then place a wire mesh rack into the wok (the rack should be sized so that it rests about halfway up from the bottom of the wok).   Now heat the wok, covered with its lid, over medium to high heat until small wisps of smoke appear. Quickly open the wok, spray a bit of pan spray onto the rack, and place the marinated chicken breasts onto it. Bring the overhanging foil together and crimp the two sheets at the top of the wok to enclose the rack with the chicken on it. Place the wok lid onto the wok and smoke the chicken for about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat. The chicken should have an appealing bronzed color. Now finish the cooking of the chicken, as necessary, in a preheated 375 degree oven until it tests done (when done, the internal temperature of the chicken breasts should read between 160 and 170 degrees F.). To yield chicken that is not dry, do not overcook. Allow to cool to room temperature and then wrap well. Place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad.

Make the following Mayogurt dressing:

1/2 c. mayonnaise (homemade if possible)

1/2 c. plain Greek style yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon, sieved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk together the mayonnaise and yogurt. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper and stir to combine.

10-12 ounces of any combination of salad greens that you like (a peppery mix including arugula and some bitter greens such as radicchio is ideal here)

Wash the greens and spin in a salad spinner to dry them thoroughly. Slice the fresh stone fruits, pitted, into wedges, as desired. Slice the chicken breasts on the diagonal about 1/3 inch thick.

Assemble the salad by placing a layer of greens on each of four plates. Divide the sliced fruit and sliced chicken evenly among the plates. Serve the salad dressing on the side. Serve immediately.