9 hours ago
THE CANNY COOK: Cold-brew iced tea
In 20 or so years of writing about food, one of my greatest joys has been picking up clever little tricks from chefs. Simple, transformative things like adding a splash of water to onions as they fry (which helps them to soften and prevents browning too soon) or salting fish 10-15 minutes before cooking to firm up the flesh and enhance the flavour.
A couple of weeks ago, while I was staying with a chef friend in Bristol, he offered me a glass of iced tea. Instinctively I turned it down, having never been a fan of its fruit-heavy, syrupy composition. But the drink he poured himself looked light and crisp, so I asked to try it.
It was fantastic: elegant, refreshing, completely sugar-free and, it turns out, incredibly easy to make. He had simply soaked a couple of green tea bags (one classic, one with lemon) overnight in cold water.
Cold-brewing is key as the tea releases fewer tannins than in hot water, resulting in a smooth and delicate finish. Aromatics (fruits and herbs) can also be added for extra flavour.
As someone who is always searching for sugar-free summer drinks, I thought it a brilliant discovery, and I have been playing with variations since. If you fancy making a batch and need a nice carafe, Ikea has a great one with a cork lid for under £5.
1 mint sprig, 52p; 1 litre water, no cost
METHOD
Using a y-peeler, pare a long strip of zest from the lemon. Place inside a 1 litre carafe or jug, with the tea bags and the mint.
If you don't have lemons, try adding slices of cucumber, rounds of orange or lime or strawberry tops (which you'd probably otherwise throw in the bin). Instead of mint, you could add basil leaves, lemongrass stalks or a sprig of rosemary.
Fill the carafe or jug with cold water, put on the lid or cover, and leave to cold-brew in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
Pour into glasses over ice and slices of the lemon and enjoy.
*This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. Prices taken from Sainsbury's and correct at time of going to press.
