Lapsang Souchong, Honey & Orange Glazed Salmon: The Smoked Tea Recipe
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Logbook • Tea Recipe
Lapsang Souchong Glazed Salmon with Honey & Orange
What if smoked tea left the teapot for a moment to enter the kitchen? In this recipe, Lapsang Souchong becomes a true ingredient: its woody and smoky notes meet honey, orange, and salmon in a glossy, delicious, and surprisingly easy-to-make glaze.
Quick answer
To cook smoked tea salmon, prepare a concentrated infusion of Lapsang Souchong, then reduce it with honey, orange, soy sauce, and ginger. This glaze is then applied several times to the salmon during cooking to achieve a glossy surface and delicately smoky notes.
15 min
12 to 15 min
Easy
4 people
Why is Lapsang Souchong so interesting in the kitchen?
Lapsang Souchong is a smoked black tea with a particularly expressive profile. Its woody character allows it to quickly add depth to a sauce, marinade, broth, or glaze.
With salmon, the combination is particularly interesting. The fish's natural fat welcomes the smoke, the honey adds roundness, while the orange lightens the whole with its acidity and freshness.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 4 salmon fillets weighing approximately 140 to 160 g each
- 6 g of Lapsang Souchong
- 15 cl of water
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 1 untreated orange
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 piece of fresh ginger approximately 2 cm long
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil or neutral oil
- Freshly ground pepper
- Sesame seeds, optional
- Chives or fresh coriander, optional
Preparing the smoked tea glazed salmon
Step 1
Prepare a concentrated Lapsang Souchong infusion
Heat 15 cl of water to approximately 95 to 100°C. Add the 6 g of Lapsang Souchong and let steep for 4 minutes. Strain carefully.
Step 2
Prepare the smoked tea glaze
Pour the infusion into a small saucepan. Add the honey, soy sauce, the juice of the orange, a small amount of finely grated zest, grated ginger and the rice vinegar.
Simmer gently for 6 to 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces and takes on a slightly syrupy consistency.
Step 3
Glaze the salmon
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the salmon fillets in a lightly oiled dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season lightly with pepper, then brush the surface generously with the glaze.
Step 4
Cook and glaze gradually
Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets and the desired doneness.
Brush the salmon a second time after about 6 minutes of cooking, then one last time just before serving.
Step 5
Plate
Add a few orange zest strips, sesame seeds, and optionally a little chives or coriander. Serve immediately with the rest of the glaze presented on the side.
What to serve with this Lapsang Souchong salmon?
To maintain the balance of the recipe, choose a rather mild accompaniment: basmati rice, jasmine rice, tender leeks, green vegetables, roasted carrots or sweet potato mash.
However, avoid overly powerful sauces: the goal is to let the flavors of the salmon, orange, honey, and this little touch of wood smoke brought by the tea emerge one after another.
The House Tip
Do not try to make the salmon extremely smoky
Lapsang Souchong has a lot of personality. The success of this recipe rests precisely on balance: the smoke should be noticeable, but the salmon, honey, and orange must remain perfectly identifiable.
Can this glaze be used with something other than salmon?
Yes. The same base can be used with duck breast, pork, roasted mushrooms, carrots, squash, or firm tofu. Simply adapt the cooking method and the amount of glaze.
The tea in the recipe
Brume de Lapsang – Smoked Black Lapsang Souchong Tea
Powerful, woody, and deeply smoky, our Brume de Lapsang can be enjoyed in a cup but also become a particularly interesting ingredient in the kitchen.
Discover Brume de Lapsang →Continue your discovery
Frequently asked questions about cooking with Lapsang Souchong
What flavor does Lapsang Souchong bring to a recipe?
It mainly brings smoky, woody, and warm notes. Depending on the amount used, the effect can range from a light smoky touch to a much more pronounced character.
Can you really cook with tea?
Yes. Tea can be steeped in a liquid, used in a marinade, reduced in a sauce, or very finely incorporated into certain preparations. Each tea family offers different possibilities.
How to prevent Lapsang Souchong from becoming too powerful?
Start by mastering the steeping time. A deliberately concentrated infusion can be useful for a sauce, but it should not be excessively long. Also taste your reduction before using it.
What tea to use to prepare smoked tea salmon?
A smoked black tea such as Lapsang Souchong is particularly suitable, as its woody and smoky notes naturally pair with fatty fish like salmon.
Tea is for drinking.
But sometimes, it is also for cooking.
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