Tea-Smoked Lychees

I recently made this lovely and strange one-bite appetizer from Michael Natkin’s newly released cookbook, Herbivoracious: A Flavor Revolution with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes. Natkin’s wildly popular blog, Herbivoracious, is filled with some similar unique and ingenious array of recipes and this cookbook is an inspired extension of that. I first noticed Michael’s work on TasteSpotting with this gorgeous Seared Watermelon photo and have been a fan ever since. I love his idea of manipulating and transforming fruits and vegetables into something entirely new with a slightly exotic look and feel, and this tea-smoked lychee recipe is a great example of that approach. Topped with a pinch of raw grated ginger and steamed with some earthy tea, this method creates a soft, smoky and tangy one-bite appetizer—and is just one fabulous recipe and method among many in this new and exciting cookbook.