Wedges of these beautiful, flavorful eggs make a great cocktail snack.
Place in a large pan with cold water to cover:
20 large eggs
Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain, let cool in cold water, and drain again. Lightly tap the shells on a hard surface to crack them but do not remove the shells. Place in a large, heavy pan:
10 cups water
1/2 cup loose black tea leaves
1/4 cup sake
3 tablespoons soy sauce
6 quarter-sized slices fresh ginger, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a cleaver
Peel of 2 oranges
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 star anise
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add the cooked eggs and continue to simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the eggs cool completely in the tea mixture. Remove the eggs from the liquid and their shells. Serve warm or chilled, cut into wedges.
