The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide (19 page)

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Authors: Steve Cylka

BOOK: The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide

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Ingredients

Serves 4

12 large sea scallops

4 steaks (strip loin, sirloin, rib eye, or other boneless steak), 1" thick

3 tablespoons butter

2 medium shallots, minced

2 medium chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1
¹⁄
₂cups heavy cream

¹⁄
₂cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

2 tablespoons oil with a high smoke point (like peanut, sunflower, corn, vegetable, or safflower oil)

¹⁄
₂teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 140°F.
Place the scallops in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the scallops are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
Place the scallops in the water bath and cook sous vide for 40–60 minutes.
After the sous vide cooking session, place the bag in an ice bath to chill immediately. Place in the fridge.
Adjust the sous vide machine temperature to 134°F for medium rare. If a different doneness for steak is desired, check
Appendix A: Time and Temperature Charts
.
Place the steaks in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the steaks are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
Place the steaks in the water bath and cook sous vide for a minimum of 1 hour.
To make the chipotle cream sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Add the chipotle peppers, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 5–6 minutes, ensuring that the sauce does not boil. Use an immersion blender to purée the sauce. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and cover.
With 4–5 minutes cooking time left for the steak, place the scallops bag in the water bath with the steak to warm them.
Remove the steaks from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the steak in the skillet for about 45–60 seconds per side. Remove steak from the skillet and sprinkle with some of the salt and pepper. Clean the skillet.
Remove the scallops from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the scallops in the skillet for about 30 seconds per side. Remove the scallops from the skillet and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
To serve, place each steak on a dinner plate. Put 3 scallops on top of each steak and pour some of the chipotle cream over the scallops and steak. Sprinkle some minced parsley on top and serve.

Steak with Serrano Chili Chimichurri

This spicy version of the classic Argentinian steak sauce is simple to make, packed with fresh flavors, and perfectly complements the tenderness of sous vide steak.

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 steaks (strip loin, sirloin, rib eye, or other boneless steak), 1" thick

1 packed cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3–4 medium serrano peppers, cored and seeded

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

¹⁄
₄cup lemon juice

¹⁄
₄cup olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

2 tablespoons oil with a high smoke point (like peanut, sunflower, corn, vegetable, or safflower oil)

¹⁄
₂teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

A Chimichurri Twist

Switch up some of the ingredients to give this sauce a unique twist. Replace the fresh parsley with cilantro, the fresh oregano with mint, and substitute the lemon juice with lime juice. These modifications work really well to both change up the sauce and brighten up the flavor of the steak.

Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 134°F for medium rare. If a different doneness for steak is desired, check
Appendix A: Time and Temperature Charts
.
Place the steaks in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the steaks are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
Place the steaks in the water bath and cook sous vide for a minimum of 1 hour.
Make the chimichurri by placing the parsley, serrano peppers, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a food processor bowl. Pulse until everything is evenly and finely minced. It should be fairly smooth and resemble pesto in consistency. Pour into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop.
Remove the steaks from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the steaks in the skillet for about 45–60 seconds per side.
Remove the steaks from the skillet and sprinkle with the remaining salt and the pepper.
Put each steak on a dinner plate and spoon some chimichurri sauce on top. Serve.

Steak with Tropical Salsa

The bright, fresh flavor of the tropical salsa perfectly complements the deep rich taste of the steak.

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 steaks (strip loin, sirloin, rib eye, or other boneless steak), 1" thick

1 cup quartered grape tomatoes

1 cup finely diced pineapple

1 medium jalapeño, cored and minced

¹⁄
₄medium red onion, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons oil with a high smoke point (like peanut, sunflower, corn, vegetable, or safflower oil)

1 teaspoon sea salt

¹⁄
₂teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 134°F for medium rare. If a different doneness for steak is desired, check
Appendix A: Time and Temperature Charts
.
Place the steaks in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the steaks are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
Place the steaks in the water bath and cook sous vide for a minimum of 1 hour.
Make the salsa by mixing together the grape tomatoes, pineapple, jalapeño, red onion, mint, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop.
Remove the steaks from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat the oil in a large skillet on high heat. Sear the steaks in the skillet for about 45–60 seconds per side.
Remove the steaks from the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put each steak on a dinner plate and spoon some tropical salsa on top. Serve.

Steak with Bourbon Mushroom Sauce

A little bit of bourbon adds a wonderful aromatic to the sauce, which then highlights the taste of the steak.

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 steaks (strip loin, sirloin, rib eye, or other boneless steak), 1" thick

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

¹⁄
₂cup beef broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2–3 tablespoons bourbon

2 tablespoons oil with a high smoke point (like peanut, sunflower, corn, vegetable, or safflower oil)

1 teaspoon sea salt

¹⁄
₂teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 134°F for medium rare. If a different doneness for steak is desired, check
Appendix A: Time and Temperature Charts
.
Place the steaks in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the steaks are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
Place the steaks in the water bath and cook sous vide for a minimum of 1 hour.
Make the mushroom sauce by melting the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and sauté until the onion is transparent and the mushrooms are tender, about 4–6 minutes. Pour in the beef broth, soy sauce, and bourbon. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes so that it reduces and thickens. Remove from heat.
Remove the steaks from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the steaks in the skillet for about 45–60 seconds per side.
Remove the steaks from the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put each steak on a dinner plate and spoon some mushroom sauce on top. Serve.

Flank Steak Banh Mi Sandwiches with Sriracha Lime Mayo

This classic Vietnamese version of a sub or hoagie has layers upon layers of flavors. Tender meat, sour pickled vegetables, and spicy mayo make this one special sandwich.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 (2-pound) flank steak

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

2–3 tablespoons sriracha sauce

3–4 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons oil with a high smoke point (like peanut, sunflower, corn, vegetable, or safflower oil)

4 small (10") French baguettes, cut in half lengthwise

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Small handful romaine lettuce leaves

Small handful cilantro leaves

1 cup
Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon
(see recipe in Chapter 15)

Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 135°F.
Rub the flank steak all over with the salt and pepper. Place the steak in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag.
Place the steak in the water bath and cook sous vide for 12–18 hours.
Make the sriracha lime mayo by whisking together the mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, lime juice, and honey in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
Remove the steak from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the steaks in the skillet for about 45–60 seconds per side.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes. Cut the flank steak against the grain into thin slices.
Assemble the banh mi sandwiches by spreading some sriracha lime mayo on the inside of the baguettes. Place some flank steak slices in the baguettes along with some tomato slices, romaine leaves, and a few cilantro leaves. Top with some Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon. If desired, squirt a little extra sriracha sauce on top.

Coffee and Chocolate Flank Steak Tacos

The bold flavors of coffee and chocolate on the flank steak complement the bright taste of the guacamole.

Ingredients

Serves 4–6