Appetizers

From:  SousVide The Art of Precision Cooking (www.souvidetools.com)

Makes about 6.5 ounces (600 g)

Photo courtesy of sousvidetools.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons (60 g) salt
• 4 tablespoons (60 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) Powdered Smoke* (optional)
• 8 salmon portions (about 75 g each)

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme to 104F/40C.
2. Mix together the salt and sugar and completely cover the salmon in the dry cure mixture. Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse.
3. Put the salmon portions into cooking pouches (individually or side-by-side in pairs) and vacuum seal.
4. Submerge the pouches in the water oven to cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Quick chill the pouches to an ice water bath for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Serve as an appetizer or with toasted bagels, cream cheese, onions and capers for a traditional breakfast.

* Powdered Smoke is available through online retailers.  You can instead use 6 hits of smoke from a Polyscience Smoking Gun to impart smoky flavor.

Courtesy of Jack Lucas (MasterChef UK Finalist)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large rack of meaty pork ribs, cut in half (about 6 bones in each half)

For the dry rub

• 3 heaping tablespoons (26 g) smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoons (38 g) brown sugar, such as dark muscovado
• 1 tablespoon (7 g) red pepper/chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cayenne pepper

For the barbecue sauce

• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) tomato ketchup
• 3 tablespoons (115 g) dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 149F/65 C.
2. In a small bowl, combine the dry rub ingredients and season the pork liberally with all over with the mixture. ‘
3. Put each half rack into a cooking pouch and vacuum seal.
4. Use the pouch rack to submerge the pouches, on their sides, in the water oven to cook for 24 to 48 hours until the meat feels soft when pressed gently.  (You can cook the ribs to this point, quick chill in the pouch, submerged in ice water for 30 minutes, and then refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze indefinitely.)
5. For the BBQ sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a pan on the stovetop and gently simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, set aside. Chill until required, if not using right away.

Finish on the BBQ grill or in the oven

1. Preheat the oven broiler or a well-oiled grate on the grill to high heat (400 to 450F/200 to 220C).
2. (Optional) If you’re finishing on an outdoor grill and have them, put wet apple wood or other smoking chips on the coals and close the lid to generate a really smoky environment to finish the ribs off on.
3. Slather your ribs with the BBQ sauce and cook on the grill or under the broiler, until the sauce has caramelized, about 7 to 8 minutes a side. (The flavor is incredible!)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound (0.9 kg) Wagyu (or other) ground beef
• ¼ cup (30 g) dried bread crumbs
• 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 ml) milk (enough to soak the bread crumbs)
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) black pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ shallot, peeled and finely diced
• 3 tablespoons (7 grams)  chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons (33 g) grated Parmesan cheese

For serving

• Your favorite dipping or barbecue sauce, for cocktail meatballs
• Marinara or Putanesca sauce for large meatballs

For searing (optional)

• 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) high-smoke-point oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, mix the ground meat with all remaining ingredients, until just combined. Do not over mix.
2. Form the mixture into balls (about 1-inch/2.5 cm diameter for cocktail meatballs)
3. Put the meatballs onto a tray and freeze them for an hour or two to firm them before putting them into the cooking pouch(es) and vacuum sealing. Use the Gentle suction or slow speed setting, if possible, to avoid deforming their shape.)
4. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 135F/57C.
5. Submerge the pouch to cook for at least one hour, for small meatballs, and 3 to 4 hours for large meatballs.
6. Remove the meatballs from the pouch and serve with your favorite sauce.
7. Optional – searing:
   1. Pat the meatballs dry with paper towels (kitchen paper).
   2. On the stovetop, heat the oil in a skillet over high heat.
   3. Sear the meatballs, quickly, turning to brown on all sides.
   4. Serve as above.

Photo courtesy of Chester Ong

Courtesy of Nathan Green (22 Ships / Aberdeen Street Social)

For the Onion Jam
INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound or about 3 cups (500g) finely sliced onions
• 5 tablespoons (60g) white castor sugar
• 1 ½ ounces (50g) sherry vinegar
• 3 ½ ounces (100g) red wine
•  ½ ounces (50g) port

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pan on the stovetop over medium high heat combine all ingredients and bring to the boil; turn the heat down to a very slow simmer and continue to cook.
2. Simmer slowly and stir regularly, until the onions become dark and slightly potent; there should be no liquid left in the pan

For the Beef Cheeks (used in the bone marrow mix)
INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ pounds (600g) ox (beef) cheeks
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 5 sprigs rosemary
• 10 black pepper corns
• 1 pod star anise
• 6 ½ ounces (200ml) wine
• 3 ounces (100ml) port
• 10 ounces (300ml) veal jus

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim the cheeks, removing any sinew.
2. Put the cheeks into a container with all the other ingredients, except the veal jus and into the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours.
3. Strain the cheeks and the vegetables.
4. In a hot pan, on the stovetop, brown the cheeks; set aside and let cool.
5. In the same pan, brown the vegetables and set aside to cool.
6. Deglaze the pan with the marinade liquid and reduce by half.
7. Add the veal jus and reduce by half again and let the liquid cool down .
8. Meanwhile, fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 185F/85C.
9. Once cooled, put all ingredients into a large (gallon/3.8 liter) cooking pouch and seal it on maximum compression.
10.  Submerge the pouch in the water bath to cook for 10 hours.
11. Once cooked, remove and continue the bone marrow mix recipe or quick chill, submerged in the pouch in an ice water bath for 30 minutes, to save for future use.

For the bone marrow mix INGREDIENTS

• 10 ½ ounces (300g) scooped bone marrow
• 14 ounces (400g) cooked beef cheek (recipe above)
• 3 ½ ounces (100g) chopped (canned) snails
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3 ounces (100g) chopped shallots
• 3 ½ tablespoons (50g) butter
• 2 tablespoons (15g) panko bread crumbs.

DIRECTIONS

1. Scoop out bone marrow and chop. Save nice looking bones for serving.
2. Wash snails well to get rid of any grit.
3. On the stovetop, in a pan over medium heat, sweat shallots and garlic in the butter. Add the snails and after them the beef cheek and continue to cook briefly, then cool down.
4. Mix in the chopped bone marrow and panko and check seasoning. Set aside.

For the Gentleman’s Relish
INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces (125ml) cider vinegar
• 1 ½ ounces (45g) pitted prunes
• ¼ cup (65g) tomato ketchup
• 2 tablespoons, scant (25ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 2 spring onions, washed, trimmed, and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 anchovy fillet, chopped
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground allspice
• 1 pinch chile flakes
• 1 ounce, scant (25ml) water

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Pass through a Chinoise (sieve) to remove any solid bits and allow to set up.

To finish

1. Fill a split bone half with the marrow mixture and bake in the oven until the center is hot. Once hot, remove and coat with toasted bread crumbs
2. Warm the onion jam and serve on the side.
3. Serve with toasted sourdough rounds and some of the Gentleman’s Relish on top.

Courtesy of SousVide Supreme Culinary Specialist, Sophie

INGREDIENTS

•  ½ cup (65g) garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ cup (60g) pearl onions, peeled
• 1 cup (100 g) mini peppers, chopped in half with seeds and stems removed
• 3 cups (720 ml) olive oil

For serving as bruschette

• 4 to 6 ounces (170 g) spreadable goat cheese
• Salt
• 12 to 14 slices ciabatta bread
• Fresh herbs (thyme, chopped basil) for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 185F/85C.
2. Put the peeled garlic cloves into a (quart/0.95 liter) zip-closure cooking pouch. (A baggy rack helps in filling the pouches easily.)
3. Pour ¾ a cup (177ml) of the oil on top of the garlic cloves. Essentially you want the oil to completely cover them.
4. Use the displacement method (Archimedes’ principle) to remove the air and zip the seal closed.
5. Do the exact same steps for the peeled onions and mini pepper halves. For the mini peppers, you will need about 1 and ½ cups (360 ml) of the oil to completely cover them.
6. Once all three pouches are zipped closed, submerge them in the preheated water bath and leave to cook for 1 hour and thirty minutes.
7. When the vegetables are cooked, quick chill the pouches in a basin of ice cold water for thirty minutes.

To serve: For this recipe I served the vegetable confit with toasted bruschetta and spreadable goat cheese.

Makes about 12-14 bruschette

1. Brush some slices of ciabatta bread with a little of the oil from the confit garlic and season with salt.
2. Toast the ciabatta slices under the broiler, until golden brown.
3. Spread the goat cheese onto the ciabatta toasts.
4. Top with the vegetable confit and a sprig of thyme or some chopped basil

For the snails

• 24 large (about 200 g) French helix snails, canned, and their shells
• 1 ½ cup (320 ml) mushroom stock, frozen*
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced small
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) coarse salt
• ¼ teaspoon (0.6 ml) black pepper
• 1 or 2 sprigs thyme, stripped for leaves

For serving

• ½ stick (56g) butter
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) shallot, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced roasted garlic (jarred)
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) sea salt
• ¼ cup (60 ml) very dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) parsley, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme to 154F/68C.
2. Soak the snails to clean and trim away and discard the stomach and intestines, if present.
3. Put snails and all remaining ingredients into a cooking pouch and vacuum seal.
4. Submerge in the water oven to cook for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Remove the pouch, open, and drain the pouch juices into a bowl. Reserve juices.
6. Separate the snails from the vegetables; discard the vegetables.

To finish

1. In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until the shallot is translucent.
3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
4. Add the parsley and the snails and toss to coat with the butter.
5. Put the snails back into their shells for serving. Drizzle a bit of the remaining herbed butter from the pan onto each one.
6. Serve with crusty bread.

Courtesy of Marvin Gapultos

INGREDIENTS

For the cure

• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon (15 ml) raw sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh, cleaned pig’s ears

For the confit

• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) coconut oil, divided use

For frying/finishing

• High smoke point vegetable oil
• Fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh parsley, chopped fine

For dipping sauce

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Filipino coconut vinegar or white distilled vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Red chili flakes, to taste

DIRECTIONS

To cure the ears

1. Put the salt, paprika, black pepper, and sugar into a small bowl and stir to combine to make the cure.
2. Evenly divide the cure between the pig’s ears, making sure both sides of the ears are covered.
3. Place each ear in a separate cooking pouch, along with a clove of garlic and a bay leaf.
4. Vacuum seal the pouches and refrigerate for 48 hours.

To cook the ears confit

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 185F/85C.
2. Remove the pig’s ears from the cure, and rinse the ears under cold running water to completely wash away the cure spices. Pat the ears dry with paper towels.
3. Put each of the pig’s ears in a clean cooking pouch and add 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil to each pouch and vacuum seal.
4. Submerge the pouches in the water bath to cook for 24 hours.
5. If frying immediately, remove pig’s ears from pouches, discarding the pouch liquid.
6. If storing pig’s ears, quick chill them in their pouches, submerged in ice water (half ice, half water) for 30 minutes and store in the refrigerator for up to several days. Before frying, remove cold pig’s ears from pouches and scrape off solidified fats from the ears using a spoon.

To finish the ears and serve

1. Pour enough frying oil into a deep pot or Dutch oven to reach a depth of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 375F/190C on a deep-fry thermometer.
2. Working in batches, if necessary, gently place the ears into the hot oil and fry, turning frequently, until the skin becomes golden brown and crisp. The pig’s ears WILL splatter and spit while frying, so be sure to use a splatter screen, or the lid to the pot left ajar to let steam escape, to protect against splatters.
3. Drain the pig’s ears on a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle them with sea salt. Immediately slice the ears, and garnish with chopped parsley.
4. In a small bowl, combine all dipping sauce ingredients to serve alongside pig’s ears.
5. Serve with cold beer.

Courtesy of Jan Bennett

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/4 pounds (550g) pork belly strips (rind removed and fat left on) diced to 1-inch (2.5 cm)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) runny honey
• 1 pinch ground white pepper
• 1 Clementine (Mandarin orange) for peel only
• 1 star anise pod

For finishing

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Szechuan peppercorns, ground with a pestle and mortar
• 1 good pinch sea salt
• 1 bottle Jack Daniels Original barbecue sauce (or your favorite brand)
• cocktail sticks/picks for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 185F/85C.
2. Pop the diced pork belly into a large (gallon/3.8 liter) cooking pouch and spoon in the honey. (Don’t be tempted to add more as you could ruin your vacuum sealer – remember you don’t want to draw honey up into the vacuum part.)
3. Add a good pinch of white pepper and give the pouch a squish to coat the pork well with the honey. Add the Clementine peel and the star anise and vacuum seal the pouch.
4. Submerge the sealed pouch into the water to cook for a minimum of 6 hours to 10 hours.
5. When you’re ready to serve, preheat the conventional oven to 400F/200C.
6. Carefully open the sealed pouch (it’s hot!) and drain the liquid away. (Save for another use, if you wish.) Pat the pork belly pieces dry.
7. In a small bowl, mix the ground Szechuan peppercorns with the sea salt.
8. Dip the fatty side only of each piece of pork into the peppercorn and salt mixture and arrange on a baking tray.
9. Brush with a glaze of the barbecue sauce and pop into the preheated oven for just 5 minutes to crisp the surface. (Remember the pork is already hot and cooked through.)
10. Insert a cocktail stick/pick into each piece and serve immediately.

Courtesy of Jan Bennett

INGREDIENTS

For the burgers

• 2 pounds (1 kg) good quality minced pork
• 8 rashers/slices smoked back bacon, rindless, finely chopped (Canadian bacon)
• 1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) smoked paprika
• 1 good pinch black pepper
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) chipotle paste
• olive oil, for browning

For serving

• 18 mini burger buns
• Cheese slices (your favorite variety)
• Baby gem lettuce leaves, torn
• Tomato and onion slices
• Your favorite burger BBQ relish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 134F/56.5C for medium-rare (140F/60C for medium or 150F/65.5C for medium-well).
2. On the stovetop, fry bacon in an oiled pan for about 5 minutes until almost cooked through.
3. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until it is tender and the bacon is starting to crisp.
4. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and stir to mix. And continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat, draining excess fat on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
5. Put the pork into a big bowl along with the salt and pepper.
6. Add the chipotle paste and cooled onion and bacon and mix using your hands. Take care not to over mix or the burgers will lack texture.
7. Shape the mixture into balls the size of golf balls and flatten into patties.
8. Divide the patties, in a single layer, between 2 large (gallon/3.8 liter) cooking pouches. Do not seal yet, but pop them into the freezer for about an hour, so that the burgers don’t deform during the vacuum sealing process.
9. When ready to cook, submerge the pouches in the water oven to cook for 2 hours.
10. Once cooked, open the pouches, remove the burgers with care, and pat them dry on paper towels (kitchen paper).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets

For the marinade *see note

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 ml) dark soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons (75 ml) clear honey
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Mirin
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) castor sugar
• 1 pinch (about 1 g) ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) white pepper

For serving
1/2 cup (80 g) toasted sesame seeds
4 gem (butter) lettuce leaves
1 or 2 red chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 or 2 spring onions, chopped, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 146F/63.5C.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Cut each chicken into bite-sized pieces and put into a separate bowl.
4. Add just a couple of tablespoons of the marinade mixture to the fillets and stir well to coat, keeping the rest of the marinade for later.
5. Drain excess marinade from the chicken pieces; put them in a single layer into a suitably-sized cooking pouch and vacuum seal.
6. Submerge the pouch in the water oven and cook for a minimum of one hour, but of course the chicken can stay there for a good few hours until you are ready to finish the bites for serving. (You could also, at this point, quick chill the chicken, in its pouch, submerged in ice water for 15 minutes, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours or freeze for weeks. Simply reheat in the cooking pouch in the water oven at the cooking temperature for 30 minutes before finishing.)
7. Once the chicken has cooked at least the minimum time in the water oven, remove the pouch and carefully cut open with scissors, taking care of the hot steam. (Please don’t be fussed that at this stage the chicken will look like all the pieces have stuck together, they haven’t – just carefully pull them apart.)

To finish

1. Pour some toasted sesame seeds into a small bowl.
2. Heat up a frying pan on the stovetop, give the marinade a stir and add it and the chicken pieces to the pan.
3. Quickly stir the chicken pieces (remember they are already cooked) to coat in the syrupy marinade.
4. Spear each piece with a cocktail pick/stick, dip one side of each chicken piece into the toasted sesame seeds.
5. Remove the cocktail stick and turn the chicken piece over; re-insert the cocktail pick/stick, so the sesame-coated side is up. Set aside. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
6. To assemble for serving, put each bite onto a piece of lettuce, sprinkle with the chopped chile and spring onions, and enjoy!

* Please note if you plan to cook the chicken in advance and refrigerate or freeze it before finishing, you will only need to make half of this marinade mixture, as it won’t keep longer than a day.

Courtesy of SousVide Supreme Culinary Specialist, Madeline Fiore

INGREDIENTS

For the squash puree:

• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) mashed sous vide-cooked squash
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
• 1 ounce (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ounce (60 ml) crème fraiche

For the mascarpone cream:

• 8 ounces (227 g) mascarpone, divided
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream

For verrine assembly:

• 6 thin slices prosciutto
• 9 ounces (255 g) sous vide-cooked squash, cubed
• Sea salt to taste
• Mashed squash (as above)
• Mascarpone cream (as above)
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) toasted or spiced nuts or seeds (sesame or your favorites)
• Fleur de sel, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, stir together the mashed squash, honey, melted butter and crème fraiche until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and heavy whipping cream until light and fluffy.
3. In a skillet on the stovetop, cook the prosciutto over medium-high heat until caramelized and golden on each side. Once cooked, blot with paper towels.

To assemble the verrines:

1. 1. Toss together the sous vide cooked cubed squash with sea salt to taste.
2. Put about 1 ½ ounces (43 g) cubed squash in the bottom of every serving glass.
3. Spoon a good-sized dollop of mascarpone cream over the squash.
4. Divide the pureed squash mixture evenly amongst the serving glasses as the next layer.
5. Add another dollop of mascarpone cream.
6. Sprinkle nuts or seeds and a pinch of fleur de sel on top.
7. Garnish with prosciutto and serve immediately.

Courtesy of SousVide Supreme Culinary Specialist, Madeline Fiore

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound (227 g) center-cut salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed
• sea salt, to taste
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 2 shallots, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (35 ml), crème fraiche
• ¼ pound (113 g) smoked salmon
• 1 ½ tablespoons (22 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• chopped chives, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill and preheat SousVide Supreme to 126F/ 52C.
2. Season the salmon fillet with salt; put it into a cooking pouch and vacuum seal.
3. Submerge the pouch in the water oven and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, on the stovetop, melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
5. Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Season with a few pinches of sea salt and take off of heat.
6. Put the remaining butter into a small bowl and beat with a rubber spatula until creamy and smooth. Stir in the crème fraiche and set aside.
7. Once the salmon has cooked, remove it from the water oven and cooking pouch and gently break apart the flesh into a bowl.
8. Stir in the cooked shallots, smoked salmon, lemon juice, olive oil and season with about 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) of sea salt or to taste. Season with white pepper to taste.
9. Fold in the butter mixture and put into a serving bowl. Chill for at least an hour prior to serving. Garnish with chives and serve with crackers and crostini.