The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide (24 page)

Korean Shrimp

This shrimp dish has a wonderful Asian flavor that is distinctly Korean, with the perfect combination of sweet, heat, and sour.

Ingredients

Serves 4

3 tablespoons gochujang (fermented hot pepper paste)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Don’t Waste That Sauce!

The sauce in this shrimp recipe is so delicious that it almost seems wrong to just eat the shrimp individually and waste the sauce. Turn this dish into a full meal by tossing the shrimp and sauce with some steamed or stir-fried vegetables and then serve it over a bed of rice. Just amazing!

1. Make the marinade by mixing together the gochujang, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Toss the shrimp in the marinade.
   
2. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 140°F.
   
3. Dump the coated shrimp and the marinade in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the shrimp are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
   
4. Place the shrimp in the water bath and cook sous vide for 30 minutes.
   
5. Pour the shrimp and sauce into a large bowl and serve immediately.
   

Garlic Butter Shrimp

These buttery shrimp are so tasty that you may find yourself needing to make another batch for the guests! Serve with pasta or rice to make a filling and delicious dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Don’t Overcook the Shrimp

One of the significant benefits of sous vide cooking is that it is extremely forgiving in regards to overcooking meat. While beef, chicken, pork, and many other meats can be in the sous vide water bath far longer than the length it takes to cook the food, shrimp on the other hand, is more delicate and needs to be removed once it has been cooked for 30 minutes. Any longer and the texture of the shrimp will be negatively affected.

1. Make the garlic butter by mixing together the melted butter, garlic powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Toss the shrimp in the garlic butter.
   
2. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 140°F.
   
3. Pour the coated shrimp and the garlic butter in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the shrimp are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
   
4. Place the shrimp in the water bath and cook sous vide for 30 minutes.
   
5. Pour the shrimp and sauce into a large bowl and serve immediately.
   

Pasta with Shrimp and Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

This dish of succulent shrimp with a creamy cheese sauce is worthy of being a dinner party entrée.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

¹
⁄
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cup butter

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red onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1
¹
⁄
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cups heavy cream

1 cup cream cheese

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cup grated Parmesan cheese

5 jarred roasted red peppers, diced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

16 ounces dry pasta (penne, farfalle, rotini, etc.)

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cup torn fresh basil

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 140°F.
   
2. Place the shrimp in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the shrimp are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
   
3. Place the shrimp in the water bath and cook sous vide for 30 minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and roasted red peppers. Stir until the cream cheese melts into the sauce. Keep the sauce at a medium-low simmer so that it doesn’t come to a boil. Stir in the salt and pepper.
   
5. Cook the pasta according to directions on the package. Drain.
   
6. Take the shrimp out of the water bath and drain them of any liquid that was in the bag.
   
7. Toss the pasta in the sauce with the shrimp. Top with fresh basil.
   

Shrimp Creole

This classic dish from southern Louisiana has hints of Spanish and French cuisine. By cooking the shrimp sous vide, it ensures that they are perfectly cooked for this delicious dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1
¹
⁄
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teaspoons creole seasoning

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, cored and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

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teaspoon dried thyme

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teaspoon ground white pepper

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teaspoon cayenne pepper

6–8 cups cooked long-grain white rice

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 140°F.
   
2. Toss shrimp in the creole seasoning. Place the shrimp in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the shrimp are lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
   
3. Place the shrimp in the water bath and cook sous vide for 30 minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook until tender, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 20–30 minutes.
   
5. Take the shrimp out of the water bath and drain them of any liquid that was in the bag.
   
6. To serve, spoon some of the tomato mixture on a bed of rice and top with some shrimp.
   

Salmon with Edamame and Corn Succotash

If anyone has ever said that healthy food does not taste good, then they have never tried this recipe. Packed with flavor, this dish is also packed with health!

Ingredients

Serves 4

¹
⁄
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cup kosher salt

8 cups water

4 cups ice cubes

4 (4–6-ounce) fresh salmon fillets, 1" thick, skin removed

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cup olive oil, divided

1 medium red onion, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups frozen corn

3 cups shelled edamame

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salmon Cooking Temperature

People have very different preferences when it comes to the doneness of salmon. This recipe sets the temperature of the water at 126°F, which cooks the salmon to be a little on the firm side but still very moist. For a salmon that has a texture closer to a traditional cooking method, cook at 140°F. In all cases, the cook time is the same at 30 minutes.

1. Prepare the brine by dumping the kosher salt, water, and ice cubes in a large container. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the salmon and cover the container with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge and brine for 20–60 minutes.
   
2. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 126°F.
   
3. Drain the salmon and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
   
4. Place the salmon fillets and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the salmon is lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
   
5. Place the salmon in the water bath and cook sous vide for 30 minutes.
   
6. Make the succotash by heating the remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion, red bell pepper, and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and edamame and cook for another 8–10 minutes, stirring often. Add salt, pepper, and fresh parsley. Stir and remove from the heat.
   
7. Remove the salmon from the water bath.
   
8. To serve, place a fillet of salmon on each plate and spoon some edamame and corn succotash over the salmon.
   

Salmon with Orange Butter Sauce and Pickled Fennel

The salmon is delicately cooked and complemented by the creamy sauce and the tang of the pickled fennel.

Ingredients

Serves 4

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⁄
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cup kosher salt

8 cups water

4 cups ice cubes

4 (4–6-ounce) fresh salmon fillets, 1" thick, skin removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

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cup orange juice

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cup dry white wine

2 medium shallots, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

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cup heavy cream

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cup butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup
Spicy Pickled Fennel
(see recipe in Chapter 15)

Brining the Salmon

While brining is not necessary, it does have some significant benefits to cooking salmon. Brining removes excess water from the salmon and enhances the texture of the fish. It also helps retain the deep color of the salmon, which usually goes pale pink during cooking. Finally, brining helps prevent the white “film” from coming out of the salmon while it is cooked.

1. Prepare the brine by dumping the kosher salt, water, and ice cubes in a large container. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the salmon and cover the container with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge and brine for 20–60 minutes.
   
2. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 126°F.
   
3. Drain the salmon and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
   
4. Place the salmon fillets and olive oil in a food-safe bag and vacuum seal the bag. Make sure the salmon is lined up side by side and not stacked or piled. Use multiple bags if necessary.
   
5. Place the salmon in the water bath and cook sous vide for 30 minutes.
   
6. Make the orange butter sauce by adding the orange juice, white wine, shallots, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Let the sauce simmer for 5–7 minutes, until the shallots are tender and the liquid reduces by about one third. Pour in the heavy cream and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the cubed butter and whisk continually until all the butter is melted and emulsified into the sauce. Remove from the heat.
   
7. Remove the salmon from the water bath.
   
8. To serve, pour some orange butter sauce on a plate and place the salmon in the center of the sauce. Spoon some of the Spicy Pickled Fennel on top of the salmon.
   

Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Compound Butter

This recipe is all about simplicity, and the rich compound butter perfectly accentuates the delicate taste of the salmon.