Cooking Sous Vide - Thomas N. England (2016)

Fish & Shellfish

FISH & SHELLFISH basics

Fish and shellfish may be the foods most positively influenced by the exactness of sous vide cooking. When using traditional methods, the flesh of the meat is very tender and easy to overcook, which is indicated by a white-colored film on the flesh. By dialing in the fish at the right temperature, you can retain the moisture that’s typically lost during cooking.

Cooking fish and shellfish sous vide takes a bit more skill than with other proteins, as their delicate meat requires them to be handled gingerly. You must use special techniques to help them keep their shape, as well as build their texture. To aid you in this process, you’ll notice many of the fish and shellfish recipes I’ve included in the book have a brining step.

While cooking these requires a bit more skill, don’t be afraid to try out fish and shellfish sous vide. You’ll be surprised how well they turn out when cooked in a way that retains the most moisture and brings out their natural flavors.

Adding a bit of flavored oil can easily enhance the flavor of delicate fish, as well as help it retain its shape when put into a vacuum-sealed bag. For instance, a nut oil (such as pecan or hazelnut oil) will bring a meatier flavor to salmon, while a truffle oil will give halibut a mushroom flavor.

When preparing...

Special care must be taken when vacuum sealing fish and shellfish so there’s no risk of toxins. Sealing them while frozen will avoid this and help them maintain their shape while cooking. Using a zipper-lock bag and the water displacement method provides a more delicate way to work with them and lowers the possibility of foodborne illnesses.

When finishing...

Fish and shellfish may be chilled and served cold. Fish such as salmon can be put on the grill after being cooked sous vide to bring out more of its strong, smoky flavor. Scallops can be given a nice sear on the stovetop before they’re combined with a light, buttery sauce. The quickest way to brown fish and seafood to bring out the umami taste is to use a blowtorch.

FISH & SHELLFISH
times & temperatures

LOBSTER rolls

Lobster rolls can be enjoyed cold or warm, mixed in a mayonnaise-based dressing or doused in a butter sauce. This recipe utilizes the butter sauce to perfectly cook the lobster.

Meat from 2 lobster tails, cut into ½-in. (1.25cm) pieces

6 TB. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped

1 tsp. chives, chopped

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 hot dog buns, toasted

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 122°F (50°C).

2 Combine lobster, unsalted butter, sea salt, tarragon, chives, garlic powder, and lemon zest in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of lobster and butter sauce and allow to cook for 45 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Remove lobster from the plastic bag. Pour butter sauce into a medium bowl and set aside.

2 Place lobster pieces in toasted hot dog buns and serve with butter sauce.

Lobster Rolls

AVOCADO SHRIMP salad

In this recipe, the sous vide process infuses the lime and red onion flavors directly into the naturally sweet shrimp so they are more evenly distributed across the meat.

1 red onion, chopped

Juice of 2 limes

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. sea salt

⅛ tsp. white pepper

1 lb. (450g) raw shrimp (30 count), peeled and deveined

1 tomato, diced

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

1 TB. cilantro, chopped

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 148°F (64°C).

2 Combine red onion, lime juice, extra-virgin oil, sea salt, white pepper, and shrimp in a 1-gallon (3.75l) plastic bag and seal, making sure shrimp are in a single layer.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of shrimp and allow to cook for 24 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Place the plastic bag in an ice bath and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together tomato, avocado, jalapeño, and cilantro.

3 Top salad with cooled contents of the plastic bag and serve.

Avocado Shrimp Salad

THAI COCONUT soup

This soup of sweet coconut milk and warm spices is about as easy as it gets. You can simply put the bag in the sous vide machine and let it go.

2 cups chicken stock

1 (15-oz.; 445ml) can unsweetened coconut milk

6 (8-oz.; 225g) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, cut into 1-in. (2.5cm) pieces

1 (2-in.; 5cm) piece ginger, peeled and cut into ½-in. (1.25cm) slices

4 kaffir lime leaves

2 TB. fish sauce

4 red Thai chilies

2 tsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. white pepper

12 sprigs fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into wedges

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 153°F (67°C).

2 Combine chicken stock, unsweetened coconut milk, chicken thighs, shiitake mushrooms, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, red Thai chilies, and sugar in a 1-gallon (3.75l) plastic bag and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of chicken thighs and broth and allow to cook for 2 hours.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Remove chicken thighs from the bag, retaining broth.

2 Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large stockpot.

3 Season broth with kosher salt and white pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4 Debone chicken and chop meat into small pieces. Divide chicken pieces among serving bowls.

5 Pour the hot broth over chicken pieces in the bowls and serve each with 3 sprigs cilantro and 1 lime wedge.

SALMON rillettes

This spread combines the smoky taste of salmon with a creamy and refreshing lemon-butter sauce for a decadent appetizer.

1 (½-lb.; 225g) salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed

1 tsp. sea salt

6 TB. unsalted butter

2 shallots, peeled and minced

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

½ oz. (15ml) lemon juice

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 130°F (54°C).

2 Combine salmon fillet, sea salt, unsalted butter, shallots, garlic clove, and lemon juice in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of salmon and lemon-butter sauce and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 With the bag still sealed, break up salmon fillet into small pieces.

2 Divide salmon pieces among eight crocks. Top each crock with lemon-butter sauce from the bag.

3 Place the crocks in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 2 hours.

4 Serve as a spread with crusty slices of bread.

grilled salmon & BEET SALAD

Salmon is brined and then cooked-ensuring an end product that’s not mushy-before being placed on top of a refreshing beet salad for an explosion of taste.

¼ cup kosher salt

1 qt. (1l) cold water

1 (8-oz.; 225g) salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces

4 beets, peeled and cut into ½-in. (1.25cm) pieces

¼ cup orange juice

2 TB. honey

2 TB. vegetable oil

1 head frisée lettuce, root end removed

16 mandarin orange pieces

4 oz. (110g) blue cheese, crumbled

32 pecans, toasted

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 183°F (84°C).

2 In a medium bowl, mix kosher salt and cold water until salt dissolves; this forms a brine.

3 In a zipper-lock bag, place salmon fillet pieces and brine. Seal the bag and put in a refrigerator for 1 hour.

4 Meanwhile, place beets, orange juice, and honey in a 1-gallon (3.75l) plastic bag and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of beets and allow to cook for 1 hour.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath and hold at room temperature.

3 Add a few ice cubes to the water bath to bring the temperature down to 125°F (52°C).

4 Remove salmon pieces from brine and rinse under cold water. Place salmon pieces in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag and seal.

5 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of salmon pieces and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

6 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Preheat a grill to a temperature above 600°F (316°C).

2 Remove salmon pieces from the bag, dry completely with paper towels, and coat with vegetable oil.

3 Once the grill reaches the desired temperature, place salmon pieces on the grill and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove salmon pieces from the grill and set aside.

4 Divide frisée lettuce between bowls and top lettuce with beet pieces. Garnish each with 8 mandarin orange pieces, 2 ounces (55g) blue cheese, and 16 pecans.

5 Top each beet salad with 2 pieces grilled salmon and serve.

Grilled Salmon & Beet Salad

TUNA confit

Brining the tuna and then cooking it sous vide with oil and lemon zest yields fish with a bright flavor and firm texture that can be enjoyed atop pastas or salads.

2 cups water

1 TB. kosher salt

1 TB. granulated sugar

1 lb. (450g) fresh tuna

2 TB. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 122°F (50°C).

2 In a medium bowl, mix water, kosher salt, and sugar until salt and sugar dissolve; this forms a brine.

3 In a zipper-lock bag, place tuna and brine. Seal the bag and put in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.

4 Remove tuna from the bag and dry completely with paper towels.

5 Combine tuna, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon zest in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of tuna and allow to cook for 45 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Remove tuna from the bag, discarding other ingredients.

2 Chill tuna in an ice bath for 20 minutes before storing, or serve hot immediately.

SEAFOOD gumbo

Creating the roux via the stovetop and oven while cooking the seafood and vegetables sous vide allows you to put together a gumbo for guests that’s short on time and long on flavor.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1½ cups vegetable oil

3 qt. (3l) seafood stock

1 lb. (450g) raw shrimp (30 count), peeled and deveined

1 lb. (450g) lump crabmeat

1 lb. (450g) crab claw meat

1 white onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

24 shucked oysters, liquid reserved

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Cayenne pepper

2 tsp. filé powder

2 cups steamed white rice

1 cup green onions, chopped

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 148°F (64°C) and an oven to 250°F (121°C).

2 In a medium iron skillet heated to medium, add all-purpose flour and vegetable oil. Whisk until roux smells nutty, about 3 minutes.

3 Once the oven has reached the desired temperature, insert skillet of roux and allow to cook for 40 minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent it from burning.

4 Meanwhile, divide seafood stock, shrimp, lump crabmeat, crab claw meat, white onion, celery, and green bell pepper between two 1-gallon (3.75l) plastic bags and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of seafood and vegetables and allow to cook for 40 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Pour roux into a large stockpot, place on the stovetop over medium heat, and allow to come to a simmer. Pour in reserved oyster liquid and broth from the bags and whisk until combined.

2 Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Add solids from the bags and stir in until just incorporated.

3 Season gumbo to taste with kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add filé powder to thicken slightly.

4 Divide white rice among bowls. Top each with gumbo, 2 oysters, and a sprinkle of green onions and serve.

crab EGGS BENEDICT

This recipe uses sous vide technology to cook the crab until tender and juicy, to emulsify a hollandaise, and to poach eggs, making a typically complicated process much easier.

Crab Cakes:

8 blue crabs

⅓ cup crushed butter crackers

1 green onion (green and white parts), finely chopped

½ cup red bell pepper, diced small

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 large egg

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. sea salt

½ cup peanut oil

¼ cup all-purpose flour

Hollandaise:

1½ oz. (15ml) champagne vinegar

½ shallot, minced

10 TB. butter

2 large egg yolks

¼ cup water

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Poached Eggs:

4 large eggs

Assembly:

2 English muffins, toasted

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 154°F (68°C).

2 Bring a large stockpot halfway filled with water to a boil. Place blue crabs in boiling water, cover, and allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove blue crabs to an ice bath and allow to cool for 1 minute.

3 Remove legs from body of blue crabs. Package both legs and bodies in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of blue crabs and allow to cook for 45 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath. Place the bag in an ice bath and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

3 Raise the temperature of the sous vide bath to 167°F (75°C).

4 Pick meat from cooled blue crab shells.

5 In a large bowl, combine butter cracker crumbs, green onion, green bell pepper, mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, and sea salt. Fold pieces of blue crab into mixture.

6 Divide mixture into four crab cakes. Place in the freezer and allow to chill for 15 minutes.

7 In a medium cast-iron skillet over high heat, preheat peanut oil. Dust both sides of crab cakes with all-purpose flour. Add crab cakes to the skillet and quickly fry on each side until golden brown, taking care not to overcook, about 45 seconds. Set aside.

8 In a medium sauté pan over high heat, combine champagne vinegar and shallots and allow to cook until volume of vinegar is reduced by half. Strain vinegar reduction, saving liquid and discarding solids.

9 Combine vinegar reduction, butter, egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and kosher salt in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag and seal.

10 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of hollandaise and allow to cook for 30 minutes.

11 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath. Pour hollandaise sauce into a siphon whip dispenser and charge with two N₂O canisters. Hold in the sous vide bath until ready for use.

12 Place eggs in shell in the sous vide bath still set to 167°F (75°C) for 13 minutes.

1 Place ½ of toasted English muffin on each plate. Place crab cake on each muffin half.

2 Break each poached egg into a small bowl. Using a slotted spoon, place egg on top of crab cake.

3 Top each crab cake with whipped hollandaise and serve.

Crab Eggs Benedict

LEMON-SEARED scallops

These scallops are cooked sous vide with lemon and honey before searing, and then coated in an orange-flavored beurre blanc (white butter) sauce for a dish that’s light and refreshing.

12 dry-packed scallops (U10 size)

1 lemon, sliced into rings

1 TB. honey

1 TB. kosher salt

1 tsp. white pepper

1 oz. (25ml) vegetable oil

2 oz. (60ml) dry sherry

1 TB. orange juice

4 TB. very cold whole butter, cut into small pieces

1 Preheat the sous vide machine to 122°F (50°C).

2 Place dry-packed scallops in a single layer in a 1-quart (1l) plastic bag. Top with lemon and honey and seal.

1 Once the sous vide water bath has reached the desired temperature, insert the plastic bag of scallops and allow to cook for 30 minutes.

2 Remove the plastic bag from the water bath.

1 Remove scallops from the bag, reserving honey and lemon in the bag.

2 Dry scallops with paper towels and season with kosher salt and white pepper.

3 Preheat vegetable oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over high heat until it’s smoking. Add scallops and sear both sides for about 45 seconds per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

4 Add dry sherry to the still-hot skillet and let simmer over high heat until sherry has reduced to the point it’s almost gone, about 45 seconds.

5 Reduce heat to medium. Add honey and lemon from the bag and orange juice to the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove the skillet from the stovetop.

6 Whisk whole butter into the skillet to make beurre blanc sauce.

7 Serve scallops coated in beurre blanc sauce.

The key to a good sear on scallops is to make sure they’re packed without chemicals when they’re shipped to the grocery store—a process known as dry packing. Look for this label or ask a seafood monger to direct you to the correct packaging of scallops.

Lemon-Seared Scallops