The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide (32 page)

Pickled Red Onions

The onions are lightly blanched in the pickling mixture, giving them a sour tang and crispy bite. These are excellent as a topper on burgers, hot dogs, sausages, and pulled pork.

Ingredients

Makes about 3 cups

1 large red onion

1
¹
⁄
₃
cups white vinegar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

An Ideal Condiment

One taste of these pickled onions will inspire you with ways to incorporate crisp and sour pickled veggies to a variety of dishes. Serve this with cilantro chimichurri on a sous vide halibut for one amazing taste experience. It is also delicious on sous vide chicken breast with sun-dried tomato pesto. The possibilities are endless.

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Peel the red onion and cut it into
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₄
   " slices.
   
3. Pour the white vinegar and water into a large bowl. Whisk in the salt, sugar, and black pepper until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
   
4. Place the sliced red onion in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
5. Cook sous vide for 45–60 minutes.
   
6. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
7. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
   

Pickled Jalapeño Escabeche

Awesome as a topping for tacos or fajitas, this classic Mexican accompaniment is a snap to make in the sous vide water bath.

Ingredients

Makes about 5 cups

6–8 medium jalapeño peppers

1 large carrot

¹
⁄
₂
medium red onion

1
¹
⁄
₃
cups white vinegar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Cut the jalapeño peppers into
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₄
   " slices. Peel the carrot and cut into thin round slices. Peel the onion and slice thinly.
   
3. Pour the white vinegar and water into a large bowl. Whisk in the salt and sugar until dissolved.
   
4. Place the sliced jalapeño peppers, carrot, and onion in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
5. Cook sous vide for 60–75 minutes.
   
6. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
7. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
   

Pickled Turnips

Classic as a topping for shawarmas, these turnips are stained purple from the beet during the pickling process.

Ingredients

Makes about 4–5 cups

3–4 medium turnips

1 medium beet

1 cup white vinegar

1
¹
⁄
₃
cups water

2 teaspoons sea salt

¹
⁄
₃
cup granulated sugar

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Peel the turnips and cut them into sticks, similar in shape to french fries. Peel the beet and cut into quarters.
   
3. Pour the white vinegar and water into a large bowl. Whisk in the salt and sugar until dissolved.
   
4. Place the turnip sticks, beet quarters, and chopped garlic in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
5. Cook sous vide for 45–60 minutes.
   
6. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
7. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve on
   Chicken Shawarmas
   (see Chapter 8) or eat them straight out of the jar.
   

Zucchini Relish

Making relish in a sous vide water bath is very easy and the results are impressive. This relish is a nice twist from standard cucumber relish and is great served on hot dogs, sausages, burgers, and more.

Ingredients

Makes about 4–5 cups

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 cups grated zucchini

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced

¹
⁄
₂
sweet onion, minced

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Pour the white vinegar into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt until dissolved.
   
3. Place the grated zucchini, red pepper, and onion in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
4. Cook sous vide for 75–90 minutes.
   
5. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
6. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
   

Sweet Cucumber Relish

This sweet relish is far superior to anything you could purchase at a supermarket and is perfect for any backyard barbecue. Top a hot dog with some of this relish, a few
Pickled Red Onions
(see recipe in this chapter), and a squirt of mustard.

Ingredients

Makes about 4–5 cups

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon mustard seed

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon celery seed

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon turmeric

3 cups finely peeled and diced cucumber

1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored and diced

¹
⁄
₂
yellow onion, minced

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Pour the white vinegar into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
   
3. Place the diced cucumber, yellow pepper, and onion in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
4. Cook sous vide for 75–90 minutes.
   
5. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
6. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
   

Tomato Pineapple Chutney

This simple chutney is an ideal topping for many different meats like steak, pork chops, chicken, and more.

Ingredients

Makes about 4 cups

¹
⁄
₃
cup white vinegar

¹
⁄
₂
cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garlic powder

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups finely diced tomatoes

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups finely diced pineapple

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced

¹
⁄
₂
red onion, minced

¹
⁄
₃
cup minced fresh cilantro

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Pour the white vinegar into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, salt, and garlic powder until dissolved.
   
3. Place the diced tomatoes, pineapple, red pepper, red onion, and cilantro in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
4. Cook sous vide for 75–90 minutes.
   
5. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
6. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
   

Peach and Mango Chutney

Bright and fruity with a little spice, this chutney is delicious all on its own, but excellent served on fish or chicken.

Ingredients

Makes about 4 cups

¹
⁄
₃
cup white vinegar

¹
⁄
₂
cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cinnamon

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground ginger

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups pitted and finely diced peaches

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups pitted and finely diced mangos

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced

2 medium jalapeño peppers, cored and diced

¹
⁄
₂
red onion, minced

¹
⁄
₃
cup minced fresh cilantro

Variations

There are so many different options and possibilities with this chutney recipe. You can change up the fruit with others like apricots, pears, or apples. Also, try adding some dried fruit like raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries to the recipe.

1. Fill the water bath with water. Set your sous vide machine temperature to 183°F.
   
2. Pour the white vinegar into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger until dissolved.
   
3. Place the diced peaches, mangos, red pepper, jalapeño peppers, red onion, and cilantro in a large food-safe zipper bag. Pour in the vinegar mixture. Slowly lower the bag into the water using the water displacement method; the air will escape from the bag. Continue to lower the bag until it is about 1" from being fully submerged. Once the bag has been lowered, zip it shut with your fingers.
   
4. Cook sous vide for 75–90 minutes.
   
5. After the sous vide cooking session, immediately place the bag in an ice bath to chill it.
   
6. Store in a covered glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.