The more I talk to people about the house we just purchased, the more it hits me: oh my gosh, I'm an adult. Actually, it's not the purchasing of the house that makes me feel this way, but all the other things that come with it. Getting quotes for refinishing the floors. Finding someone to take down wallpaper and paint the walls. Then there's the furniture we're ordering. Eric and I haven't spent much money on furniture for our current place, instead decorating with what we've acquired over the years. Nothing matches. And most of it's from friends or CraigsList. It's time to upgrade a few items. We'll find out in the next week or so when we're actually moving, at which point the packing process will begin. In the meantime, I've enjoyed tossing out stacks of papers we no longer need. And cords to electrical devices that we'd gotten rid of a while ago.
So, here's the backstory on why I'm providing a recipe for sous vide salmon. The whole thing started a few years ago, when Eric and I went out to a restaurant to celebrate my birthday. On the menu was a salmon entree with beet and crème fraîche. This was the first time I'd been served fish so perfectly prepared... it actually felt like it was melting in my mouth. I asked the server how it was prepared, at which point he described the sous vide process. And my mind was officially blown.
Ever since then, I've dreamt of recreating that dish. Or, at the very least, something resembling that dish. A few months ago, I decided to reach out to one of the leading producers of sous vide water ovens, SousVide Supreme, to see if they'd be willing to let me test out one of their units. Last month, I heard back from them saying they'd be happy to send one over. Now, I was thrilled... but Eric was elated (he's been eying a few recipes for sous vide steak and smoked brisket).
So the unit arrived and I got up the guts to take the thing out of the box. Now, I'm terrible at following directions and often ignore the instruction manual. But, in this case, I decided to read up. To my surprise, the process seemed simple enough: vacuum seal the ingredients you want to cook, fill the unit with water, add the ingredients, set the temperature and timer and let it go.
When preparing the fish for the vacuum sealer, I lightly seasoned the fillet with Kosher salt, though a slice of lemon might work nicely in there as well. You really don't need to do much and, when working with fish, I'd recommend keeping the seasoning to a minimum. Sauces and additional spices can always be added later. Though my roasted beet sauce was was different than the restaurant's and I used Greek yogurt instead of crème fraîche, the meal was superb. This definitely won't be the last time I use the machine. In fact, I'm already brainstorming other recipes.
SousVide Supreme has also been kind enough to provide a $50 off coupon for a water oven to readers of A Thought For Food. During the check out process, just be sure to include this code: ATFF50.
Notes on discount code: Limit of 1 discount per order. Discount expires on 2/28/2014. Discount applies to SousVide Supreme and SousVide Supreme Demi water ovens, but does not apply to promo packages. Offer valid only at Sousvidesupreme.com website and for US orders only. No adjustments to previous purchases. Free Shipping applies to US mainland orders only for standard delivery.
Disclosure: While SousVide Supreme did provide a unit, I was not monetarily compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.
Sous Vide Salmon with Roasted Beet Sauce
Note The directions provided require a food sealer and sous vide water oven. However, if you do not own a water oven, feel free to prepare the salmon in the oven or in a pan.
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
4 - 6 oz salmon fillets, bones and skin removed
Kosher salt
Olive oil (if finishing in a pan)
3 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1.5 inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Kosher salt
Olive oil
Greek yogurt
Fresh rosemary
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 385 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the cut beets across the lined baking sheet, drizzle olive oil on top and season with a sprinkle of Kosher salt. Roast the beets in the oven until a knife easily goes into them, about 30 minutes.
2. Once the beets are cooked, transfer them to the bowl of a food processor, along with the garlic, ginger, and lemon juice. Pulse until finely chopped. Leave the machine running and drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning and, if necessary, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
3. Next, season the salmon with Kosher salt. Using a vacuum sealer, package the salmon fillets in a sealer bag.
4. Fill the sous vide machine with enough water so the packages of salmon will be covered by at least an inch. Set temperature to 116F/47C for rare; 126F/52C for medium rare; or 140F/60C for medium.
5. Place fish in machine. Set time for 20 minutes.
6. When it's cooked, remove pouch from water. Pan sear the salmon if desired.
7. Spread about 1.5 tablespoons of greek yogurt onto plate, followed by 1.5 tablespoons of beet sauce. Place fish on top of the sauce. Sprinkle fresh rosemary on top. Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Serve with roasted potatoes or these roasted carrots or any other sides.
