YIELD SERVES 4 TO 6
Sous Vide Temperature 180°F/82°C
Sous Vide Time 20 minutes
Active Cooking Time 20 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
You didn’t think that sous vide was only about cooking proteins, did you? Well, sure, most of the hoopla about this cooking technique centers around the fancy stuff—the rib eye, the pork roast, the immaculately cooked soft-poached egg. But that’s only part of the story.
Vegetables and grains are prime candidates for sous vide cookery. The precisely heated water bath allows you to cook green vegetables until they are crisp-tender but still a vibrant hue. It allows you to cook root vegetables to their tender ideal from end to end. Sealing vegetables in a plastic bag also ensures that there is no evaporation, which means that our sous vide potatoes taste more potato-y, our sous vide asparagus tastes more asparagus-y. As J. Kenji Lopez-Alt once wrote on Serious Eats, “It’s one of the few cooking methods where the end result is a vegetable that tastes more like itself than when you started.” The water bath also ensures that grains and beans are cooked to just the right amount of tender, with no blowouts, hotspots, or pots and pans to watch on the stove. What’s not to love?
Start with our Perfect Asparagus, which cooks for just 20 minutes at 180 degrees Fahrenheit/82 degrees Celsius, and emerges bright green and fork tender. Move on to our Better-Than-Braised Beets. The beets’ natural earthy, sweet flavor intensifies when cooked—sealed—in a water bath. The genius move? We cook these beets in what will become their vinaigrette—the beets enhance the dressing and vice versa during their 4-hour swim. Similarly, we dress our bright baby bok choy in an addictive chile oil, our deeply flavored glazed carrots in honey and thyme, and our corn on the cob in butter.
Whatever you do, do not miss the Roasted Celery Root with Chimichurri. We know. It doesn’t sound like it is one of the most interesting recipes in the book. But after cooking this bulby, jumbly looking root (cut in half but not peeled) in a water bath, you break it into jagged, asymmetrical pieces with your hands and then sear them in a hot skillet until they are browned and crispy. The result? A centerpiece side dish that’s both creamy and crunchy, rustic and beautiful, topped with a refreshing green sauce.
Take your choice of potatoes: crisp and smashed or in a warm salad. Meanwhile, our parsnips get a final crisp in the oven before being tossed with a healthy amount of Pecorino Romano. Steel-Cut Oatmeal and No-Fuss Polenta embody the term “hands-off.” The oatmeal cooks in a water bath overnight and is ready to go—already packaged in individual Mason jars—as soon as you wake up. The polenta? It just needs one little whisk before serving.
We will not lie, cooking beans sous vide is a time commitment. But we think the payoff is worth it: evenly cooked beans with zero blowouts. Our East African Black Lentil Stew takes advantage of a homespun berbere spice blend. Spiced Red Lentils need only a quick whisk out of the bag. Our Boston Not-Baked Beans are just as smoky and satisfying as the traditional version but necessitate zero ovens, and therefore need zero babysitting. Our Cuban Black Beans cook for an extended period of time in a solution of baking soda, salt, and water for a perfect batch of soft and creamy beans. We take advantage of the long cook time by throwing in a ham hock and letting it break down, which lends body to the cooking liquid and a delicious meaty flavor throughout. Our White Bean Hummus again cooks with baking soda for ultimate creaminess, and then, after being buzzed with some tahini and lemon juice, is topped with a refreshing herb and olive salad.
While our vegetable and grain recipes may not have the pizzazz (or require the financial investment) of a thick-cut rib eye, they each come with the quiet triumph of being perfectly cooked, every time.
Perfect Asparagus with Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette
YIELD SERVES 4 TO 6
Sous Vide Temperature 180°F/82°C
Sous Vide Time 20 minutes
Active Cooking Time 20 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Properly cooking tender spring vegetables like asparagus is challenging. Divert your attention for just a few seconds and those babies go from perfectly green and snap-tender to Hulk-green and floppy. Cooking asparagus sous vide takes away the guesswork. At 180°F/82°C, we found that the spears softened just enough while still keeping their snap. They remained bright green, and, because the spears were sealed in a bag while cooking, they retained all of their delicate, vegetal flavor (no evaporation here!). We serve our asparagus with a simple tomato and basil vinaigrette, but feel free to pair your asparagus with any vinaigrette or bright sauce of your choosing. This recipe works best with thick asparagus spears that are between ½ and ¾ inch in diameter. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it overcooks too easily. Be sure to double bag the asparagus to protect against seam failure. Asparagus have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the asparagus are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) thick asparagus, trimmed
1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped fine (about ½ cup/113 grams)
1 shallot (25 grams), minced
1½ tablespoons (22 grams) lemon juice
1 tablespoon (1 gram) chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 180°F/82°C in 7-quart container.
2 Arrange asparagus in single layer in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until asparagus is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
3 Whisk tomato, shallot, lemon juice, basil, oil, and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer asparagus to serving platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve.
Variations
Perfect Asparagus with Soy-Ginger Vinaigrette
Substitute 2 minced scallions (34 grams), ¼ cup (60 grams) lime juice, 3 tablespoons (42 grams) sesame oil, 3 tablespoons (45 grams) soy sauce, 1 tablespoon (5 grams) grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon (21 grams) honey, and 2 minced garlic cloves (10 grams) for tomato, shallot, lemon juice, basil, and olive oil.
Perfect Asparagus with Mustard-Thyme Vinaigrette
Substitute 1 tablespoon (2 grams) chopped fresh thyme and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) Dijon mustard for tomato and basil.
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 191°F/88°C
Sous Vide Time 4 to 6 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Beets can be rapidly chilled in ice bath (see this page) and then refrigerated for up to 7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Why This Recipe Works You can’t go wrong with good old steamed or oven-roasted beets. But sous vide is a powerful tool: It can elevate the humble beet to a tastier, more intensely flavored vegetable. Cooking beets in a sealed bag helps with flavor penetration; we found that the aromatics and seasoning we put in the bag with the beets seeped to their core. Because there was no moisture loss due to evaporation, the beets also stayed juicy. Because we didn’t have to cook the beets in water, all those natural juices that accumulated during cooking remained and concentrated in the bag. Throw in some oil and a little sherry vinegar? We effectively created a ready-to-go vinaigrette. Last but certainly not least, cooking beets sous vide produced perfectly uniform, perfectly cooked texture from end to end (no easy task!). With this dish, you’re really getting the most bang for your beet. Look for beets that are roughly 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Be sure to double bag the beets to protect against seam failure. Beets have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the beets are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (907 grams) beets, trimmed
3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (28 grams) sherry vinegar
8 sprigs (4 grams) fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons (4 grams) minced fresh chives
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 191°F/88°C in 7-quart container.
2 Toss beets, oil, vinegar, thyme, 1½ teaspoons (9 grams) salt, and ¾ teaspoon (2 grams) pepper in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until beets are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release any remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours.
3 Transfer beets to cutting board. Discard thyme sprigs and transfer cooking liquid to large bowl. When beets are cool enough to handle, rub off skins with paper towel and cut into ½-inch wedges. Add beets and chives to bowl with cooking liquid and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 191°F/88°C
Sous Vide Time 4 to 6 hours
Active Cooking Time 50 minutes
To Make Ahead Cooked beets can be chilled rapidly in ice bath (see this page) and then refrigerated for up to 7 days. To serve, leave beets and their cooking liquid at room temperature for 30 minutes and then proceed with step 4.
Why This Recipe Works The ubiquitous combination of beets and goat cheese works because the tangy, creamy, salty goat cheese is a great foil for the beets’ earthy sweetness. (Beets’ sweetness is the result of a winter survival strategy. The sugars in beets act like antifreeze, keeping the fluid in their cells from freezing and forming destructive ice crystals.) But that doesn’t mean the combination hasn’t gotten tired. To reinvigorate this classic salad, we charred the beets, which we’d cooked using our foolproof sous vide method, to add some complementary bitterness. We amplified that bitterness with crisp radicchio and tossed it all with a dressing made from the beet cooking liquid. A simple spread of feta and Greek yogurt added plenty of creaminess instead of goat cheese. Tart pomegranate seeds provided pops of bright acidity, while fresh dill and tarragon rounded things out with some herbal notes. Be sure to double bag beets to protect against seam failure. Beets have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the beets are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) beets, trimmed
3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (28 grams) sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper
4 ounces (105 grams) feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
½ cup (120 grams) plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) vegetable oil
½ head (142 grams) radicchio, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
½ cup (75 grams) pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon (1.5 grams) chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon (1.5 grams) chopped fresh tarragon
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 191°F/88°C in 7-quart container.
2 Toss beets, oil, vinegar, 1½ teaspoons (9 grams) salt, and ¾ teaspoon (2 grams) pepper in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until beets are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release any remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours.
3 Transfer beets to cutting board. Transfer cooking liquid to medium bowl. When beets are cool enough to handle, rub off skins with paper towel and cut into ½-inch wedges.
4 Using back of fork, mash feta and ¼ cup (60 grams) yogurt together in small bowl to form coarse spread; refrigerate until ready to serve. Whisk remaining ¼ cup (60 grams) yogurt into beet cooking liquid until combined.
5 Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Carefully place beets cut side down in skillet and cook until well charred on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer beets to cutting board and cut into 1½-inch pieces.
6 Add beets and radicchio to bowl with dressing and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread feta mixture in even layer on large serving plate. Arrange beets and radicchio on top, then sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, dill, and tarragon, and serve.
Baby Bok Choy with Chile Vinaigrette
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 12 minutes
Active Cooking Time 40 minutes
To Make Ahead Vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to a week. We don’t recommend making the bok choy in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Bok choy is often served as a side dish and can too easily take a back seat to the main meaty stir-fry. But this mild, quick-cooking vegetable is great in its own right. It has a nice peppery bite, and it doesn’t need a lot of work to unlock its delicate, fresh flavor. A short, 12-minute swim at 185°F/85°C cooked the bok choy just long enough to render it tender and crisp, but not long enough to beat it into mushy, dull-green submission. After cooking, we tossed the bok choy in a generous amount of a Sichuan-style chile oil vinaigrette, which gets into all the little nooks and crannies of the layered vegetable. The dish is bright, savory, malty, spicy, and seriously addictive—plus, it’s vegan! Black vinegar, an important ingredient and condiment in Chinese cuisine, is a dark vinegar made from glutinous rice or sorghum. It can be found at Asian markets or online. Bird chiles are a specific cultivar of Capsicum annuum commonly found in Southeast Asia and Ethiopia. (They get their name because when dried, the bright red, thin-skinned chiles take on a hooked appearance that resembles a bird’s beak.) Be sure to double bag the bok choy to protect against seam failure. Bok choy have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the bok choy are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
Chile Vinaigrette
5–10 bird chiles (3–8 grams), finely ground
¼ cup (56 grams) vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves (10 grams), sliced thin
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger (12 grams), peeled and sliced thin
1 tablespoon (4 grams) Sichuan peppercorns
½ cinnamon stick (2 grams)
1 star anise pod (1 gram)
1 tablespoon (15 grams) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 grams) black vinegar
1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon (2 grams) sugar
Bok Choy
8 small heads baby bok choy (2 ounces/57 grams each), halved, washed and dried thoroughly
Salt
1 For the chile vinaigrette Place chiles in large heatproof bowl. Place fine-mesh strainer over bowl and set aside. Combine vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise pod in small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until sizzling. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until garlic and ginger are slightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour oil mixture through prepared strainer into bowl with chiles; discard solids in strainer. Stir chiles and oil to combine; let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar until combined; set aside.
2 For the bok choy Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/ 85°C in 7-quart container.
3 Place bok choy in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until bok choy is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release any remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 12 minutes.
4 Transfer bok choy to bowl with vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste. Serve.
Honey-Glazed Carrots with Lemon and Thyme
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 190°F/88°C
Sous Vide Time 1 to 2 hours
Active Cooking Time 25 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works If you’ve never had sous vide carrots before, you’re in for a treat. Traditional recipes for glazed carrots result in carrots that are unevenly cooked at best, or, in dire cases, supermushy. Either way, their flavor tends to be mild and watered down. But when cooked in a sealed environment, carrots become sweeter, more aromatic, and more intense versions of themselves. Gone is the evaporation of aromas that happens during braising or the dilution of flavor that occurs when carrots are blanched. And to (carrot) top it all off, when cooked sous vide, they come out perfectly even and just tender. To give our carrots a boost, we added butter, honey, lemon, thyme, and a little chicken broth to the bag. All those aromatics and liquids formed the base of a shiny, buttery glaze that coated each and every piece in more carroty goodness. Even for the glazed-carrot skeptics out there, it’s hard to say no to this dish. Be sure to double bag the carrots to protect against seam failure. Carrots have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the carrots are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
1 pound (450 grams) carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced ½ inch thick on bias
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons (28 grams) cut into 2 pieces and chilled
¼ cup (45 grams) chicken broth
2 tablespoons (42 grams) honey
4 teaspoons (20 grams) lemon juice
8 sprigs (4 grams) fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons (4 grams) minced fresh chives
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 190°F/88°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place carrots, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter, broth, honey, lemon juice, thyme sprigs, and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until carrots are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 hours.
3 Drain carrots through fine-mesh strainer set over 12-inch skillet; transfer carrots to bowl and discard thyme sprigs. Bring cooking liquid to simmer over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons (40 grams), 5 to 7 minutes. Off heat, whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons chilled butter until mixture is smooth and glossy. Add carrots and chives and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Variation
Substitute 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger (12 grams), peeled and sliced thin, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper for thyme sprigs.
Roasted Celery Root with Chimichurri
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 3 to 5 hours
Active Cooking Time 45 minutes
To Make Ahead Chimichurri can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. We don’t recommend making celery root in advance.
Why This Recipe Works When you think about a vegetable side dish that is both innovative and tasty, we’re guessing that roasted celery root isn’t the first thing to jump into your mind. But it should. For starters, celery root is a versatile vegetable. It makes great soups, stews, and purees. It’s great mashed and is delicious when baked whole. It just doesn’t get the love it deserves. We decided to fix that by developing a rustic, satisfying roasted celery root dish that highlights the earthy, creamy qualities of this root vegetable. We started by scrubbing and halving the roots—yes, skin and all—and cooking them sous vide until they were tender throughout. That’s right—no peeling required! With enough heat and time, the tough, hardy exterior of the vegetable broke down, turning completely edible. In fact, after a few hours, the entire root was rendered creamy, tender, and aromatic. Once out of the bag, we broke the celery root apart by hand into random, jagged chunks, providing greater surface area for crisping up during a final pan-roasting step. To finish the dish, we spooned a generous amount of chimichurri over the tops of the roasted root pieces. Be sure to double bag the celery root to protect against seam failure. Celery root has a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the roots are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) celery root, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
¼ cup (60 grams) hot tap water
2 teaspoons (2 grams) dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1⅓ cups (18 grams) fresh parsley leaves
⅔ cup (9 grams) fresh cilantro leaves
6 garlic cloves (30 grams), minced
½ teaspoon (1 gram) red pepper flakes
¼ cup (60 grams) red wine vinegar
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/85°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place celery root and butter in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until celery root is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 hours.
3 Meanwhile, combine hot water, oregano, and 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt in small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Pulse parsley, cilantro, garlic, and pepper flakes in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Add water mixture and vinegar to food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and slowly whisk in ½ cup oil until incorporated. Cover and set aside.
4 Transfer celery root to cutting board and let sit until cool enough to touch. Using your hands, break celery root into rough 1-inch chunks. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add half of celery root and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer celery root to serving platter and tent with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining celery root. Season with salt to taste, drizzle with chimichurri, and serve.
Butter-Poached Corn on the Cob
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 40 minutes
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works You wouldn’t guess it, but corn goes on the list of vegetables (which also includes carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips) that benefit significantly from sous vide cooking. Its flavor intensifies when cooked sealed in a plastic bag. It comes out juicy, crunchy, and sweet—not waterlogged and anemic. To impart some subtle grassy notes, we cooked the corn in the husk, which also made peeling the corn far easier. Our base recipe contains just a little butter and salt, but this method lends itself to all kinds of variations and compound butters: chili-lime, cilantro, even berbere and ras el hanout. Feel free to go crazy. Be sure to double bag the corn to protect against seam failure. Corn has a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the corn is fully immersed during cooking (see this page). This recipe can easily be doubled by using a 12-quart container.
4 ears corn, husks and silk left intact, trimmed
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons (28 grams) softened
Salt and pepper
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/85°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place corn, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter, and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt in even layer in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until corn is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release any remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 40 minutes.
3 Transfer corn to cutting board and let sit until cool enough to touch. Using your hands, remove husks and silk from corn. Brush corn with remaining 2 tablespoons (28 grams) softened butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Variation
Butter-Poached Corn on the Cob with Chili and Lime
Stir ½ teaspoon (1 gram) chili powder and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) lime juice into softened butter before brushing onto corn in step 3. Serve with lime wedges.
Mediterranean Braised Green Beans
YIELD SERVES 4 TO 6
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 2 to 3 hours
Active Cooking Time 40 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Most of the time, when we talk about cooking spring vegetables sous vide, we envision properly cooked, al dente haricots verts or just-tender asparagus. But let’s not sleep on those old-school army-green bean braises that may have defined our childhood. It’s not that they were ever bad, per se, but they could use some improvement. Here we take advantage of the consistent and precise heat that sous vide cooking provides to make a fork-tender, super-savory green bean dish. To facilitate the breakdown of the tough pectin exterior of the beans, we add a little baking soda—which plays double duty by also neutralizing the acidic tomato base of the accompanying sauce we add to the bag, too. We cook this flavor base to a relatively dry paste before it goes in the bag, and as the beans cook, the juices released hydrate the paste, resulting in a rich, satisfying sauce that coats each bean. With some crusty bread and company, this dish is sure to take you back in time and warm up your soul. A dollop of yogurt spooned over the beans adds nice tang. Be sure to double bag the green beans to protect against seam failure. Green beans have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the beans are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
5 tablespoons (70 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion (140 grams), chopped fine
1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
4 garlic cloves (20 grams), minced
1 tablespoon (16 grams) tomato paste
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 14.5-ounce can (410 grams) diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped
¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) baking soda
1½ pounds (680 grams) green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
¼ cup (5 grams) chopped fresh parsley
Red wine vinegar
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Heat 3 tablespoons (42 grams) oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, pepper, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and their juice and baking soda, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
3 Transfer green beans and tomato mixture to 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until beans are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours.
4 Transfer beans to serving bowl. Stir in parsley and season with vinegar to taste. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons (28 grams) oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.
YIELD SERVES 6
Sous Vide Temperature 200°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 1 to 1 ½ hours
Active Cooking Time 1 hour
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works A popular misconception: Parsnips are just fancy carrots. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Starchier, sweeter, and distinctly more aromatic than their orange cousins, parsnips take well to various cooking methods—everything from purees to roasts. We wanted to create a recipe for something akin to parsnip fries, because, well, nobody ever makes good parsnip fries. (Challenge accepted!) We discovered that a solution of baking soda roughed up the surface of the parsnips without breaking them down too much—just enough to create more surface area and miniature crags on their exteriors. Tossing the parsnips in salt roughed them up even more, and it created a bit of a starchy paste that led to a crisper exterior when, after an hour swim, they were given a final blast in a hot oven. We like to toss these crispy gems in a healthy amount of tangy Pecorino Romano, but the possibilities are endless. Be sure to double bag the parsnips to protect against seam failure. Parsnips have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the parsnips are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 cups (450 grams) water
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
2 pounds (900 grams) parsnips, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick on bias
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ounce (28 grams) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated fine (½ cup)
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water bath to 200°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Whisk water, 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt, and baking soda in bowl until dissolved. Add parsnips, water mixture, and butter to 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until parsnips are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release any remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 1 to 1½ hours.
3 Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450°F/232°C. Drain parsnips and transfer to bowl. Add oil and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt and toss to combine. Spread parsnips into even layer on rimmed baking sheet and roast until crisp and well browned, 40 to 50 minutes, flipping parsnips halfway through roasting. Parsnips will brown faster at edges of pan; transfer to bowl if browning too quickly. Transfer parsnips to bowl, add Pecorino Romano, and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 6 TO 8
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 60 to 75 minutes
Active Cooking Time 40 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Potato salad is an all-time classic. All you need to do is boil some potatoes and dress them. We decided to replace boiling with sous vide cookery and, happily, we found ourselves with the ultimate 21st-century potato salad. Why is sous vide better for this straightforward application? The reason is simple: Sous vide potatoes taste more like potatoes than boiled potatoes. Why? When cooked in a sealed bag, there’s no dilution and no evaporation. Instead, these potatoes are fork-tender but not mushy, creamy but not crumbly, and earthy in the most pleasant sense. Here we dress our potatoes with a tangy, mustard- and bacon-laden onion vinaigrette that cuts through all that heartiness. We prefer to serve this salad warm, but it’s great hot, cold, or any temperature in between. Look for potatoes 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Be sure to double bag the potatoes to protect against seam failure. Potatoes have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the potatoes are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) small red potatoes, unpeeled, halved
½ cup (118 grams) chicken broth
8 sprigs (4 grams) fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
8 slices (225 grams) bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 onion (140 grams), chopped fine
½ teaspoon (2 grams) sugar
⅓ cup (80 grams) white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (20 grams) whole-grain mustard
¼ cup (16 grams) chopped fresh parsley
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place potatoes, broth, thyme sprigs, and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until potatoes are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 60 to 75 minutes.
3 Drain potatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl; discard thyme sprigs. Measure out and reserve ½ cup cooking liquid; discard remaining liquid.
4 Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but ¼ cup fat. Add onion to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in sugar until dissolved, about 30 seconds. Stir in vinegar and reserved cooking liquid, bring to simmer, and cook until mixture is reduced to about ¾ cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in mustard and ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) pepper. Add potatoes, parsley, and bacon to skillet and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 8
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 45 minutes
Active Cooking Time 35 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Butter, milk, potatoes: You really can’t go wrong. Especially when you treat them like the French do. Pommes purées is a rich, smooth, velvety, and supremely satisfying French side dish that pairs well with pretty much everything—mushrooms, steak, chicken, scallops, lamb, you name it. We found that cooking the potatoes directly in milk and butter in a bag in the water bath concentrated the potato flavor and helped cook the potatoes evenly. All that was left to do was run the contents through a food mill, whisk it all together, and boom: decadent pommes purées. You can omit the final straining step, but the potatoes will be slightly less smooth and velvety. Be sure to double bag the potatoes to protect against seam failure. Potatoes have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the potatoes are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks/280 grams) unsalted butter
1⅓ cups (310 grams) whole milk
Salt and white pepper
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Rinse potatoes in fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain potatoes well.
3 Place potatoes, butter, milk, and 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until potatoes are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
4 Drain potatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over large saucepan; place saucepan over low heat. Working in batches, transfer potatoes to hopper of food mill or potato ricer and process into saucepan. Using whisk, recombine potatoes and cooking liquid until smooth, 10 to 15 seconds (potatoes should almost be pourable). Strain potatoes through fine-mesh strainer into bowl, pressing on solids with ladle to extract as much as possible. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
YIELD SERVES 6 TO 8
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 60 to 75 minutes
Active Cooking Time 75 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Crispy potatoes will never go out of style. And on the crispiness-per-square-inch scale, smashed potatoes come in near the top. While most recipes call for boiling potatoes, we found that cooking ours sous vide gave them a uniform, creamy texture and amplified their potato-y flavor. To jazz up this dish, we tossed the potatoes in an intense garlic oil before roasting them. Look for potatoes 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Be sure to double bag the potatoes to protect against seam failure. Potatoes have a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the potatoes are fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) small red potatoes, scrubbed
½ cup (118 grams) chicken broth
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons (84 grams) vegetable oil
1 tablespoon (5 grams) chopped rosemary
3 garlic cloves (15 grams), minced
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water bath to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place potatoes, broth, and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until potatoes are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 60 to 75 minutes.
3 Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450°F/232°C. Microwave oil, rosemary, and garlic in bowl, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Strain oil into large bowl, reserving garlic and rosemary.
4 Drain potatoes and let sit until surfaces are dry, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt to bowl with herb oil and toss to combine. Arrange potatoes evenly on rimmed baking sheet and place second baking sheet on top. Press down firmly on top sheet, flattening potatoes until they are ⅓ to ½ inch thick; remove top sheet.
5 Roast potatoes until crisp and well browned, 40 to 50 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through roasting. Transfer potatoes to serving bowl, add reserved garlic and rosemary, and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 8 TO 10
Sous Vide Temperature 200°F/93°C
Sous Vide Time 1 to 1 ½ hours
Active Cooking Time 20 minutes
To Make Ahead We don’t recommend making this recipe in advance.
Why This Recipe Works Sometimes you just don’t want to put another pot on your stove—especially for big-ticket dinners like Thanksgiving. By cooking winter squash sous vide, we eliminate the need for any stove space. We also found that by cooking the squash in a bag, we kept all that precious squash-y flavor, and we were able to cook the squash perfectly, to an even fork-tenderness. The result? Sweet, buttery, and vibrant orange goodness. Butternut squash is relatively low in overall fiber—most of which is soluble fiber as opposed to tough insoluble fiber—which made it easier to blend to a smooth consistency. To impart velvety richness to our puree, we threw in a little butter. If you’re like us, you’ll find yourself eating this stuff by the spoonful—straight out of the blender jar. Be sure to double bag the squash to protect against seam failure. Squash has a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the squash is fully immersed during cooking (see this page).
2 pounds (900 grams) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced ¼ inch thick
¼ cup (60 grams) water, plus extra as needed
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
Salt
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 200°F/93°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place squash, water, butter, and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until squash is fully submerged, and clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 1 hour to 1½ hours.
3 Transfer squash and cooking liquid to blender and process until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. (If mixture is not blending easily, adjust consistency of puree with up to 2 tablespoons (30 grams) extra water.) Season with salt to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 155°F/68°C
Sous Vide Time 12 to 16 hours
Active Cooking Time 15 minutes
To Make Ahead Cooked oats can be chilled rapidly in ice bath (see this page) and then refrigerated for up to 5 days. To serve, microwave uncovered, stirring every 30 seconds, until oatmeal is warmed through and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Why This Recipe Works The traditional way of cooking steel-cut oats isn’t hard, per se. But those hearty oats do need to simmer on the stove for some time, requiring a bit of babysitting. Even so-called overnight oats need 10 minutes of cooking in the morning. We decided to develop a hands-off method for steel-cut oats that would be ready to go right when you wake up. We knew we wanted to circulate the oats in individual 8-ounce wide-mouth Mason jars—because, hello, breakfast on the go! Circulating the oats with water alone in a moderate-temperature water bath sufficiently hydrated the grains, but we found these oats to be a little mushy. Why? Oats are abundant in pentosans, a group of naturally occurring gums that love water. These gums are responsible for the creaminess of hot cereal, but when overhydrated, the result is a mushy texture. Decreasing the amount of water helped. Adding a bit of salt resulted in oats with a pleasing bite. Like pentosans, salt loves water too. The salt competed with the gums for the water, and the result was a more toothsome cereal. In the end, all that science means you can have perfect oats, no mess and no babysitting required. Serve these oats with a little brown sugar and fresh fruit or some maple syrup and cinnamon. Do not substitute quick-cooking or rolled oats here. You will need four 8-ounce Mason jars for this recipe. Be careful not to overtighten the jars before placing them in the prepared water bath; that can cause the glass to crack.
Water
¾ cup (132 grams) steel-cut oats
Salt
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 155°F/68°C in 7-quart container.
2 Fill four (8-ounce) wide-mouth Mason jars with following ingredients: 9 tablespoons (135 grams) water, 3 tablespoons (33 grams) oats, and pinch salt. Seal jars (do not overtighten lids) and gently lower into prepared water bath until fully submerged. Cover and cook for at least 12 hours or up to 16 hours.
3 Remove jars from water bath. Stir oats until smooth and serve.
YIELD SERVES 6
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 1½ to 3 hours
Active Cooking Time 20 minutes
To Make Ahead Cooked polenta can be chilled rapidly in ice bath (see this page) and then refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, heat polenta in microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway. Proceed with step 3.
Why This Recipe Works Making polenta the old-fashioned way is a commitment. To do it right, you need to watch those grits on the stove for up to 60 minutes, stirring or whisking and judging the consistency until it’s just right. But if watching a pot for an hour isn’t really your thing, then sous vide offers an easy, reliable way out. This recipe couldn’t be simpler: Put water, cornmeal, and butter into a bag and cook it. We found that the gentle, consistent heat of the water bath cooked the polenta evenly—with no scorching at all. Because there’s no evaporation, we didn’t have to guess at the correct ratio of water to cornmeal, or give instructions dependent on the size of your pot—here, it’s the same, every time. A simple whisk at the end brings everything together. Throw in some Parm and a healthy amount of salt and pepper, and you’ve got the easiest, most hands-off polenta recipe your nonna could only have dreamed about. Be sure to double bag the polenta to protect against seam failure. Polenta has a tendency to float when placed in a sous vide water bath, which can lead to uneven cooking. Use weights to make sure the polenta is fully immersed during cooking (see this page). Do not substitute instant or quick-cooking cornmeal here.
3 cups (700 grams) water
1 cup (165 grams) coarse-ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
2 ounces (56 grams) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 cup)
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/85°C in 7-quart container.
2 Place water, cornmeal, butter, and ¾ teaspoon (4.5 grams) salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, weight bag (see this page) until polenta is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 1½ hours or up to 3 hours.
3 Transfer polenta to serving bowl and whisk vigorously to break apart any lumps. Whisk in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
East African Black Lentil Stew
YIELD SERVES 4 TO 6
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 3 to 5 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, bring to a simmer in medium saucepan or heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Proceed with step 4.
Why This Recipe Works Lentils are a staple of East African cuisine, particularly in the Horn of Africa. In Ethiopia, spicy vegetable or meat stews, known as wat, are common. These dishes rely heavily on berbere—a spice mixture of chile peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, fenugreek, and other lesser known spices native to Ethiopia and Eritrea. We wanted to come up with a dish of black lentils heavily inspired by those flavors. We started with a homespun berbere blend using common pantry spices. We bloomed the spices in oil before sweating the rest of the aromatics and adding a bit of tomato for brightness and acidity. We circulated black lentils in this intense, aromatic base until they were just tender but remained whole. The resulting lentils were creamy, with no blowouts. To give the stew a little body, we whisked the whole mixture at the end of the cooking process, which broke up some of the lentils’ starch and thus thickened the stew. You can find berbere in specialty food stores and substitute 2–3 tablespoons of berbere in place of the spices in this recipe, though the resulting flavor may be slightly different. Be sure to double bag the lentils to protect against seam failure. This dish pairs perfectly with some fresh yogurt and crusty bread.
2 tablespoons (28 grams) vegetable oil
4 teaspoons (9 grams) paprika
1 teaspoon (2 grams) cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground coriander
¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) ground allspice
¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) ground cumin
¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) pepper
1 onion (140 grams), chopped fine
Salt
1 tablespoon (16 grams) grated fresh ginger
2½ cups (590 grams) vegetable broth
1 14.5-ounce can (411 grams) diced tomatoes, drained
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) black lentils
½ cup (10 grams) chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for serving
½ cup (125 grams) plain yogurt
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Cook oil, paprika, cayenne, coriander, allspice, cumin, cardamom, and pepper in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in onion and ¾ teaspoon (4.5 grams) salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in broth and tomatoes and bring to simmer.
3 Place onion mixture and lentils in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until lentils are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 3 hours or up to 5 hours.
4 Transfer lentils to bowl. Using whisk, stir lentils vigorously until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in cilantro and season with salt to taste. Serve with yogurt and extra cilantro.
YIELD SERVES 4
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 2 to 4 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Lentils can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, bring to a simmer in medium saucepan or heat in microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway. Proceed with step 4.
Why This Recipe Works Dal is a class of soups or stews native to the Indian subcontinent made from split beans, lentils, peas, and other legumes. Since red lentils break down relatively easily, we chose them for our take on sous vide dal. First, we tried cooking them for just a couple hours in a hot bath. This yielded evenly cooked and tender lentils—but when we poured them out of the bag, the overall texture wasn’t quite right. These lentils were cooked, but still fully intact and the liquid was watery. Fortunately, we found a simple solution: whisking. Whisking the mixture briefly after cooking broke down the lentils, thickened the mixture, and resulted in the ideal consistency—porridge-like but still loose. After a bit more trial and error, we pared down the spice blend to a combination of coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, and red pepper flakes. To brighten the dish, we added chopped fresh tomatoes and cilantro plus a little butter to replicate some of the flavors typically provided by ghee. Do not substitute other varieties of lentils here; red lentils have a much different cooking time and consistency. Be sure to double bag the lentils to protect against seam failure.
1 tablespoon (14 grams) vegetable oil
½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground coriander
½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon (0.5 grams) ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon (0.5 grams) red pepper flakes
1 onion (140 grams), chopped fine
4 garlic cloves (20 grams), minced
Salt and pepper
1½ teaspoons (8 grams) grated fresh ginger
2 cups (472 grams) water
1¼ cups (240 grams) red lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
1 pound (450 grams) plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
½ cup (15 grams) chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for serving
Lemon wedges
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Cook oil, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, and pepper flakes in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in onion, garlic, and ¾ teaspoon (4.5 grams) salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in water, scraping up any browned bits.
3 Place onion mixture and lentils in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until lentils are submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.
4 Transfer lentils to bowl and add butter. Whisk lentils vigorously until mixture reaches porridge-like consistency. Stir in tomatoes and cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges and extra cilantro.
YIELD SERVES 6
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 18 to 24 hours
Active Cooking Time 40 minutes
To Make Ahead Beans can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, bring to a simmer in medium saucepan or heat in microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway.
Why This Recipe Works If we had to pick one recipe in this book that surprised us by how well it adapted to sous vide, it might be this one. After all, they are “baked” beans. But moving beans from oven to water bath worked well. First, we didn’t have to babysit the oven for hours. Second, cooking the beans sous vide ensured no blowouts and creamy, tender beans. To neutralize the acidic molasses-laden cooking liquid, we added a bit of baking soda to the bag and cooked the beans in this intense mixture for a full day. Yes, a full day! But it’s worth it given the hands-off process and the perfectly cooked legumes that result. Out of the bath, a final simmer thickened up the sauce so that it coated the beans evenly. This dish is just as smoky and just as satisfying as the real deal, and it might even make a believer out of the staunchest baked bean traditionalists. Note that the beans need to brine overnight before they are cooked sous vide. Be sure to double bag the beans to protect against seam failure.
Salt and pepper
1 pound (2½ cups /450 grams) dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
½ cup (175 grams) molasses
2 tablespoons packed (12.5 grams) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 grams) soy sauce
2 teaspoons (4 grams) dry mustard
6 ounces (170 grams) salt pork, rinsed, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 onion (140 grams), chopped
½ teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
1 bay leaf (0.5 grams)
1 Dissolve 1½ tablespoons (27 grams) salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and let soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
3 Whisk 1½ cups (354 grams) water, molasses, sugar, soy sauce, mustard, and ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) pepper in bowl. Cook salt pork in Dutch oven over medium heat until rendered and beginning to crisp, 4 to 8 minutes. Stir in onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in molasses mixture and bring to simmer. Stir in baking soda and cook until foaming subsides, about 30 seconds. Place salt pork mixture, beans, and bay leaf in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until beans are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bags. Cover and cook for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours.
4 Transfer beans to Dutch oven; discard bay leaf. Cook beans over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened slightly and clings to beans, 8 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 6
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 20 to 24 hours
Active Cooking Time 35 minutes
To Make Ahead Beans can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, bring to a simmer in medium saucepan or heat in microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway.
Why This Recipe Works Sous vide cooking provides a foolproof method for creamy, evenly cooked beans with virtually no messy bean blowouts. For our take on Cuban black beans, we cooked the beans for an extended period of time in a solution of baking soda, salt, and water. This moderately alkaline environment sped up the deterioration of each bean’s pectin-rich exterior, leading to softer, creamier beans more quickly. Taking advantage of the extended cooking time, we decided to throw in a ham hock, which broke down beautifully over the 20-plus hours of cooking. The rendered fat gave body to the cooking liquid and smokiness and shine to the beans. To finish the dish, we mashed some of the beans with bean cooking liquid and a sofrito of onion and bell pepper. We then stirred this in with the rest of the beans, plenty of lime juice, and the shredded ham hock. These beans are hearty and satisfying and sure to get you through the tough winter months. Be sure to double bag the beans to protect against seam failure.
1 pound (2½ cups/454 grams) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 smoked ham hock (12 ounces/340 grams), rinsed
Salt and pepper
2 bay leaves (0.5 grams)
¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) baking soda
2 tablespoons (28 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion (140 grams), chopped fine
1 green bell pepper (227 grams), stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
6 garlic cloves (30 grams), minced
2 tablespoons (6 grams) minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons (2 grams) dried
1½ teaspoons (3 grams) ground cumin
½ cup (10 grams) minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon (15 grams) lime juice, plus extra for seasoning
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Combine 5 cups (1.2 kilograms) water, beans, ham hock, 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt, bay leaves, and baking soda in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until beans are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 20 hours or up to 24 hours.
3 Drain beans, reserving 1½ cups (350 grams) cooking liquid; discard bay leaves. Transfer ham hock to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard fat, skin, and bones.
4 Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, add reserved cooking liquid and one-third of beans, and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir in remaining beans, shredded ham hock, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice to taste. Serve.
YIELD SERVES 6
Sous Vide Temperature 194°F/90°C
Sous Vide Time 3 to 5 hours
Active Cooking Time 40 minutes
To Make Ahead Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and then proceed with step 4.
Why This Recipe Works Short of pressure cooking, there are few methods out there for cooking beans that can produce consistently creamy and evenly cooked beans. Those two qualities are essential if you want to make hummus. Fortunately, sous vide is a simple, foolproof way to get there. Here we wanted to make an easy white bean hummus with the familiar garlic and lemon flavors. A simple solution of baking soda and salt went a long way toward speeding the deterioration of the tough pectin exterior and softening the beans. Since there was little to no agitation from a vigorous boil or simmer, there were virtually no blowouts, and the beans cooked at relatively the same rate, which translated to a smoother puree with a uniform texture. To lend some complexity, we buzzed in some tahini and fancied it up with a simple herb salad on top. This hummus keeps surprisingly well in the fridge, but after one bite, storage won’t be necessary. Be sure to double bag the beans to protect against seam failure.
Salt
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda
8 ounces (225 grams) dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
½ cup (120 grams) plus 2 teaspoons (10 grams) lemon juice
4 cloves garlic (20 grams), unpeeled
⅔ cup (165 grams) tahini
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cumin
¾ cup (10 grams) coarsely chopped fresh parsley
½ cup (5 grams) coarsely chopped fresh dill
½ cup (80 grams) pitted kalamata olives, sliced thin
¼ cup (56 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (20 grams) pepitas, toasted
2 tablespoons (20 grams) sunflower seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons (20 grams) white sesame seeds, toasted
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 194°F/90°C in 7-quart container.
2 Dissolve ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt and baking soda in 5 cups (1180 grams) water in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Add beans and seal bag. Place bag in second 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until beans are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 3 hours or up to 5 hours.
3 Drain beans and set aside. Pulse ½ cup (125 grams) lemon juice, ⅓ cup (79 grams) water, garlic, and 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt in food processor until coarse puree forms, about 20 pulses. Transfer to small bowl and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain lemon juice mixture through fine-mesh strainer back into processor; discard solids. Add tahini and process until mixture is smooth and well combined, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add beans and cumin and process until mixture is very smooth, about 4 minutes. Adjust consistency with up to 2 tablespoons (30 grams) water and season with salt to taste.
4 Toss parsley, dill, and olives with 2 tablespoons (28 grams) oil, remaining 2 teaspoons (10 grams) lemon juice, and ⅛ teaspoon (1 gram) salt in small bowl. Transfer hummus to large bowl and use back of large spoon to spread hummus up sides of bowl, leaving well at center. Place herb salad in center of well. Sprinkle pepitas, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds over top. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons (28 grams) oil and serve.
Sous Vide Science
Plant Cookery and Sous Vide
Key Points
• Plants are made up of microscopic cells
• The cell walls break down with heat
• We cook most sous vide vegetables at 185°F/85°C or higher to ensure tenderness
Just like animals (including us), plants are made of microscopic cells. These cells contain, among other important ingredients, starches, sugars, and water, which are all held in place by sturdy cell walls. In a crisp fresh fruit or vegetable, the cells are full of water, which causes them to inflate like a balloon. As the fruit or vegetable ages, some of that water leaves the cells, causing them to deflate, and thus the plant becomes progressively more limp over time.
When a plant is ready to eat, it shouldn’t be too hard to bite into or unpleasantly bland or starchy. It should have an appealing aroma and flavor and maybe some sweetness. Some plants (or plant parts) get there on their own: A ripening fruit gets soft, sweet, and fragrant as its own enzymes convert tasteless starch to sugar and break down the pectin that strengthens its cell walls.
Other plants, however, we need to cook before they can reach that point. Specifically, vegetables don’t ripen the way fruits do, but we can use heat to soften those cell walls and transform a tough and dense artichoke or potato into dinner. Even ripe fruits can benefit from the softening force of heat.
HEAT CAUSES STRUCTURAL CHANGES
Sous vide has advantages when it comes to fruit and vegetable cookery. While roasting does a good job of softening vegetables, it causes significant water loss in the process—hello, leathery roasted carrots. Sous vide also has advantages over boiling or steaming these plants; the sealed bag means you’re not washing away delicate vegetable flavor. In addition, the precision of sous vide cooking allows us to easily home in on the ideal texture for cooked vegetables, cooking them until appropriately softened but before they turn to mush.
When plant cells are heated to about 140°F/60°C, a series of structural transformations starts to occur. The hotter the temperature, the faster they happen.
First, the balloon-like membranes inside the cells that hold onto water rupture. The vegetable starts to release some moisture and its cells start to deflate, making the vegetable limper, though its structure is still intact.
With continued cooking, the cell walls start to break down. Cell walls are rigid enclosures made up of three different types of structural molecules that have different properties: cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. Cellulose—think of the strings in a celery stalk—doesn’t break down readily in cooking, but the other two do. Gradually, hemicellulose and pectin begin to dissolve in the surrounding liquid, which lets the cells separate from each other and collapse. With continued cooking, the plant becomes softer and softer until it is mush.
Almost all of our vegetable recipes call for a water bath temperature of at least 180°F/82°C. This is the temperature at which cell walls begin to weaken significantly, which translates to tender but still toothsome vegetables. We like this temperature for more delicate and quick-cooking produce like asparagus, fresh corn, and bok choy. For sturdier, starchier vegetables, we had success raising the sous vide temperature further. Pectin and hemicellulose start to dissolve between 190°F/88°C and 198°F/92°C. In this range, a carrot softens from snappy to bendy, the perfect texture for our Honey-Glazed Carrots.
LET’S TALK ABOUT STARCH
All plants have cell walls, but some plants have a significant amount of starch as well, which they store inside their cells as a source of energy. Cooking transforms these starchy plants (think potatoes and winter squash) too. In the raw plant, starch is stored in the form of microscopic, tightly clumped starch molecules.
Two ingredients are needed to soften starch molecules: heat and water. If you soak potatoes in cool water, nothing dramatic happens, but as soon as they heat up, the granules start to absorb water. They swell and soften as the water penetrates, and ultimately the granules burst apart. When they do, the starch molecules stretch out and tangle up with each other to create a mesh that holds onto water: the result is a starch gel. Starch in this form is tender and edible.
The starches in different plants have different characteristics, and they burst at different temperatures. Fluffy baking potatoes have starch that bursts and gels around 136°F/57°C, while waxier boiling potatoes don’t unclump their starch until they reach 158°F/70°C. We found that cooking starchy vegetables at relatively high sous vide temperatures rendered them fork-tender, but not mushy. Small red potatoes cooked at 194°F/90°C along with broth or water for 60 to 75 minutes exited the bath tender from end to end, perfect for German Potato Salad or for smashing and crisping up in the oven (this page). Butternut squash cooked at 200°F/93°C for 1½ to 2 hours came out sweet and soft and easily pureed into a silky-smooth side dish (this page).
Whether you’re cooking bok choy, potato puree, or butternut squash, just remember: It all comes down to the cells walls.
