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CHAPTER 1
SALADS
Flat Iron Steak Salad with Raspberries and Tomatoes Raisin-Mint Salad with Leg of Lamb Chicken Caesar Salad Chicken Chipotle Caesar Salad Grilled Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Curried Chicken Salad Bacon Chipotle Ranch Salad with Chicken Avocado and Turkey Salad Pesto Salad with Bacon and Turkey Duck and Orange Salad Duck Breast and Cherry Salad Corn and Mango Salad with Shrimp Caesar Salad with Blackened Grouper
FLAT IRON STEAK SALAD with RASPBERRIES and TOMATOES
COOKS: 131°F (55°C) for 4 to 10 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 2
This is a nice and light steak salad that will fill you up without making you feel stuffed. The fresh berries give the salad it a nice sweet-and-sour note to counteract the richness of the steak. I like to grill the steak after the sous vide for additional bold flavors to the salad, but it can be pan seared if you prefer.
This salad uses a subtle raspberry vinaigrette, but any light dressing on hand will do. If you can't find raspberry vinegar, use white or red wine vinegar instead.
FOR THE STEAK
FOR THE DRESSING
TO ASSEMBLE Mixed baby greens or the lettuce of your choice
PREPARE THE STEAK
Preheat a water bath to 131°F (55°C).
Season the steak with salt and pepper then sprinkle it with the thyme and garlic powder. Place the steak in the sous vide bag then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 4 to 10 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar, orange juice, shallot, and honey. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil just until the mixture comes together. Season with salt and pepper.
TO ASSEMBLE
Take the steak out of the sous vide bag and pat the steak dry. Sear the steak until just browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the steak from the heat and slice it into short strips.
Assemble the salad by placing the lettuce on plates. Top with the bell pepper, tomatoes, raspberries, and radishes. Drizzle the vinaigrette on to the salad, and add the strips of steak on top. Top with the pumpkin seeds and serve.
RAISIN-MINT SALAD with LEG of LAMB
COOKS: 131°F (55°C) for 2 to 3 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 4
In Middle Eastern cooking, lamb is often paired with mint, yogurt, and raisins. Raisin-Mint Salad with Leg of Lamb combines all of these components into a flavorful and hearty salad. The lamb is cooked just long enough to heat through then is briefly seared for additional color and flavor. The lamb pairs great with the yogurt, mint, and raisin dressing.
FOR THE LEG OF LAMB
FOR THE DRESSING
TO ASSEMBLE Mixed greens
PREPARE THE LEG OF LAMB
Preheat a water bath to 131°F (55°C).
Season the lamb with salt and pepper and place it in a sous vide bag. Add the thyme and rosemary then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 3 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
Put the yogurt, mint, and raisins into a blender and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and process briefly to combine. With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process just until the mixture is smooth.
TO ASSEMBLE
Take the lamb out of the sous vide bag and pat the lamb dry. Sear the lamb on a very hot grill or in a hot pan just until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the lamb from the heat and slice it into strips. Place the mixed greens on individual plates and top with the lamb slices and tomato. Drizzle the raisin-mint dressing over the top. Sprinkle with the walnuts and feta cheese and serve.
CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD
COOKS: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 6
Caesar salad is a flavorful and refreshing salad that is made more hardy with the addition of seared chicken. You can also easily make fresh croutons by dicing bread, drizzling it with olive oil and garlic powder, then toasting it. If you worry about the raw egg, you can pasteurize it by holding it at a temperature of 135ºF (57.2ºC) for 75 minutes before adding it to the salad.
FOR THE CHICKEN
FOR THE DRESSING
TO ASSEMBLE
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).
In a small bowl, combine the spices. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then sprinkle them with the spice mixture. Place the chicken breasts in a sous vide bag then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 4 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
Place the egg yolk, fillets, Dijon, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor and process until thoroughly combined. With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
TO ASSEMBLE
Take the chicken out of the sous bag and pat the chicken dry. Sear the chicken over high heat in a hot pan until just browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the heat and slice it.
Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Add enough dressing to coat the leaves then toss the lettuce until evenly coated. Place the coated lettuce on individual plates. Top with the chicken, Parmesan, and croutons. Crack some fresh pepper on top and serve.
CHICKEN CHIPOTLE CAESAR SALAD
COOKS: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 6
The chipotle pepper adds a nice kick to classic Caesar dressing. You can add the chipotle to the dressing a little at a time to make sure the dressing is not too spicy for you. If you worry about the raw egg, you can pasteurize it by holding it at a temperature of 135°F (57.2°C) for 75 minutes before adding it to the salad.
FOR THE CHICKEN
FOR THE DRESSING
TO ASSEMBLE
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).
In a small bowl, combine the spices. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then sprinkle them with the spice mixture. Place the chicken in a sous vide bag then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 4 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
Place the egg yolks, fillets, garlic, Dijon, chipotle pepper, and lemon juice in a food processor and process until thoroughly combined. With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
TO ASSEMBLE
Take the chicken out of the sous vide bag and pat the chicken dry. Sear the chicken over high heat in a hot pan until just browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the heat and slice it.
Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Add enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves, then toss the lettuce until evenly coated. Place the lettuce on individual plates. Top with the chicken, Parmesan, and croutons. Crack some fresh pepper on top and serve.
GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD with HONEY MUSTARD
COOKS: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours • PREP: 20 minutes • SERVES: 6
Grilled Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard is a nice and light option. You can use any garnishes you prefer, but here we use radishes, bell pepper, sunflower seeds, and fresh blueberries to add sweetness and crunch. I also like this salad with fresh snap peas or green beans. For a more savory salad, you can add a few roasted garlic cloves to the dressing and mash them in well.
FOR THE CHICKEN
FOR THE DRESSING
TO ASSEMBLE Mixed greens Radishes, sliced Yellow bell peppers, cut into strips Fresh blueberries Sunflower seeds
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).
In a small bowl, combine the spices. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then sprinkle them with the spice mixture. Place the chicken breasts in a sous vide bag then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 4 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
In a bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper.
TO ASSEMBLE
Preheat a grill to very hot.
Take the chicken out of the sous vide bag and pat the chicken dry. Sear the chicken over high heat on the grill, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Place the mixed greens in a bowl and top with the radishes and bell peppers. Drizzle with the dressing, then add the chicken, blueberries, and sunflower seeds and serve.
CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD
COOKS: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 4
A good chicken salad is one of my favorite meals. If you add some fruit chutney to the salad it bumps up the flavors and, when combined with a little curry powder on the chicken, you will have an excellent and easy-to-make meal! If you have leftovers, this also works awesome on a sandwich!
FOR THE CHICKEN
FOR THE SALAD
TO ASSEMBLE Bibb lettuce
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then sprinkle them with the curry powder. Place the chicken breasts in a sous vide bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 4 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
In a large serving bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined.
PREPARE THE SALAD
Take the chicken out of the water bath and pat it dry. Shred or chop it into bite-size pieces. Combine the chicken, celery, carrots, tarragon, basil, grapes, and pears in a bowl and add the dressing. Stir to evenly coat the ingredients.
TO ASSEMBLE
Place several lettuce leaves in a bowl and spoon on some of the chicken salad. Top with the cashews and serve.
BACON CHIPOTLE RANCH SALAD with CHICKEN
COOKS: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 4
Ranch dressing is already flavorful, but blending bacon and chipotle chiles into it makes it even more incredibly tasty. The chipotles can be very hot, so you might want to add them in slowly, tasting the dressing after adding each one until you reach the heat level you like. This salad also works well with turkey or steak.
FOR THE CHICKEN
FOR THE DRESSING
TO ASSEMBLE Mixed greens or the lettuce of your choice
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).
In a small bowl, combine the spices. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then sprinkle them with the spice mixture. Place the chicken breasts in a sous vide bag then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 4 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
Place all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until thoroughly combined.
TO ASSEMBLE
Take the chicken breasts out of the sous vide bag and pat them dry. Sear the chicken breasts for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until browned. Remove from the heat and slice.
Place the lettuce in bowls and top with the bell pepper, tomato, and mushrooms. Add the dressing, top with the chicken, cheese, and sunflower seeds, and serve.
AVOCADO and TURKEY SALAD
COOKS: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours • PREP: 15 minutes • SERVES: 4
Avocado and Turkey Salad is a light option, with the bite of the arugula offset by the richness of the avocado while pairing well with the mild turkey. This salad is great for a whole meal, especially if you serve it with warm rolls or a fresh baguette. I give instructions for a lemon vinaigrette, but you can use any dressing you like; the salad also goes great with honey mustard or Italian dressing.
FOR THE TURKEY
FOR THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE
TO ASSEMBLE Arugula or baby spinach
PREPARE THE TURKEY
Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).
In a small bowl, combine the spices. Season the turkey breast fillets with salt and pepper then sprinkle them with the spice mixture. Place the fillets in a sous vide bag then seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 2 to 4 hours.
PREPARE THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE
Combine the lemon juice and garlic in a bowl, add some salt and pepper, and let sit for a few minutes. Slowly whisk in the oil until the mixture thickens.
TO ASSEMBLE
Take the turkey breasts out of the sous vide bag and pat them dry. Sear the breasts on a very hot grill or in a hot pan, about 1 minute per side. Remove the breasts from the heat and cut them into strips.
Place the arugula in a serving bowl and add enough vinaigrette to lightly cover it, tossing to coat. Top the arugula with the avocado slices and the strips of turkey. Spoon a bit more dressing over them and season with salt and pepper. Using a vegetable peeler, shave strips of Parmesan over the top and serve.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Simple Sous Vide"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Jason Logsdon.
Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
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