TheBacchus

For crying out loud! cod 1 (kd) n. pl. cod or cods Any of various marine fishes of the family Gadidae, especially Gadus morhua, an important food fish of northern Atlantic waters. Also called codfish. [Middle English.] Free dictionary

Cant find much to go either way but came across this. Dont think its too much of problem anyway is it? twenty-four seven (also 24 / 7) adv. (informal) twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (used to mean ‘all the time’): He’s on duty twenty-four seven. Oxford University Press

Does this look better?

its trickier than we thought - we can get the veins in but it overpowers the ice-cream. and no strawberry's on the salmon too you'll be pleased to see mate

Thanks David - yes the review was great just what we needed. Now we just have to improve our game and of course get the consistency right. ('just' he says ) As requested, for your viewing pleasure, and no doubt sadistic deconstructions, i will post our current menu and pics carte menu Cinnamon rubbed pork tenderloin cooked at low heat, pureed leeks, mangosteen, wasabi and rose froth, wild rocket and salty caramel Warm codfish and wild mushrooms each cooked in their own juices. Fresh soybeans, lemon puree, spicy seaweed powder and ginger ale spray Roasted pear financier, dolce latte ice cream, pear syrup, black pepper oil and lemon compote

From what i understand it was for a while but only until they got the regulations sorted out as to what the rules should be in terms of testing and control Full steam ahead now though - and some amazing uses of the techniques are being demonstrated with fruits and vegetables for example. We are playing with quite a few things at the minute

Thanks for your comments chaps. I am a little shell-shocked by the photos and review on Dos Hermanos - its strange when something so personal to you for such a long time suddenly becomes public property and open for scrutiny. But what the hey its all good fun Matthew was forced to have the tasting menu because of the numbers on Sunday night but i'd be interested to know what you had Charlie and what you thought. I think the big concern with this type of cooking is making the carte menu accessible to people on weeknights which is what we are hoping to do. Initial feedback suggests that one or two dishes might be a stretch too far but others are right on the money. Obviously its quite a steep learning curve for us to begin with I'll tell you what though - i'm bl**dy knackered with all this restaurant business; its a lot easier being a punter! Phil

Found this really good article on cooking vegetables sous-vide It s a bit old so apologies if people have seen it already

Matthew is right - Clifton are working hard to get a circulator fit for home use. They have machines suitable for home now but i agree with Moby - the price is just still too high

That amazed me. There was as many children in the restaurant as adults. They took some of them into the kitchen for a look as well which i thought was great. I know the children in restaurant debate rages as widely as sous-vide but for me i think its great that a michelin star restaurant welcomes children with enthusiasm Oh, and in case i've already fallen foul of board rules by suggesting an event (although it's really more of a specialist discussion) my apologies - if anyone does want to press ahead with it send me a PM Phil

Alternatively, you can create something very cool by removing the brined skin and flattening it out betwen two silicione pads and crisp it up in the oven to create 'crispy chicken skin crisps'. We use these for either decorating the chicken (adding a different texture to the sous-vide chicken) or we use them as part of an amuse with a 'ratte potatoes puree with espresso' (its devine believe me!) ← I ate something similar at Tragabuches in Spain recently as an amuse topped with a raw quails egg yolk- very scrummy! ← I was there a few weeks ago too - definitely didnt have that though i'd have had to have a word with the Chef!! Did eat some amazing food though - had the tasting menu - a snip at 68 Euros. And the drive up through the mountains? Get out of here!!!!

Hi MobyP - yes absolutely. Interestingly you get great results from brining whole chickens, which we brine for 2 days before carving off the bone and sealing the parts. Then we cook it sous-vide at 65 degrees for 20 mins (for a breast). If you want to you can crisp up the skin by cooking a la minute. Alternatively, you can create something very cool by removing the brined skin and flattening it out betwen two silicione pads and crisp it up in the oven to create 'crispy chicken skin crisps'. We use these for either decorating the chicken (adding a different texture to the sous-vide chicken) or we use them as part of an amuse with a 'ratte potatoes puree with espresso' (its devine believe me!)

Hmmm now thats got me thinking. If there is enough interest from people, and i've had a few messages already, then maybe we could put on a comparitive tasting session for people particularly interested in sous-vide? Until they are broken down and proved these debates will just rage on and on. I am happy to provide the venue and equipment for testing (we have an open kitchen which will help) and anyone who is interested in a serious look at sous-vide cooking will be welcome to come along. The 12th is a press thing and so it wont give us a chance to sit and discuss the techniques which is what i'd like to do. Thoughts?

Yes a 'proper' east end boozer. It was actually the pub used in the film, The Krays's with the kemp brothers. It was one scary place that kept the curtains drawn at all times. Since we took over and began the restoration (there is a magnificent 19 century building hidden behind the grim exterior) people have stopped to comment how it is the 1st time they've seen inside the building in over 10 years! The wonderful thing here - and i promise to keep this on topic - is that it is on Hoxton Street which some of you may know is one of the original London market street. The market used to be the centre of Hoxton and Shoreditch but has sadly declined over the years. It is now on only on Saturdays and sells a mixture of clothing to cheap power tools but there are around a dozen or so of the original traders still there selling fruit, veg and fish (good quality too). We are working with Shoreditch Trust and Hackney Council to look at developing the market over the next year. Similar success stories exist close by with Broadway Market (food) and Columbia Road (flowers) which have become destinations in their own right. I am a big champion of local traders, farmers markets and anything that flows along this train of thought. I'd be very interested to hear whether anyone has any suggestions or ideas for developing the market and whether it would be worth popping this into its own thread? Getting back on point - sous-vide will feature on our menu as a method of cooking as well as ovens, grills and so on and if anyone is interested on learning more about this topic we will be putting on a demonstration on 12th October on sous-vide as part of our launch. There are a few eGullet members already attending and if anyone else would like an invite just let me know

you might also be interested in some desserts - see if you can guess which elements are cooked using sous-vide... Steamed Polenta Cake, Cava gelee, Roasted Apricots, Buttermilk Sorbet and Orange Flower Honey Chocolate Fondant with Port and Foie Gras Filling Roasted Pear Financier, Dolce Latte Ice Cream, Pear Syrup, Black Pepper Oil and Lemon Compote Beet Root Cake, Olive Oil ice Cream, Roasted Beets, Berries and Maple Gelee

I must add this - Matthew is right about VacPacs being expensive and also cumbersome bits of kit. I dont believe that there is much available in the market place to counter this but i also dont think its necessary Often at home i dont vacpac things anyway. I wrap them tightly in cling-film and pop them in the circulator and honestly find that the results are brilliant. You obviously cant do sauces and marinades this way but for cooking a piece of meat or fish it does the job fine. Sure, we wouldnt use it in the restuarant but hey i dont use fresh chicken stock at home all the time either (cries from the gallows!). There are some good machines available for cooking with i.e. immersion circulators and they arent too expensive. And if you can keep a secret I also happen to know that there is a circulator being worked on at present that will be designed for domestic use and will have a price bracket to match... Now where did i put my antigriddle?

no i'm afraid not. We are new the new kids on the block and Erica is right it is Bacchus - a new restuarant opening up in Shoreditch this month. Not sure how much more i can say without breaking 'the rules' Needless to say sous-vide features very much in what we do and to that end Restaurant Magazine have published a 3 page article on sous-vide and Bacchus in this weeks edition - something quite amazing considering we arent open yet! And quite humbling considering the gentleman on the front of the magazine! A certain Joel Robuchon...

Seen it!! ← lol busted!

Charming description - nearly threw up my morning bagel on reading that! Hmmm, sounds to me like there's a good deal of experimenting going on in restaurants at the minute. Maybe its a case of one-upmanship? A lot of top chefs are using sous-vide in their kitchen so maybe its a game of 'i can cook weirder things than you in a vac-pac'? Either way its crap - the focus should NEVER be taken away from what tastes good and by Tony H's description sous vide shrimp didnt even come close. And i'm suprised a place of WD-50s standards that this could slip through to the menu. As i keep saying sous-vide is a tool and a whole new world for kitchen to explore. What it doesnt do is 100% replace a kitchens need for other tools. We cook a good amount of food sous-vide but that is because it suits our style of cooking -very light, fresh dishes that require little treatment to bring them to where we want them. Often this does mean little direct heat is needed and therefore sous-vide works well for us. For French restaurants for example, it isnt going to be the case as dishes dictate that other methods be used and even with my avant garde attitude to trying new things - i dont like the idea of a dish being messed with if it doesnt warrant it. Moving away from proteins though is where i believe the future of sous-vide lies. You can cook stocks, potatoes, pulses, ice-cream mixes, creme anglaise, vegetables and more all using this technique and each brings different things to the party. For example, these are mains from our menu. Each and every dish in one part or another is cooked using sous-vide. HOWEVER, you will notice that it is not always the protein that is cooked sous-vide; sometimes it is just the veg or the sauce. That isnt to say we havent tried doing these dishes in different ways but what we have ended up with is the dish tasting as good as we think we can get it and that is what is important and priority over creating a 'novelty' or 'shock value' For me, that is a balanced and sensible use of sous-vide in the kitchen. : Wild Salmon cooked at 48 degrees for 13 minutes then smothered in English Strawberries. Marinated Fennel and Almond Froth Lamb Loin cooked at low temperature and seared; Vanilla Onion Soubise, Figs Brulee, Bitter Cocoa and Garden Herbs Roots and Legumes cooked in vegetable stock and garnished with Sprouts and Flowers. Herb Dumplings, Savoy Cabbage, Pistou and Spicy Caramel Halibut slow poached and crusted with a thin Seafood Bread Pudding; Bunched Carrots in a pool of its reduced juice. Orange and Chervil Warm Codfish and Japanese Wild Mushrooms each cooked in their own juices. Fresh Soybeans, Lemon Puree and Spicy Seaweed Powder. Ginger Spray Thick-cut Sirloin Steak cooked at 60 degrees. Grainy Mustard-Nut Crust, Roasted Red Beets and Fresh Spinach (Served with Truffle-Potato Puree)

Impressive - well done The only thing i find on the streets of central London are people trying to sell me international phone cards and charity subscriptions... how i long for the countryside...

errm not sure how to link it on here but if you want me to email it to you then let me know your email address

Agreed - i dont cook it as low as 40 degrees either - i would also say that it is bordering unpleasant at this temperature. I prefer it at 48-50 degrees which allows for a little more texture, it flakes beautifully and has a much more intense taste than when cooked at 39-40 degrees

Zoticus have you been spying on us? We have recently been perfecting a new technique known as gastro-auto cuisine that does in fact contain back seat salmon on the menu. We are also selling carboretta eggs and tyre-tread tripe...hmmm nouvelle cuisine all over again...Aggghh Vile is a strong word but it is an opinion and it is your opinion which, of course, i respect. I dont believe it is the consensus on the subject though... Maybe other people can shed some light on this to add weight to my theory but all the reviews i have read on salmon mi cuit (to give it its correct name) have been very positive Either way you are right - it is a pointless argument - beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if you dont like your fish cooked that way then so be it. What's good is that you havent closed the door on the subject and think that vegetables have a lot of potential using these techniques. Have you got any more examples of success stories with this? Incidentally ice-cream is a winner sous-vide - fantastic results!

Restaurant? Is this somewhere we might be able to do a bit of comparative sampling? Right now I can't find anywhere that admits to doing it where I can try it out. ← Yes we use water baths in our restuarant - i'm more than happy to put on demonstrations of equipment for those who want to learn more. Its certainly a topic on egullet that people are interested in going back some years now in fact has anyone seen this weeks Restaurant Magazine? There is a 3-page piece on this very topic including information on equipment... I think it might also reveal my bias towards the subject... lol

succint and right on the button - good point! Quite right about the equipment too - there are plenty of good makes out there. Personally i use the Roner in the restaurant and the excellent Clifton at home which is much more practical because it has a self-contained bath. It sits on the shelf very nicely next to the juicer and gets used about once or twice a week as part of my 'repetoire' of home cooking; sometimes my food will be grilled, sometimes roasted, sometimes pan-fried and sometimes.....what is it? sous-vided This also emphasises my point about it entering the domestic kitchen. I think it wont be long before one of these manufacturers comes up with a circulator that is within the right price bracket and gets it into a high street retailers catalogue at which point the marketing will really take off...maybe