Help - Sous Vide

[Matthew Grant]

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?

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Not sure how much of a secret that is? Aren't Clifton developing a home range? On their website they ask you specify your interest and one of the options is "domestic" .

[TheBacchus]

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

[TheBacchus]

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

[TheBacchus]

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?

[MobyP]

the vac packing seems relatively affordable. It's keeping a consistent temperature for 36 hours that I can't find affordably.

[MobyP]

Bacchus, do you brine as well as sous vide?

[Matthew Grant]

Ah Mr Pomerance, I wondered where you were

All we need now is a particular man of Swedish descent.

[TheBacchus]

Bacchus, do you brine as well as sous vide?

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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!)

[erica graham]

Bacchus, do you brine as well as sous vide?

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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!)

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I ate something similar at Tragabuches in Spain recently as an amuse topped with a raw quails egg yolk- very scrummy!

[TheBacchus]

Bacchus, do you brine as well as sous vide?

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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!)

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I ate something similar at Tragabuches in Spain recently as an amuse topped with a raw quails egg yolk- very scrummy!

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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!!!!

[erica graham]

We had the tasting menu too- my 6 yr old loved it!!

[TheBacchus]

We had the tasting menu too- my 6 yr old loved it!!

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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

[bakerestates]

there is an article in this weeks edition of restaurant magazine about if...with a list of suppliers

www.multivac.co.uk

www.cliftonfoodrange.co.uk

www.cookingconcepts.com

[Bapi]

www.multivac.co.uk

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I met these chaps at some so-so restaurant show in Manchester , earlier this year. I had a great chat with them and were very impressed by their passion for their product and one particular chap's love of John Campbell's food.

He even tried to tempt me into buying one of their domestic units to take home, until I explained that the first thing to be cooked sous-vide, would be my knackers.

[TheBacchus]

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

Edited September 16, 2006 by TheBacchus (log)

[TheBacchus]

Found this really good article on cooking vegetables sous-vide

It s a bit old so apologies if people have seen it already

[tony h]

what kind of costs are involved with waterbaths & vac seals?

[Silly Disciple]

what kind of costs are involved with waterbaths & vac seals?

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it can go from 200 euros (cheap vac pac and used water bath on ebay) to about 3500 euro (profesional vac pac and brand new water bath).

[erica graham]

Clifton are exhibiting at The Restaurant Show this week, not sure about all the other manufacturers, but I expect they will be demonstrating aswell.

[Charlie O]

I picked up an old analogue Grant water circulator and heater on eBay for about £50. I use it in a big stockpot.

I also got a vacuum machine off eBay a while ago.

[Charlie O]

Went to The Bacchus on Weds eve as it is just around the corner from where I live.

It has quietly opened while they sort some of the final details out. I won't do a Maschler and post a detailed review so early on but there are pictures on the Dos Hermanos blog.

First impressions - its a great space. The food is adventurous but very well priced.

[Matthew Grant]

Well Charlie O you're so yesterday. This is Hoxton don't you know, I was fashionably early on Sunday, the plebs hopefully arrived on Tuesday, by yesterday it must have been close to turning itself into a gallery?

Good price point, some interesting combinations, not all succesfull but perhaps restaurant to watch over the coming months as it settles in. I'd like to see less emphasis on the sous vide aspect, beneficial in some areas but not in others IMO.

Nice guys, hope they succeed.

[TheBacchus]

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

[Pat Churchill]

Hasn't sous vide been banned in NY?

[TheBacchus]

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