Posted on

Sous Vide Recipes

cleaning artichokes

Under vacuum. This modern trend of cooking sous vide is a literal translation of the French phrase, under vacuum. Using a tool called an immersion circulator, foods are cooked in a controlled low oxygen environment at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This method of cooking allows sensitive items like eggs, sauces, fish, meat, and much more to cook at a slower rate. Proteins bind, fats melt slowly and render, fish maintains moisture and flakiness, and meat evenly cooks to desired temperatures. Cooking is a series of controlled chemical reactions that we put together into something delicious and beautiful. Experience a variety of textures, a depth of marinated flavor, and a scientific approach to food preparation.

Eggs: Sous Vide

Chef Leah Burback
These eggs are cooked with the sous vide method to reach the most indulgent textured egg yolk and a white that is cooked yet soft and supple. These eggs are great for benedicts, ramen, pasta, soup, and so much more.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Equipment

  • immersion circulator
  • water bath stock pot or heat proof plastic tub
  • heat protected surface

Ingredients
  

  • fresh eggs check for cracks, shell impurities, or thin spots. Farm fresh is best!
  • warm water
  • salt
  • baking soda

Instructions
 

  • Fill a water bath with warm water to the required level for your immersion circulator. Place the bath on a heat-protected surface, affix the immersion circulator in the bath, set temperature to 145°F.
  • Make sure you preheat the water before adding the eggs.
  • Add in a pinch of salt and baking soda with the eggs once preheated.
  • Cook eggs for 60-90 minutes at 145°F until it reaches your desired consistency.
  • Crack the egg over a slotted spoon or strainer to remove the thin outer white. Place the egg gently in soup or over potato hash. The heat from the soup or hollandaise will firm up the inner white just lightly to provide texture.
  • Enjoy the velvety jammy texture of perfectly cooked eggs.

Notes

learn more about sous vide egg cookery 
https://www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-101-all-about-eggs

Sous Vide Egg Bites

Chef Leah Hays
waterbath eggs that have a silky texture, a great make ahead for those busy morning breakfasts or brinners.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, French
Servings 6 x8 oz egg cups

Equipment

  • sous vide waterbath setup with immersion circulator

Ingredients
  

  • 1 dozen eggs farm fresh are best
  • cup plain greek yogurt whole milk preferred
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup your favorite toppings see notes for flavor combination ideas

Instructions
 

  • Preheat waterbath for sous vide to 185°F.
  • Prepare 8 oz wide mouth jars by oiling the inside, sanitizing the lids and rings.
  • Layer in your favorite toppings, no higher than the ring line.
  • Blend eggs, yogurt, seasoning, and garlic until smooth and a bit bubbly.
  • Pour egg mixture in each jar up to the ring line.
  • Wipe each jar top with a vinegar dampened towel to remove any oil or egg yolk. This will keep the water out of your jars and allow the lid to seal
  • Affix the lids and rings to all jars and insert into waterbath, once heated, for 25 minutes.
  • Remove jars from waterbath and allow to return to room temperature before chilling with the lid off in the fridge. Once completely cooled, reaffix the lids and rings and save for a quick bite.
  • Re heat from 12 minutes in the oven at 400°F or in the waterbath at 190°F for 15-20 minutes.

Notes

Try flavor combinations like:
Roasted Zucchini and Red Pepper
Roasted Broccoli, Green Onion and Cheddar
Bacon, roasted summer squash, sweet corn and salsa verde with pepperjack
Sausage and Potato hash with Swiss
Spinach Artichoke with Parmesan
Consider using this to use up leftover sides or veggies from a dinner or the last remaining half of a vegetable you didn’t need for a recipe.
Keyword 30 minute recipe, hearty vegetable, make ahead, penny saving, sous vide, thrifty, zero waste
blank

Artichokes with Hollandaise

Chef Leah Burback
Whole fresh artichokes steamed with rich zingy hollandaise sauce. Try this classic fun appetizer as a date night experience!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer, sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine American, French
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients
  

Hollandaise

  • 10 Tbsp unsalted butter if using salted butter, skip the added salt
  • 3 each egg yolks see how to separate eggs
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • tsp cayenne optional

Artichokes

  • 2 each Fresh artichokes look for bright colors and heavy feel
  • 2 slices Lemon
  • 2 each Bay leaf
  • 2 each Garlic cloves

Instructions
 

Hollandaise Sauce

  • Melt the butter on low in a small pot. Try not to let it boil—you want the moisture in the butter to remain there and not steam away.
  • Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne into your blender. Blend the egg yolk mixture at a medium to medium high speed until it lightens in color, about 20-30 seconds.
  • Once the yolks have lightened in color, turn the blender down to its lowest setting (if you only have one speed on your blender it will still work), and drizzle in the hot melted butter slowly, while the blender is going. Continue to blend for another couple seconds after the butter is all incorporated. Take care not to blend too high or too long to over thicken.
  • Turn off the blender and taste the sauce. It should be buttery, lemony and just lightly salty. If needed, you can add a little lemon juice or salt to taste.
  • If you want a thinner consistency, add a little warm water. Pulse briefly to incorporate the ingredients one more time.
  • Store until needed in a warm spot and use within an hour or so. Store any unused in an airtight container. Warm over a double boiler and blend on low until smooth once more.

Steamed Artichokes

  • With a pair of kitchen scissors, snip off the tips of the artichoke leaves, they're sharp. With a super-sharp, heavy-duty knife, lop off the top of the artichoke – about 3/4 of an inch worth and cut off the stem at just below the base of the artichoke so that it will sit flat. Remove the bottom row of leaves. Rinse well under cold water.
    cleaning artichokes
  • Fill a large pot with about two inches of water and set in the artichokes, bottom side down. Optional: add a bay leaf, a slice of lemon, and/or a garlic clove. Set on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature on the water to medium, reducing it to a simmer.
    blank
  • Cover and steam the artichokes for about 30-40 minutes, until tender. You can check for doneness by inserting the tip of a knife into the bottom (if it goes in with only a little resistance they're done) or by pulling off a tester leaf (it should come off easily). Remove from water, allow to cool a bit, and serve with warm hollandaise or garlic herb butter.
    blank
Keyword artichokes, date night, hollandaise, mother sauce, steamed, tasting dinner, valentine’s day menu
blank

Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin

Leah Burback
a simple method to infuse more flavor and fat into a lean but delicious piece of meat.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Sear and Rest Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, French, sous vide
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • immersion circulator(sous vide setup)
  • Cooking bag (vacuum, silicone, or otherwise sous vide approved bag.)
  • saute pan or grill pan for searing
  • tongs
  • basting spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ea beef tenderloin
  • 6 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, beef fat, or bacon fat
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 sprigs fresh herbs try rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, oregano
  • salt and peppercorn medley try an applewood smoked sea salt for a smoky indoor flavor without the grill.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the sous vide (immersion circulator) waterbath to 125°F for Rare- Medium Rare. 133°F for Medium. 140°F Medium Well. 149°F for Well Done.
  • Portion clean, trimmed beef tenderloin into 3 inch tall portions. Tie with cotton butchers twine to hold the round medallion shape while cooking.
  • Season Beef with salt and pepper on all sides.
  • Place tenderloin and all other ingredients in a vacuum bag of your choice, remove most of the air from the bag.
  • Place sealed bag in waterbath, double checking for water leaks, and cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
  • Heat a cast iron saute pan or grill to a medium high heat. If doing so indoors on a stove, be sure to use a hood vent to not smoke out the house. Add a small amount of high heat oil to the pan, once heated just before searing.
  • Remove the tenderloin from the bag, careful to reserve the aromatics, butter and juices inside. Sear beef on two flat sides until deep golden brown and carmelized.
  • If searing in a sauté pan, add reserved juices and allow milk solids in the butter to brown. Baste meat by spooning buttery juices over the medallions until moistened.
    blank
  • Remove meat and crispy garlic cloves from the pan, cut twine to remove from meat, and let rest for 15 minutes covered in foil.
  • Slice, sprinkle with salt, and serve with your favorite seasonal vegetable sides and include the carmelized garlic for sweet punch of flavor.

Notes

Consider adding other seasonal flavors or spice this up with chile flakes. A great south american alternative cooking marinade would be a chimichurri sauce. 
Try pairing with sides like roasted root vegetable medley, fresh seasonal salads, or your favorite warm grains. 
Keyword aromatic, beef, butter, fresh herbs, reverse sear, sous vide
Posted on

Let Food Be Thy Medicine

blank

So proclaimed Hippocrates, but what does that mean in everyday life? Explore a handful of awesome foods you can add to your palate today and learn how they benefit your health!

Mother Earth News | Originally published in April of 2018 | By Laura Berlage, North Star Homestead Farms

Dan Buettner, in his recent TED talk that shared lessons learned in the study of vibrant centurions, noted that longevity is 10% genetics and 90% lifestyle choices.  Second on his list after meaningful social connections was “Eat Wisely.”

Of course, we’ve all heard the message that we need to pay attention to what we eat, in tandem with leading an active lifestyle, but what does that actually mean in an everyday practice?  How can we get to that place where the Greek physician Hippocrates’s admonition of “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” has a real and profound impact on our own lives?

The answer is not as daunting or complex as it may seem.  “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” says renowned food expert and journalist Michael Pollan, which is a great guiding principle when making that key choice about what’s for dinner.  In this article, I’ll unpeel the benefits of a few awesome foods you can add to your wellness toolkit this week.  Why not try eating your way to a more vibrant you?!

Kale

Top of the list for super foods, kale is a member of the broccoli family.  It’s rich in magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C—a combination that makes it even more potent than spinach for lowering blood pressure.  In some cases, consuming kale regularly has been shown to lower blood pressure as much as taking a blood pressure medication.  Add kale to your salad, soups, eggs, and stir fries.

Blueberries

Packed with the highest intensity of antioxidants, which help fight aging and certain types of cancer, blueberries can also help lower your cholesterol and reduce the risk of diabetes.  The chemical that gives these berries their blue color (anthocyanin) is the source of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Blueberries are low in calories and are known to help improve memory!  Make fresh or frozen blueberries a healthy snack choice, add them to your oatmeal or granola, and mix them in your smoothies.

Green Tea

Savored since ancient times for its health benefits, green tea has not only its own antioxidants (catechin) but also promotes your body’s ability to make nitric oxide, which has been shown to increase arterial diameter by 40%, lowering blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 31%.  Macha green tea, especially, has been linked with preventing several common cancers and can even be beneficial for dental health.  Studies in Japanese society (where green tea consumption is more common), showed that drinking several cups a day offered major decreases in mortality rates from all causes.  Green tea does contain caffeine, so you can swap out your coffee at the next break when you need a warm, uplifting cup.

Fish

Two to three servings per week of fish increases the Omega3 fatty acids in the diet, which improves cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.  Most of our dietary vegetable oils are high in Omega6, which, by themselves, are harmful to heart health.  Increasing Omega3 intake in proportion against Omega6 reduces risk substantially, whether this is sourced from fish, walnuts, duck eggs, olive oil, or flax seed, for example.  Oily fish like salmon are preferred for this purpose, though generally eating more fish than red meats is a healthy choice.  Tilapia raised in a clean environment has also been shown to be hearth healthy, with its boost of magnesium, potassium, and calcium.  And no, this doesn’t mean eating more fried fish because the cooking oils bring in more of those Omega6 rates again!  So poach, bake, broil, grill, or pan-fry in olive oil your next serving of clean-raised fish.

Garlic

With an active ingredient of allicin, this aromatic Sulphur compound is released when the cloves are crushed, chopped, or chewed.  But it’s valuable for more than just its culinary characteristics.  Just two cloves a day may lower blood pressure as effectively as a prescription medicine after 24 weeks, as well as can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 10-15%.  Garlic can help stabilize blood sugar levels and aid in preventing cancer, so chop them up and add them to all sorts of dishes, including roasting them with your favorite root vegetables. 

Yogurt

When they say “go with your gut,” it’s true.  Research is continually finding connections between the health of the bacteria in our gut and our emotional and mental well-being.  But not all of the flora in your alimentary tract are friendly.  Foods rich in natural and healthy bacteria cultures, like yogurt, help to improve and maintain beneficial bacteria.  There are more microbes in your gut than cells in your body, so keeping that colony happy and healthy is no small undertaking!  Make sure your choice of yogurt is labeled as having “live” or “active” culture.  It’s high levels of calcium and vitamin D can also help to prevent osteoporosis and other bone ailments.  Have some yogurt with your blueberries for breakfast or a snack, and try plain, unsweetened yogurt in a variety of savory dishes for a fun twist.

Dark Chocolate

Yes, you read that right, chocolate (in small amounts) is actually good for you.  70% cocoa or more kicks this treat into the healthy bracket.  Rich with flavonoids (which dilate blood vessels), dark chocolate has been found to improve blood pressure and your mood.  Consuming just 30 calories a day (one small square from a classic chocolate bar) has been demonstrated after 18 weeks to be effective in lowering blood pressure and raising HDL (good) cholesterol.  More is not better, though, because of the refined sugars.  So take your daily dose of a square of dark chocolate without having to apologize to anyone!

Ready to eat your way into vibrancy?  I hope you try including these delicious and healthy foods into your grocery list, pantry, refrigerator, and regimen.  Why not?  And there’s all sorts of other foods that will help to improve health and well-being.  Go for foods with deep natural colors (beets, broccoli, oranges), strong natural aromas (cinnamon, basil, onions), and distinctive natural flavors (asparagus, cashews, watermelon).  These characteristics are often markers of chemical compounds that can have their own, distinctive health benefits to offer.

This week, let food be thy medicine of choice.  Watch for more upcoming tips on great foods for wellness and longevity.  See you down on the farm sometime.

Laura Berlage is a co-owner of North Star Homestead Farms, LLC and Farmstead Creamery & Café. 715-462-3453 www.northstarhomestead.com