Saturday, May 25, 2013

Sous Vide Omelette and Breaded Tomatoes

A wonderfully shaped omelette with amazing texture.

So, this is going to be really quick. Perhaps the best way to make an omelette if you're looking for a delicate curd with no browning, and truly one of the most delicious uses for tomatoes.

Sous Vide Omelette

Note: If using wet omelette fillings, like tomatoes, mushrooms, or anything with a great deal of water, they should be pre-cooked before adding to the eggs. If using any raw ingredients, such as potatoes or anything else that typically has a long cooking time, it should most definitely be cooked before adding to the omelette. If using anything where a crisp texture is desired, like bacon, also pre-cook before adding to the beaten eggs. Also, you can make a larger omelette with more eggs, a bigger saucepan, and a bigger sealing bag.

2 Eggs
Omelette Filling
Salt, Pepper
Sealing sandwich bag

1. Beat eggs and season then pour into sandwich bag.

2. Add fillings, seal bag while retaining a good amount of air in the bag.

3. Pre-heat a saucepan of water on medium high heat then place sealed omelette bag into water and leave until it solidifies on the outside and expands and begins to fill the bag.

4. Reduce heat to medium low and unseal bag, and lower carefully into water until the omelette is submerged but the sealing strip is still above the water. The water pressure will actually help to push the air out of the bag and allow you to get a good seal around the omelette. Seal the sealing strip and leave to cooking until the omelette appears cooked through in the centre. 

5. Remove from bag before serving and serve warm.

Breaded Tomatoes

Tomatoes
All Purpose Flour
Egg
Breadcrumbs
Granulated Garlic Powder

1. Slice tomatoes into 2cm thickness slices. 

2. Crumb slices in a standard three step flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumb process.

3. Bake on an oiled baking sheet at 190C for about 10 minutes, then flip and cook for another 10 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with Granulated Garlic Powder when done baking and serve warm.





Friday, May 10, 2013

Aged Strip Steak With Compound Butter, Baked Potato, Roasted Dressed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Tomato Goat Cheese Salad

 So, my girl had a hard couple of weeks, so I thought I would make her a nice meal. She's kind of a meat and potatoes kind of girl, which I guess is ok, but even I get a little, "overmeated" when making food for her. This recipe is particularly good for the sole reason that I aged the steaks in the fridge for 48 hours before cooking them, and only seared the top side of the steak and then put the entire pan in the oven with the steaks to finish the cooking process. Also, the Brussels sprouts are made by first roasting some bacon, and then roasting the sprouts in the bacon fat. It should be noted the technique for the sprouts are circulating the internet as a David Chang technique, a man, who is probably also circulating the internet. The idea of aging the steaks, is something picked up from watching Heston Blumenthal. It's a real showpig dinner. Oh, also, using compound butter on the steak, that's something I learned from my older sister, who is a professional chef, and a great cook. Compound butter on steak is probably a classic steakhouse thing and probably a french thing. Regardless, aging steak, not overcooking them, and using compound butter makes for an ultra delicious piece of meat. Showpig. Umm, it should be noted that for some reason, I'm going to write a terrible, incomplete recipe for these particular items.

This Boursin Goats' Cheese tasted very goaty.

I kind of wish I had made a pan sauce.

Mmm, compound butter.

This has an artichoke and basil dressing on it too...


Recipe and Directions

Roasted Dressed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

1. Roast bacon on a lined baking sheet until crisp, remove and reserve bacon.

2. Wash and halve Brussels sprouts, toss lightly with salt. Roast cut side down in bacon fat, then turn and continue.

3. Combine artichoke puree, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, dried basil.

4. Combine sprouts with bacon and dressing. Serve warm.


Steak and Baked Potato

1. Place steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet and cover with a J Cloth and refrigerate for 48 hours. 

2. Place salted butter on sheet of plastic wrap, season with marjoram, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper. Work to combine herbs, then roll into log, freeze, then slice into discs before serving.

3. Season aluminum foil with salt and pepper, place Russet or Yukon Gold potato on seasoned foil, wrap, and baked in 180C oven check for doneness, and turn when bottom side feels cooked.

4. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Rub with grapeseed oil and salt.

5. Place steaks in hot pan, oil side down, rub top side with grapeseed oil and salt, cook until crust forms and steaks release from pan, turn steaks, and place pan in hot oven. Cook to 55C for medium doneness. Rest before serving, and top with compound butter disc.

Tomato and Goats Cheese Salad

What you see in the photo above is what you get. Cut tomatoes into slices, season them, top them with goats cheese, drizzle with basil oil.