Sous vide at home The modern technique for perfectly cooked meals

Fetterman, a foodie from a young age, was working in restaurants by the time she was 18, and logged hours working for high-profile chefs such as Mario Batali and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It was during one of those stints that she discovered and promptly fell in love with sous vide cooking, a technique that calls for immersing plastic-wrapped foods in hot water in order to slowly cook and tenderize them. That fascination ultimately led to her creation of Nomiku, an immersible sous vide appliance for home cooks. Here, she explains how sous vide works and gives specific tips on using the appliance correctly and effectively to create flavorful dishes. Chefs have long sung the praises of sous vide steak, which is included here .Showcasing the versatility of sous vide, Fetterman shows how the technique also results in outstanding dishes such as a Greek octopus salad, butter-poached lobster with cognac sauce, and slow-cooked beets served with goat gouda and pistachios. Though there are a few "because I can" dishes such as a Thanksgiving turkey, vanilla crème brûlée, and a time- and labor-intensive recipe for fried chicken and waffles, those recipes are mercifully kept to a minimum. This is a terrific introduction to one of the most popular new cooking tools, and a fine accompaniment to the appliance. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

JERK CHICKEN WINGS Jerk chicken is one of Jamaica's most celebrated culinary exports, and with good reason. Here, I bring that combination of sweetness, acidity, warm spices, and chile heat to chicken wings. By cooking the wings directly in the marinade, you're able to quickly coax the flavors of the spice paste into the meat, eliminating the need to marinate them overnight. In addition, cooking the wings low and slow with controlled heat helps break down their collagen, making them ultratender and juicy, ready to be broiled for a crispy finish with no fear of drying them out. I like to take these wings to potlucks because they can be cooked in advance and then rewarmed in an oven or on a grill. SERVES 6 to 8 as an appetizer SOUS VIDE COOKING VIDE TIME: 2 hours (or up to 6 hours) ACTIVE PREP TIME: 20 minutes, plus 5 minutes to rest MARINADE 1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup) 1 to 2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, coarsely chopped 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup) 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 4 teaspoons ground allspice 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons soy sauce Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup fresh lime juice) 3 pounds chicken wings separated into sections, discard wing tips or save for making stock 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving DO-AHEAD STRATEGY The jerk marinade can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months. The cooked chicken can be chilled in the bag in an ice water bath for 20 minutes and then refrigerated for up to a week. Increase the time under the broiler to about 15 minutes to ensure that the wings are well browned and heated through. Preheat your sous vide bath to temperature to 77°C (170.6°F). While the water is heating, make the marinade. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until a rough paste forms, about 1 minute. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the marinade, mixing well to coat evenly. Transfer the chicken, along with any marinade left in the bowl, to a gallon-size freezer-safe ziplock bag. Press the bag flat to ensure that the chicken wings are arranged in a single layer and then seal using the water displacement method. When the water reaches the target temperature, lower the bagged wings into the water bath (making sure the bag is fully submerged) and cook for 2 hours. Remove the bag from the water bath and set aside the wings to rest for 5 minutes. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler. Using tongs, transfer the chicken wings to a nonstick baking pan or a disposable aluminum foil pan, arranging them in a single layer and spooning about . cup of the marinade over them, leaving behind the excess for basting. (You can also finish the chicken on a well-oiled grill rack over a hot fire.) Excerpted from Sous Vide at Home: The Modern Technique for Perfectly Cooked Meals by Lisa Q. Fetterman All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.