Londonist’s own sandwich seeking flâneur, Jonathan “Browners” Brown, isn’t just sarnie obsessed. Indeed, have a look at his own blog, Around Britian with a Paunch, and you’ll soon realize he and his foodie co-conspirator, Cowie, have a very healthy appetite for all things edible as well as for the good things in life. So, when they invited Londonist around for Jonathan’s Sous Vide “bathtub” salmon, how could we say no?
Sous-vide (French for "under vacuum") is oh sod it here’s what Wikipedia says:
... a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures [using] airtight plastic bags placed in hot water well below boiling point (usually around 60°C or 140°F).
And hey, what better place to cook in such a manner than one’s bathtub?
Despite a constant worry that he was going to give us botulism, Jonathan had a real knack (and utter passion) for preparing our salmon in such an unconventional manner and setting. He proved as adept and keen in the kitchen as well, where he and Cowie made a gorgeous miso risotto along with pak choi, tender stem broccoli and mushroom stir fry to accompany our bathing fish. That, along with a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (and some fresh fruit and little Tio Pepe for dessert) and we had ourselves a right proper meal!
The salmon (cooked with a soy sauce, mirin, chilli, ginger and coriander) was delicious and cooking it a bathtub was just the sort of fun that you should try at home! Keep reading for Jonathan’s tips and for the miso risotto and pak choi recipes.
Photography by Chris Osburn
Salmon Sous Vide with Miso Risotto and Pak Choi, Tender Stem Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry
Salmon, light soy, mirin, chilli, ginger, coriander. Put them all in a cooking bag.
Get bathtub to 47°c and lob in the salmon. Cook for 43 minutes. This is based on the salmon being medium rare and 25mm thick. Here are the instructions I used: http://amath.colorado.edu/~baldwind/sous-vide.html
Remove from bathtub. Drain each bag and retain the juice. Season the skin and sear aggressively until the skin is crisped and finish with butter.
Reduce the marinade and pour over the top.
Miso Risotto: http://aroundbritainwithapaunch.blogspot.com/2009/02/miso-skate-risotto.html
Pak choi, tender stem broccoli and mushroom stir fry, : I love oriental mushrooms and pak choi. Add the broccoli and harder parts of the pak choi to a hot wok and stir fry for a few minutes. Then add the softer leaves and enoki and shitake mushrooms. Add some chilli, soy and mirin and serve.
Inspiration came in part from Bob Blumer, aka the Surreal Gourmet, but more from just curiosity.
