Setting the Scene for a Romantic Dinner In
Recipes by Chandee Bomgardner | Photography by Sara Young | Staging by Jennifer Moore
A night out on the town for cocktails and dinner can be over-the-top romantic. But with the deafening restaurant noise, tables crammed close together, and awkward dates around you, taking your special someone out can sometimes put a damper on a romantic evening. Not only has SignatureMT foodie, Chandee Bomgardner put together a meal to set your sweetie’s heart a flutter but she has also uncovered a secret that professional chefs have kept under their “toque blanche” (French for “white hat”) for decades. Set the table, dim the lights and prepare to wow your loved one in the comfort of home!
What is Sous Vide Cooking?
French for ‘under vacuum,’ Sous Vide is a method of cooking in which food is sealed in a vacuum-sealed plastic pouch then placed in a water bath or in a temperature-controlled steam environment for longer than normal cooking times (usually 1 to 6 hours) at an accurately regulated temperature much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 55 to 60 °C (131 to 140 °F) for meat and higher for vegetables. The intent is to cook the item evenly, ensuring that the inside is properly cooked without overcooking the outside, and retain moisture.
Sous Vide Garlic Confit
This Sous Vide Garlic Confit is a fantastic condiment to have in the fridge at all times. You can toss it in pasta, spread it on bread or toast, or use it as a topping for cheese and crackers. You also might want to eat it straight from the jar, and that’s okay, too!
Ingredients
• 1 cup peeled garlic cloves • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil • 1 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
• Set the Sous Vide to 190°F (87°C). • Combine all the ingredients in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting. Place in the water bath and set the timer for 4 hours. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Transfer the confit to an air-tight storage container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Quinoa, Arugula and Fennel Salad
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups of vegetable stock
• 4 cups Arugula
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into eighths
• ¼ cup of orange juice
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 2 tbsp. of pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
• 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. of lemon vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tsp pine nuts
• pinch of salt
• 6 orange segments
DIRECTIONS
First, cook the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and pour vegetable stock over it. Heat until the stock reaches the boil, then simmer until the quinoa is cooked al dente. This should take about 15 minutes. Preheat the water bath to a temperature of 185⁰F. To prepare the fennel, seal the fennel wedges inside a vacuum bag with the orange juice and the saffron. Place the bag in the water bath and leave to cook for 20 minutes. Unseal and drain the vacuum bag. Lay the cooked fennel in a hot frying pan. Cook over a high heat until browned on one side, then turn over and brown the other side. Add the seared fennel to the quinoa and Arugula, mix in the pomegranate seeds, toasted sesame seeds. Prepare lemon dressing for the salad by thoroughly combining the olive oil and lemon vinegar in a small bowl. Drizzle a small amount of dressing over the quinoa, followed by salt and pepper, and mix well. Taste the salad to check the flavor and seasoning. If desired, add a little more dressing. To make the toasted pine nuts, warm a frying pan over a low heat. Scatter the pine nuts over the base of the pan and fry gently until lightly toasted all over. Season with a pinch of salt and shake vigorously. Spoon an equal amount of arugula, quinoa and fennel salad onto each plate. Scatter the toasted pine nuts and orange segments.
Sous Vide Green Bean
Ingredients
• 3-4 cups fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp lemon zest • Salt and pepper to taste • 2 tbsp lemon juice • ½ cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS
Fill sous vide with water and preheat sous vide to 140F. Toss green beans with oil and lemon zest. Dump in a food safe bag and vacuum seal it. Place green beans in the water bath and cook for ½ hour. Remove green beans from bag and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Top with chopped almonds and serve
Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
Smooth, buttery, and subtly laced with garlic and rosemary, these dreamy mashed potatoes bring the humble potato to new levels.Ingredients
• 2 pounds Russet potatoes • 5 cloves garlic • 3 sprigs rosemary • 8 oz unsalted butter • 1 cup whole milk • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
• Set your sous vide to 194 F / 90 C. • Rinse and peel the potatoes. Thinly slice them into 1/8-inch pieces. • Smash and peel the garlic cloves. • Seal the potatoes, garlic, rosemary, butter, milk, and salt into a zip or vacuum seal bag (I set my vacuum sealer to 25 seconds) and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 1.5 hours. • Open the bag and pour the liquid through a sieve into a small bowl (reserve for later). Discard the rosemary. • Empty the potatoes into a large bowl and mash them. If you have a potato ricer or food mill, now’s a great time to use it. If you want a really over-the-top, super smooth texture, pass the mashed potatoes through a tamis, chinois, or sieve, using a plastic bench scraper. Whatever you do, DO NOT use a food processor, electric mixer, or blender – due to the starch in the potatoes, if you over mix the potatoes you’ll end up with a gluey texture. • Gently whisk the melted butter and milk (reserved from before) back into the mashed potatoes to get a smooth and creamy texture.
Sous-Vide Steak
Ingredients
• 2 8 oz. beef tenderloin steak • Season with your favorite steak seasoning to taste • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil [optional]
Instructions
Preheat the water bath. 50°C (125°F) for rare, 55°C (130°F) for medium-rare and 60°C (140°F) for medium. Season the steaks, place the steaks in an even layer in a pouch and vacuum seal or Ziploc bag. Place the sealed pouch into the preheated water bath and cook for 1-2 hours. Just before the allotted cooking time is finished, preheat a grill or skillet until it’s very hot. Remove the steak from the pouches. Lightly brush the steaks with oil. Put the steaks on the very hot grill and sear each side until it’s nicely browned, about one minute on each side. Serve immediately.
Sous Vide Lobster Tail
Ingredients
• 2 lobster tails, shells removed • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 sprigs fresh tarragon • ½ teaspoon kosher salt • Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
Set the Sous Vide Cooker to 134°F (56°C). Place the lobster tails, butter, tarragon, and salt in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 1 hour. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Carefully remove the lobster tails from the vacuum sealed bag. Place lobster on a serving platter and drizzle with melted butter from the bag. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Sous Vide Mexican Chocolate Pots du Creme
INGREDIENTS, serves 4
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 1/3 cup half & half • 3 ½ ounces Mexican Chocolate or Bittersweet chopped • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar • 3 egg yolks • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) cocoa powder • ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) vanilla extract • 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) sea salt
DIRECTIONS
To properly fill the water bath to the correct level: Fill the pots (ramekins or custard cups you will use) with water. Set the pots on the perforated grill of the water bath. Add enough water to the bath to bring the water level halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Remove the pots, empty, and dry well. Set aside. Preheat the Sous Vide water oven to 180F/82C. In a saucepan on a traditional stove top, scald the heavy whipping cream and milk. Shut off the heat and pour the milk and cream over the chocolate and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt. Set aside. After 5 minutes, stir the chocolate and cream together until well mixed. Whisk in the egg mixture. Fill the pots with the crème base and put them carefully onto the baking rack in the water oven. Cover the pots with a sheet of aluminum foil or plastic wrap (cling film) to keep drops of condensation out. Cook in the water oven for 30 minutes or until the centers are almost set but still a bit wobbly. Remove from the water oven and let cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to serving. Garnish with shaved Mexican chocolate, fresh berries and a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Sous Vide Rose Syrup
The rose syrup is pale pink, light, refreshing, with a hint of rose – and just a little more grown up to add to your favorite cocktail for a twist.
Ingredients
• ½ cup dried roses • Lemon rind of ½ lemon • 3 cups sugar • 1 cup water
DIRECTIONS
Place in Sous Vide water bath at 125°F for 2 hours. Mix with your favorite champagne or sparkling wine and garnish with a rose petal.
Sous Vide Poached Pear
• 4 pears
• 2 cups white wine
• 2 cups water
• 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6-8 sage leaves
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 4 oz mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans DIRECTIONS Bring wine, water, cinnamon stick, sage leaves, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
Peel the pears, leaving the stem and a little of the peel at the top.
Using a melon baller, scoop out the core of each pear.
Place pears and 2/3 cup sauce in a Ziploc bag or seal in a vacuum bag. Cook in the Sous Vide water oven for 1 hour at 180F.
They are done when they are soft, but not mushy. While pears are cooking, place remaining liquid in a sauce pan. Bring to a low boil and add sugar.
Maintain at a low boil for 15-20 minutes until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 its original volume.
It is ready when it coats the back of the spoon.
Remove from heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and sage leaves.
Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
Stir ¼ of the whipped cream into the mascarpone.
Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone.
Serve with a pear, a quarter of the mascarpone cream and nuts.
Drizzle the wine sauce over the top forming a small puddle around the pear.
