Easy, Delicious Perfection Any Night of the Week: 100+ Simple, Irresistible Recipes
September 6, 2021
For those craving new adventures in the kitchen, food blogger Shumski (How to Instant Pot) reveals the restaurant method of sous vide (under vacuum) cooking in this terrific how-to. Sumptuous but simple recipes dispel the “misconception that sous vide cooking is complicated.” A survey of minimal equipment (circulator, vacuum sealed containers, stock pot), a quick explainer on the cooking method itself (food is vacuum sealed in plastic and then cooked in a water bath using an immersion circulator), and a few food safety rules (including temperature guidelines, selection and sealing of bags or jars, cooling, and storage) make enjoying the advantages of sous vide’s precision and mastering its “reliable, replicable and delicious results” a snap. Centerpiece dishes such as lamb chops with pistachios and pomegranate drizzle and set-it-and-forget-it duck leg confit make for luxurious, surprisingly hassle-free meals. Elsewhere, vegetables present “special challenges—and special rewards... neither overdone nor underdone, every time,” and seafood dishes (though “swimmingly simple”) require care with proper temperatures, while luscious desserts feature “the world’s best and easiest” berry cheesecake made in canning jars. In Shumski’s estimation, this cooking method is forgiving, flavorful, and foolproof—and his enticing recipes go a long way to prove it.
October 8, 2021
Sous vide cooking, long a staple technique in professional kitchens, gets an approachable treatment for home cooks in this latest book by Shumski (How To Instant Pot). Although sous vide cooking is not without its challenges, Shumski explains how this low temperature cooking technique can be adapted for everyday use. The book explains the basic steps of sous vide, tips to make the technique easier, necessary equipment (plus additional, optional tools that can be useful), and food handling safety. Sous vide cooking is often used on meat, but Shumski includes a wide variety of ingredients that demonstrate the versatility of sous vide in recipes such as Perfectly Poached Eggs, Foolproof Beets, and Berry Cheesecake. Each main ingredient has a simple recipe, plus variations, substitutions, and additions. Geared to the home cook, recipes are easy to follow and have short ingredients lists (most can be found in local grocery stores or online). VERDICT Sharing his enthusiasm in an approachable style, Shumski's take on sous vide should get any cook excited to try the technique.--Ginny Wolter, Toledo Lucas Cty. P.L., OH
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