Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Sous Vide Cauliflower Beurre Blanc
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 mins
3 hours 30 mins
4 hours 10 mins
Serves:
4 small plates
Keith created this dish for America's Culinary Cup Season 1. A silky sous vide cauliflower purée and a rich beurre blanc foam, which shifts from airy to buttery as you eat it, are served with crisp dehydrated bread shards. This version keeps the praised purée and foam exactly as served and fixes the...
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Ingredients
FOR THE DEHYDRATED BREAD: 200 g (½ small loaf) day-old sourdough or pain de mie, unsliced 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted (optional) Pinch of flaky salt
FOR THE SOUS VIDE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE: 1 lb (450 g) cauliflower florets, trimmed ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
FOR THE BEURRE BLANC FOAM: ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine 2 tbsp (30 ml) white wine vinegar 1 medium (40 g) shallot, finely minced ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream 1 cup (225 g / 2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed Fine salt, to taste Lemon juice, to taste
EQUIPMENT: Food dehydrator (or an oven that holds 170°F / 77°C) Sous vide cooker and water bath Vacuum or zip-top bags High-speed blender Fine-mesh sieve 1-pint (0.5 L) cream whipper with N₂O chargers Serrated knife Airtight container with a food-safe desiccant packet
Method
STEP 1: FREEZE AND SLICE THE BREAD
Freeze the bread for 30 minutes to firm it, then slice it as thinly as you can, about 1/16 in (1.5 mm), using a serrated knife.
STEP 2: SEASON THE SLICES
Brush the slices lightly with the melted butter, if using, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Lay them flat in a single layer on the dehydrator trays.
STEP 3: DEHYDRATE THE BREAD
Dry the slices in a food dehydrator at 160–170°F (71–77°C) for 3–4 hours, until fully crisp and snapping clean. Cool completely, then store airtight with a desiccant packet until service. If any shards soften, re-crisp them for 10 minutes at 170°F (77°C).
STEP 4: BAG THE CAULIFLOWER
Heat a water bath to 185°F (85°C) with a sous vide cooker. Place the cauliflower, milk, butter and fine salt in a bag in a single layer. Vacuum-seal, or lower a zip-top bag slowly into the water to push out the air before sealing.
STEP 5: COOK THE CAULIFLOWER
Cook for 60–75 minutes, until a floret crushes between your fingers with no resistance.
STEP 6: BLEND THE PURÉE
Tip the whole bag, liquid and all, into a high-speed blender and blend on high for 2 minutes until silky. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and adjust the salt. Return to a clean bag and hold warm in the water bath.
STEP 7: MAKE THE REDUCTION
Simmer the white wine, white wine vinegar and shallot until about 2 tbsp (30 ml) remains. Add the cream and reduce by a third.
STEP 8: MOUNT THE BUTTER
Over low heat, whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time, keeping the sauce between 130 and 150°F (54–66°C); it will break above 160°F (71°C). Strain through the fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and a few drops of lemon juice.
STEP 9: CHARGE THE WHIPPER
Pour the sauce into a warmed cream whipper, filling it no more than half full. Charge once with N₂O and shake well. Hold the whipper upright in a 140°F (60°C) water bath until service.
STEP 10: PLATE THE PURÉE AND FOAM
Spoon a quenelle or swoosh of purée onto one side of a warm plate, leaving a clear dry area beside it. Dispense the foam over and alongside the purée, keeping it away from the dry area.
STEP 11: ADD THE BREAD AT THE PASS
Only now take the bread out of its container. Stand the shards upright with just one edge in the purée, or rest them on the dry area of the plate. Never lay them flat on the purée or under the foam. Serve at once.
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Instructions
FOR THE DEHYDRATED BREAD:
200 g (½ small loaf) day-old sourdough or pain de mie, unsliced
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted (optional)
Pinch of flaky salt
FOR THE SOUS VIDE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE:
1 lb (450 g) cauliflower florets, trimmed
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter
1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
FOR THE BEURRE BLANC FOAM:
½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine
2 tbsp (30 ml) white wine vinegar
(/interesting-ingredients/white-wine-vinegar)1 medium (40 g) shallot, finely minced
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (225 g / 2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Fine salt, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
EQUIPMENT:
Food dehydrator (/cooking-equipment/food-dehydrator)(or an oven that holds 170°F / 77°C)
Sous vide cooker (/cooking-equipment/sous-vide-cooker)and water bath
Vacuum or zip-top bags
High-speed blender
Fine-mesh sieve
1-pint (0.5 L) cream whipper with N₂O chargers
Serrated knife
Airtight container with a food-safe desiccant packet
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: FREEZE AND SLICE THE BREAD
Freeze the bread for 30 minutes to firm it, then slice it as thinly as you can, about 1/16 in (1.5 mm), using a serrated knife.
STEP 2: SEASON THE SLICES
Brush the slices lightly with the melted butter, if using, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Lay them flat in a single layer on the dehydrator trays.
STEP 3: DEHYDRATE THE BREAD
Dry the slices in a food dehydrator at 160–170°F (71–77°C) for 3–4 hours, until fully crisp and snapping clean. Cool completely, then store airtight with a desiccant packet until service. If any shards soften, re-crisp them for 10 minutes at 170°F (77°C).
STEP 4: BAG THE CAULIFLOWER
Heat a water bath to 185°F (85°C) with a sous vide cooker. Place the cauliflower, milk, butter and fine salt in a bag in a single layer. Vacuum-seal, or lower a zip-top bag slowly into the water to push out the air before sealing.
STEP 5: COOK THE CAULIFLOWER
Cook for 60–75 minutes, until a floret crushes between your fingers with no resistance.
STEP 6: BLEND THE PURÉE
Tip the whole bag, liquid and all, into a high-speed blender and blend on high for 2 minutes until silky. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and adjust the salt. Return to a clean bag and hold warm in the water bath.
STEP 7: MAKE THE REDUCTION
Simmer the white wine, white wine vinegar and shallot until about 2 tbsp (30 ml) remains. Add the cream and reduce by a third.
STEP 8: MOUNT THE BUTTER
Over low heat, whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time, keeping the sauce between 130 and 150°F (54–66°C); it will break above 160°F (71°C). Strain through the fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and a few drops of lemon juice.
STEP 9: CHARGE THE WHIPPER
Pour the sauce into a warmed cream whipper, filling it no more than half full. Charge once with N₂O and shake well. Hold the whipper upright in a 140°F (60°C) water bath until service.
STEP 10: PLATE THE PURÉE AND FOAM
Spoon a quenelle or swoosh of purée onto one side of a warm plate, leaving a clear dry area beside it. Dispense the foam over and alongside the purée, keeping it away from the dry area.
STEP 11: ADD THE BREAD AT THE PASS
Only now take the bread out of its container. Stand the shards upright with just one edge in the purée, or rest them on the dry area of the plate. Never lay them flat on the purée or under the foam. Serve at once.
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