Culinary canvas: Exploring art, business of gourmet cuisine (II)

Lavender honey glazed roast duck/chicken

HERE is how you could spruce up and try these non-complex yet easy, unique and delicious recipes that you might enjoy trying out:

Lavender honey glazed roast duck/chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole duck/Chicken , cleaned and patted dry

3 tablespoons dried culinary lavender

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh lavender sprigs for garnish and thyme .

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

In a small bowl, mix together the dried lavender, honey, and balsamic vinegar.

Score the skin of the duck/chicken with a sharp knife, being

Careful not to cut into the meat.

Season the duck/chicken generously with salt and pepper, both inside and out.

Place the duck/chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and brush the lavender honey mixture over the entire Duck/Chicken.

Roast the duck/chicken in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the skin is crispy and golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Let the duck/chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Garnish with fresh lavender sprigs before serving.

Sous vide miso-glazed fillet bream, salmon

Ingredients:

4 bream fillets without skin/ salmon fillets.

1/2 cup white miso paste

1/4 cup mirin

1/4 cup sake/ white wine /Apple juice .

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

These ingredients are quite affordable at local Oriental stores or where they serve Asian delicacies , politely ask where you could getit.

Instructions:

Preheat the water bath of a sous vide precision cooker to 113°F (45°C).

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, mirin, sake/apple juice , sugar, soy sauce, and grated ginger to make the glaze.

Place each fillet in a separate vacuum-sealable bag and divide the miso glaze evenly between the bags, ensuring the fish is well coated.

Vacuum-seal the bags and cook in the preheated water bath for 45 minutes.

Once cooked, carefully remove the fillets from the bags and pat them dry with paper towels.

Preheat a broiler to high and place the fillets on a broiler pan.

Boil for 2-3 minutes, or until the glaze is caramelised and the fish is just cooked through.

How to sous vide at home

Sous vide cooking is a technique that involves cooking food in vacuum-sealed bags at precise temperatures in a water bath. This method allows for precise control over the cooking temperature, resulting in consistently cooked, tender, and flavourful dishes. Here is a step-by-step guide to sous vide cooking at home:

Equipment you will need

Sous vide precision cooker: This device circulates and heats the water to the exact temperature needed for your recipe. There are several brands available on the market, each with its own set of features.

Vacuum sealer or resealable bags: A vacuum sealer is used to remove air from the bags before sealing, but you can also use resealable plastic bags designed for sous vide cooking, which allow you to remove most of the air by submerging them in water before sealing.

Preparation

Choose a recipe: Select a recipe suitable for sous vide cooking, such as meats, fish, vegetables, or desserts. Ensure that the ingredients are safe for cooking at lower temperatures, as sous vide often involves cooking at lower heat than traditional methods.

Season and bag the food: Season your food with herbs, spices, and aromatics as desired. Place the seasoned food in a vacuum-sealed bag or a resealable bag. If using a resealable bag, gently lower it into the water, allowing the pressure to push the air out before sealing the bag.

Setting up the sous vide cooker

Fill a large container or pot with water: Choose a container that is deep enough to fully submerge the ingredients and wide enough to accommodate the sous vide cooker.

Fill the container with enough water to cover the food and ensure that the water level is above the minimum required by the sous vide cooker.

Cooking with the sous vide precision cooker

Attach the precision cooker to the container: Secure the sous vide precision cooker to the side of the container, ensuring that it is fully submerged and that the water level falls within the recommended range for the device.

Set the temperature: Use the controls on the precision cooker to set the desired cooking temperature according to your recipe. The precision cooker will heat the water to the exact temperature needed for your dish.

Insert the bag: Carefully lower the sealed bag into the water, ensuring that the food is fully submerged. The pressure of the water will force any remaining air out of the bag.

Muzamhindo is a young chef with seven years’ experience in a professional kitchen and has enjoyed the concept of food since the tender age of two. She studied at the South African Chefs Academy in Cape Town and the Culinary Arts Academy in Zimbabwe to become a level three advanced chef. Her specialties range from indigenous ingredients to fine dining, gourmet food, food health and food research and development. — [email protected].

Cook for the specified time: Consult your recipe for the recommended cooking time. The sous vide cooker will maintain the water temperature throughout the cooking process, ensuring that the food reaches the desired level of doneness.

  Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).