Sous Vide Poached Salmon with Beets and Cucumber Creme Fraiche

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Images
Sous Vide Poached Salmon with Beets and Cucumber Creme Fraiche
Serves
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Beets
  • 2 medium red beets
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil


Salmon
  • 4, 5–6 ounce salmon fillets, skinned
  • 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 8 fresh dill sprigs
  • 4 tablespoons dry white wine, divided
  • Salt and white pepper, to taste


Cucumber Crème Fraîche
  • ¾ cup crème fraîche
  • ⅓ English cucumber, seeded and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped fine
  • Dill sprigs for garnish


Procedure
Celebrated by chefs from Heston Blumenthal to Thomas Keller, cooking sous vide calls for slowly heating vacuum-sealed food in water at low temperatures, locking in natural juices and flavors lost with other methods. Fish, meat, poultry and vegetables cook for hours, even days, with stunning results every time. The object is to cook the items evenly and not to overcook the outside while keeping the inside at the same “doneness” keeping the food succulent.

This recipe was tested with the Sansaire immersion water circulator. Sous-vide cooking times may vary based on the device being used. Please consult your device’s owner’s manual for proper cooking times, food-handling and safety procedures.


Discover more about sous vide cooking with the Sansaire: Click here »

For the beets, preheat oven to 350°F. If beet greens are still attached, trim to 1" length and scrub beets. Place in a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to enclose beets. Add butter, sugar and salt, wrap foil around beets and place in oven. Roast until tender, about 1-½ hours. Remove from oven and cool enough to handle. Unwrap beets and rub off the skins with a kitchen towel or a peeler. Cut the beets into ¼" cubes, toss with hazelnut oil, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

For the salmon, choose a pot large enough to hold your food, with plenty of room for the water to circulate. Attach the Sansaire to the side of the pot using the clamp and add water until the level is above the minimum fill line but below the maximum fill line. Remember that the water level will rise when you add your food.

Plug in and turn on your immersion circulator, turning the silver temperature ring above the display to 132 degrees. Wait until the target water temperature has been achieved before starting to cook.

Season salmon portions generously with salt and white pepper. Place each salmon fillet in a separate zip lock bag with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 dill sprigs and 1 tablespoon white wine. Seal the bags and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

While refrigerating the salmon fillets, whisk the crème fraiche until thickened. Grate the cucumber and fold into the crème fraiche along with the chopped dill. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To cook salmon, place bags in the pot of water heated by the immersion circulator and cook at 132°F for 10–12 minutes. Remove the bags from water with tongs and let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.

To serve, remove salmon fillets from bags and blot on paper towels. Place each fillet on a separate serving plate and garnish each with beet cubes and a dollop of cucumber crème fraîche. Garnish with dill sprigs and serve immediately.

Sous Vide Poached Salmon with Beets and Cucumber Creme Fraiche

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Serves
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Beets
  • 2 medium red beets
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil


Salmon
  • 4, 5–6 ounce salmon fillets, skinned
  • 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 8 fresh dill sprigs
  • 4 tablespoons dry white wine, divided
  • Salt and white pepper, to taste


Cucumber Crème Fraîche
  • ¾ cup crème fraîche
  • ⅓ English cucumber, seeded and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped fine
  • Dill sprigs for garnish


Procedure
Celebrated by chefs from Heston Blumenthal to Thomas Keller, cooking sous vide calls for slowly heating vacuum-sealed food in water at low temperatures, locking in natural juices and flavors lost with other methods. Fish, meat, poultry and vegetables cook for hours, even days, with stunning results every time. The object is to cook the items evenly and not to overcook the outside while keeping the inside at the same “doneness” keeping the food succulent.

This recipe was tested with the Sansaire immersion water circulator. Sous-vide cooking times may vary based on the device being used. Please consult your device’s owner’s manual for proper cooking times, food-handling and safety procedures.


Discover more about sous vide cooking with the Sansaire: Click here »

For the beets, preheat oven to 350°F. If beet greens are still attached, trim to 1" length and scrub beets. Place in a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to enclose beets. Add butter, sugar and salt, wrap foil around beets and place in oven. Roast until tender, about 1-½ hours. Remove from oven and cool enough to handle. Unwrap beets and rub off the skins with a kitchen towel or a peeler. Cut the beets into ¼" cubes, toss with hazelnut oil, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

For the salmon, choose a pot large enough to hold your food, with plenty of room for the water to circulate. Attach the Sansaire to the side of the pot using the clamp and add water until the level is above the minimum fill line but below the maximum fill line. Remember that the water level will rise when you add your food.

Plug in and turn on your immersion circulator, turning the silver temperature ring above the display to 132 degrees. Wait until the target water temperature has been achieved before starting to cook.

Season salmon portions generously with salt and white pepper. Place each salmon fillet in a separate zip lock bag with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 dill sprigs and 1 tablespoon white wine. Seal the bags and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

While refrigerating the salmon fillets, whisk the crème fraiche until thickened. Grate the cucumber and fold into the crème fraiche along with the chopped dill. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To cook salmon, place bags in the pot of water heated by the immersion circulator and cook at 132°F for 10–12 minutes. Remove the bags from water with tongs and let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.

To serve, remove salmon fillets from bags and blot on paper towels. Place each fillet on a separate serving plate and garnish each with beet cubes and a dollop of cucumber crème fraîche. Garnish with dill sprigs and serve immediately.