Last week, I was lucky enough to attend a demonstration of Breville’s latest kitchen gadget, the Sous Vide Supreme, by My Kitchen Rules judge and celebrity chef Pete Evans (yes, he of the activated almonds) at Sydney Seafood School. It was my first visit to the fish markets, where the school is based, and wow, what a fascinating experience! A great way to get the mind buzzing with fish and seafood recipe ideas!
So, sous vide. Had I heard of it? No. But then we all know I’m not much of a masterchef and my kitchen certainly doesn’t rule. Literally translated from the French, it means ‘under vacuum’. I’d heard of boil in the bag fish (takes me back to my student days, with mashed potatoes please) but this is something way more sophisticated and, Pete assures us, used by almost every top restaurant in the world. Who knew? When you order that perfectly done steak, the reason it’s so perfect is because it’s been cooked in a plastic bag in a temperature controlled bath of water, then finished off with a flash in the pan! Fascinating! Some would call it cheating. I’d call it smart.