Sous vide green vegetables that retain color!

[flamin lib]

I've been cooking sous vide for about a year now and some things it does really well and some things not so much. Protein is great, particularly pork, salmon and cheap cuts of beef. Not fond of white meat chicken or white fish from a texture standpoint tho.

Carrots are great, a little pat of butter and some sugar and after 1.5-2 hours @ 185 degrees and they just taste more carroty than other methods. Green veggies are a whole different issue, they turn grey and look un-appetizing.

But cooking them in boiling water for 5-6 minutes is just about perfect. Slice celery on the bias 1/4 inch and vacuum with a pat of butter and 1/8 tsp Better than Bullion chicken. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and cook for 6 minutes before shocking in cold water. The color is just like the raw celery and there is the slightest bit of tooth to the vegetables. Asparagus takes a little less time depending on how large it is and green beans maybe a little longer. They all come out vibrant green and lose no flavor to the boiling/blanching water.

You can also cook large quantities ahead and throw them in the hot water a few minutes before serving. They don't lose flavor to oxidation so it's as if you just finished them even if they are days old. Takes a load off Thanksgiving with the whole family.

[Warpy]

1. Blanching and shocking have long been known to preserve color

and are the only way to freeze veg. Once Clarence Birdseye figured that out, he was well on his way to making his millions.

I also like it for broccoli to be used on a crudité platter, it gets rid of the bitter taste raw broccoli has.

As for fixing color in cooked food, stir frying does the best job of that. It cooks the outside quickly, changing the colors from pale to vibrant while leaving the interior structure alone for that "bite" you're talking about.

[flamin lib]

2. Yes but blanching, at least in theory, leaches some flavor.

That's the point in cooking the vegetables sealed so that they never touch the cooking medium. Like I said about the carrots cooked at 185 for two hours, they retain a uniquely carroty flavor more intense than other cooking methods.

Roasting veggies is also a way to intensify the flavors but you have to pay attention and not burn them. Sous Vide allows a wide window for cooking times as you cook the food to the "done-ness temp" and it can be held for a long time without over cooking. Except for green veggies and they turn grey with long cooking times at low temperatures.

Another thing about sous vide is the repeat-ability of results. Once you have the time to al-dante you desire you can repeat it every single time without fail.

One thing about vacuum sealing veggies tho; there are a lot of nooks and crannies that hold air that expands on heating (as well as out gassing) so you have to be prepared to weight them to keep the bag submerged.