Sous-Vide Made Simple

By Marilyn Kitzes

As the founder and CEO of Nomiku—which launched the first immersion circulator via a Kickstarter campaign and funding through the hit show Shark Tank—Lisa Q. Fetterman revolutionized the home chef’s access to sous vide cooking. With her new book, Sous-Vide Made Simple—a follow-up to her previous Sous-Vide at Home— Fetterman and team help readers up their weeknight cooking game. The key, according to Fetterman, a working mother who empathizes with the midweek meal dilemma, is using an immersion circulator to cook main ingredients in advance. Then, those ingredients can be adapted into a variety of no-fuss meals on short notice.

The book includes master sous vide recipes for cooking flawless meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, followed by spinoff recipes to incorporate these main ingredients into complete meals like Asparagus Benedict, Drunken Noodles, and Moroccan Quinoa Bowl. Solid stand-bys such as BBQ Pork Ribs, Steak with Red Wine Mustard Sauce, and Chicken Parmesan are included, as well.

Of course, dessert isn’t given short shrift, and the dessert section of the book starts with a handy how-to on making a sous vide custard base that can be spun off into ice cream, crѐme anglaise—the versatile sauce used in French desserts—and semifreddo, a classic Italian dessert akin to frozen mousse. To that end, the book’s lineup includes recipes for Ice Cream Sandwiches, Chocolate Raspberry Parfaits, and Frozen Key Lime Pie.

In addition to highly helpful tips and tricks on sous vide cooking at home—such as how to weigh down your bags so they don’t float to the top of your pot, and safe-temperature guidelines–Fetterman also offers recipe ideas on self-made convenience sauces and condiments. Created through conventional cooking methods, her recipes for Salsa Roja, Korean Ssamjang, Harissa, and No-Whisk Homemade Mayonnaise are inspiring alternatives to store-bought versions. Finally, for those looking to save even more time, the book offers suggestions on one-bag meals to reduce cooking times and use the fewest pots and pans possible.

Shortening weekday time in the kitchen all while producing restaurant-quality meals? Sign us up.