Say Cheese!

By Marilyn Kitzes || Photos by Scott Suchman 

Like a hearty beer or perfectly aged wine, cheese is one of life’s great pleasures. Full of savory flavor, cheese makes vegetable dishes taste a world richer. From Asiago and Brie to Gruyѐre and paneer, here are a few sous vide recipes that incorporate cheese in all its glory.

PANEER TIKKA
Looking for a new appetizer idea? Try this Indian-inspired dish featuring skewers of vegetables and spiced cheese. It features paneer, a soft cheese commonly used in Indian dishes; red and green bell peppers; red onion; and exotic spices like Kashmiri chili powder, amchoor (dry mango powder), and garam masala. These, along with common ingredients like fennel, lemon juice, and plain yogurt, are all placed in a sous vide pouch, marinated for four hours, then placed in a water bath for one hour at 141°F (61°C). The paneer and vegetables are then placed on skewers, grilled, and served with a divine tomato jam.

KING OYSTER GRATIN
Two kinds of mushrooms plus two kinds of cheese equals one really fantastic dish. The base of this casserole combines crème fraîche, egg yolks, heavy cream, Asiago and Brie cheeses, quinoa flakes, onion powder, and diced oyster mushrooms in a sous vide pouch. After cooking in a water bath at 167°F (75°C) for one hour, the mixture is layered with king oyster mushrooms (like a lasagna) in a casserole dish, and baked for 25 minutes to reach an incredible gooey goodness.

RAINBOW ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN
A root vegetable celebration, this recipe calls for an impressive underground lineup—parsnips, rutabaga, golden and red beets, potatoes, carrots, and turnips. First, Parmesan and Gruyѐre are whisked with garlic to create a rich cheese sauce. Then, each of the seven vegetables is sliced and placed into its own sous vide pouch along with equal portions of the cheese mixture. Then, the pouches are placed in a water bath, set at 182°F (83°C) for two hours. After cooling a bit, the mixture is alternately layered with the sauce and the vegetables in a casserole dish—with extra cheese on top—and baked for 35 minutes in the oven. We think it’s a dish a dinner guest (of any age) would enjoy.