So the first ever sous vide cook was a success. I'm sure we'll end up doing this one again. The chicken was genuinely the most moist chicken I've ever cooked and tasted like the best roast chicken I've ever come across.
If this is the first thing to come out of our sous vide trials then I can't wait to get experimenting with some other meats.
For anyone wandering what a sous vide is? You basically put your chosen meat or veg (or even dairy, people love a sous vide custard) in a bath for minimum an hour maximum - there is no maximum, I've seen briskets online go for over 50 hours!
But for those who aren't as OTT with cooking as I am, you can absolutely cook this recipe without, just get the chicken marinading in all the flavours for a good few hours, preferably over night, when ready to cook, pan fry the thighs in the pan to golden the skin and then move to the oven to finish cooking. 20 mins should be plenty, but be sure to check its cooked through before serving.
I used chefsteps.com recipe for inspiration for this meal, using a lot of their ideas but with a few alterations. They kept their Kale raw which is NOT for me, and they used Yam instead of Squash and kept their chicken seasoning plain. See below for my upgraded recipe. Enjoy!
Rosemary & Thyme Sous Vide Chicken Thighs with Butternut Squash Puree and Garlic, Pinenut Kale
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the chicken
4 chicken thighs, deboned
25g butter
1tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
For the Butternut Squash Puree
1 small butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and thinly sliced
120ml water
100g butter
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt
For the Kale
200g curly kale
2 garlic cloves, crushed
large handful of pine nuts
lemon juice
EQUIPMENT
Sous Vide
Hand blender
METHOD
(If you don't have a sous vide, cook the thighs as you would normally, marinate in the aromatics, pan fry to crisp the skin and then transfer to the oven and cook for a further 15-20 minutes)
Heat Joule to 73.9 °C
Place all of the ingredients to make the chicken in a bowl leaving out the butter and mix together until the chicken is coated in all the oil and flavours. Transfer to a ziplock bag and add a few chunks of butter. Make sure the chicken don't overlap as they may stick together during the cook.
When the sous vide is up to temperature, submerge the ziplock bag and cook for 1 hour.
Whilst the chicken is cooking prepare the butternut squash puree.
Slice the squash into 1cm thin slices and put in a saucepan, add the water and butter and cover, and cook over a low heat so you almost steam the squash. When almost cooked remove the lid and let more of the liquid evaporate.
When the squash is tender and almost disintegrating, but not too wet, get the hand blender to it and blend to a smooth puree. Taste and season, it might need a dash of vinegar, a pinch of salt, or a pinch of sugar, or all 3, you decide. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve
For the Kale we start with the pine nuts. Place them in a hot but dry pan and toast until golden. Set aside.
In the same pan pour in some oil, and at a low heat add in the garlic and saute until fragrant.
Add the kale a few handfuls at a time, stirring after each addition so that it starts to wilt, until all of the kale is added. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice and add the pine nuts back to the pan.
Keep warm until ready to serve.
When the chicken has been in the water bath for an hour, remove and place in a bowl full of cold water.
While your pan heats up, transfer thighs from the bag or bags to a clean plate. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Remember to keep the juices they were cooked in, you can either use them to make a chicken gravy, mix in with the squash puree or save for another dish, it'd go great in the base of a risotto.
Once pan is hot, place chicken thighs, skin side down, in the pan, and press down on them with your spatula. Sear for two to four minutes, or until skin is golden brown, and remove from pan.
Serve with the puree and kale, add a few thyme leaves at the end as a garnish and the dish is complete!
Bon Apetit!
It's delicious.