Monday, September 24, 2012

Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin with Mediterranean-Style Cous Cous


Aloha, Divas!

I'm back from a family trip to Kauai—what a stunning island! One of the most spectacular places that I've ever visited. Prehistoric almost.

But I am happy to be back in (smoggy/hot) LA. Now if only it would cool off. It's the end of September right? October is just around the corner? Why is it 90 freaking degrees?!

Lately, I fantasize about two things. Air conditioning and winter.

But hopefully today will be slightly cooler.

If you read my blog, then you know how much I love my Sous Vide Supreme. I can cook perfectly cooked, lusciously tender meat every time. It's also a great way not to use my oven (which heats up my whole house). This time, I did natural beef tenderloin, which is fabulous sous vide.

I simply salt and peppered it, cooked it for two hours (vacuum sealed), and then seared it. I served it over a Mediterranean-style whole wheat cous cous studded with chickpeas, grape tomatoes, red onion, parsley, cumin, and lemon. The resulting dish was clean, light, and of course...

Delicious!


Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin with Mediterranean-Style Cous Cous

Serves 2 people
Cooking time: 2 1/2 (including sous vide time)
Dairy-free

Ingredients

2 fillets beef tenderloin (about 4-5 ounces each)
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Mediterranean-Style Cous Cous
1 cup whole wheat cous cous, cooked per package instructions
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 medium red onion or 1 shallot, peeled and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the Sous Vide Supreme to 130 degrees for medium rare.

2. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper. Vacuum seal each steak into its own bag. Place them in the Sous Vide Supreme so that they aren't touching. Cover and allow to cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Once the steaks have finished cooking, remove them from the Sous Vide Supreme and cut them out of their bags. Quickly sear the steaks for a minute or so on each side in the grapeseed oil, until nicely browned. Allow to rest before slicing.

3. Meanwhile, to make the cous cous, combine the cooked cous cous, tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, spoon the cous cous on a plate or in a wide-bottomed bowl. Top with the slices of beef tenderloin. Garnish with lemon slices or fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad


It's been a whirlwind of family and travel!

First up was Portland with my husband and his family. I LOVED this city—more restaurants and food trucks than I could count. I feel like I barely scratched the eating surface Favorites included OxWoodsman Tavern, and Salt and Straw for homemade ice cream in unusual flavors.

I can't wait to return for a more extended trip.

My parents just arrived in LA yesterday for a few days, before we all jet off to Hawaii. We'll be visiting the beautiful island of Kauai for the first time. We've rented condos, so we'll be cooking in residence as I like to call it. My chef brother is also flying out from SF.

Should be some yummy food coming out of our kitchen!

I will report back.

In the meantime, here's a great recipe for Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad. It's simple and clean, really showcasing corn in its purest form. I paired it with red bell pepper and arugula, with a touch of lemon juice and cilantro. This makes for a great side dish (I served it with BBQ chicken).


Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad

Serves 4 people
Prep time: less than 10 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 cups baby arugula
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
pinch of cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place the corn, pepper, arugula, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the pinch of cumin, lemon juice (more may be added to taste), and olive oil. Toss well to combine.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!