Seared Sous Vide Octopus
with Wilted Escarole, Fennel, and Lemon
- IMPERIAL
- METRIC
INGREDIENTS
Seared Sous Vide Octopus
- ½ pouch Cuisine Solutions Poached Octopus
- 2 oz grapeseed oil
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- Herb Marinade, as desired (see below)
Herb Marinade
- 2 oz parsley, leaves picked
- .5 oz thyme, picked
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 T shallot
- 1 lemon, juice and jest
- 2 oz grapeseed oil
- 4 oz olive oil
- Salt and pepper, as needed
Fennel Bulb Purée
- 4.5 oz fennel bulb, greens removed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp onion
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt, as needed
- White pepper, ground, as needed
- Fennel fronds, finely chopped, as desired
Compressed Fennel 'Escabeche'
- 4 oz fennel bulb
- 1 sprig marjoram
- 1 oz extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- White balsamic vinegar, as desired
Fennel Frond Purée
- 5 oz fennel fronds picked and roughly chopped
- 2 oz parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 oz spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 oz grapeseed oil
Lemon Emulsion
- 1.75 oz lemon juice, divided
- 2 lemon zest
- 2 oz honey
- 2 oz water
- 1/16 t Agar Agar powder
- 1/8 t Xanthan gum
- 10 oz neutral olive oil
- Salt, as needed
- Water, as needed
Sea Bean Pickle
- 4 oz sea beans
- 2 oz white balsamic vinegar
- ½ oz water
- Sugar, as needed
Charred Escarole
- 1 head escarole, cleaned, washed, split
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt, as needed
Candied Citrus Peel
- 2 large oranges, quartered
- 4 c sugar, separated (3 cups and 1 cup)
- 3 c water
- Water for blanching, as needed
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the Octopus: Open the pouch of Cuisine Solutions Poached Octopus, drain off the natural jus, and save. Separate the tentacles, allow to dry overnight in the fridge. To sear: preheat a griddle pan over high heat for 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, generously coat the octopus in oil, and place directly onto the griddle to char, 1-2 minutes per side. Once a good sear is achieved, remove the octopus from the heat and smother with herb marinade.
- For the Herb Marinade: In a small saucepot, brown the shallot and garlic over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine all of the remaining ingredients into a food processor work bowl. Give the mix a few pulses to begin combining the ingredients. Once the shallot and garlic have even color, add a pinch of salt and remove the pan from the heat and pour into the food processor. Continue to purée the mix in pulses. Store for marinating.
- For the Fennel Bulb Purée: Preheat a water bath to 185°F. Peel and wash the fennel bulb. Remove any green, as it will discolor the purée. Shave the fennel on a mandolin for even slices. Combine the fennel, garlic, onion and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper into a vacuum bag. Seal and cook in the water bath for 1 hour. Remove the pouch from the water bath, and open. Pour all of the ingredients into a blender and purée. Drizzle in the olive oil as needed, and adjust seasoning. Remove the purée from the blender, and place into a small mixing bowl. Gently fold and stir the mix to help it cool. Once the mix is just warm to the touch, mix in the chopped fennel fronds for color.
- For the Fennel Escabeche: Wash, trim and peel the fennel bulb. Slit the bulb in half lengthwise. Using a mandolin, shave the fennel into thin ribbons. Season the fennel with a pinch of salt and pepper; drizzle the olive oil in and toss with the marjoram sprig. Place into a sous vide pouch, seal at full compression. Remove from the pouch and place in a clean mixing bowl; season with the vinegar, and adjust salt and pepper as liked.
- For the Fennel Frond Purée: Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the oil, garlic. Allow the mix to sauté until light color forms. Add a pinch of salt, and lower the heat. Add the remaining ingredients to the sauté pan, and quickly wilt the greens. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour all of the contents into a blender. Purée till smooth, and pour out into a shallow bowl, and cool the mix rapidly for best results.
- For the Lemon Emulsion: Combine the honey, water, agar-agar, and half of the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mix to a simmer over low heat, and allow the mix to boil for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the remaining lemon juice and xanthan gum. Using a whisk, give the xanthan a quick mix. Then using a stick blender, emulsify in the hot lemon agar mix. Lastly, blend in the olive oil. Remove from the bowl and allow the mix to chill till the agar sets. Once chilled, the mix may need a second blitz from a stick blender and a splash of water to loosen the mix. Store in a squeeze bottle.
- For the Sea Bean Pickle: Place all of the ingredients in a shallow bowl; toss to combine. Place into a sous vide pouch and seal at full compression. Remove from the pouch and place in a clean mixing bowl, season with the vinegar, and adjust salt and pepper as liked.
- For the Charred Escarole: Wash the escarole and shake dry. Trim any browned leaves. Cut lengthwise straight through the core into halves. Season with oil, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. Quickly char the escarole until wilted and charred in spots on the halves. Turn only once. Remove from the heat, and dress with just a splash more olive oil.
- For the Candied Citrus Peel: Preheat blanching water. Cut peel on each orange into four vertical segments. Remove each peel segment using a knife to remove any white pith. Blanch rinds in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain off the hot water. Cover again in cold water, and drain for a second time. Combine 3 cups of sugar and 3 cups of water to create the simple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover with foil to ensure all sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat; and add the orange peel. Simmer until peel feels very soft, about 40 minutes. Drain off the syrup. In a mixing bowl, add the remaining cup of sugar. Cut the cooked peel into any desired shapes, or keep them whole, and toss the peel to coat. Keep the peels separated, and lift the peel from sugar. Let stand till dry.
INGREDIENTS
Seared Sous Vide Octopus
- ½ pouch Cuisine Solutions Poached Octopus
- 50 ml grapeseed oil
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- Herb Marinade, as desired (see below)
Herb Marinade
- 30 g parsley, leaves picked
- 10 g thyme, picked
- 5 g garlic clove
- 10 g shallot
- 1 ea lemon, juice and zest
- 50 g grapeseed oil
- 200 g olive oil
- Salt and pepper, as needed
Fennel Bulb Purée
- 200 g fennel bulb, greens removed
- 5 g garlic
- 15 g onion
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt, as needed
- White pepper, ground, as needed
- Fennel fronds, finely chopped, as desired
Compressed Fennel 'Escabeche'
- 100 g fennel bulb
- 1 sprig marjoram
- 20 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- White balsamic vinegar, as desired
Fennel Frond Purée
- 115 g fennel fronds picked, roughly chopped
- 50 g parsley Leaves, roughly chopped
- 50 g spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 80 g grapeseed oil
Lemon Emulsion
- 40 g lemon juice, divided half
- 2 ea lemon zest
- 40 g honey
- 40 g water
- .4 g Agar Agar powder
- 1 g Xanthan gum
- 360 g neutral olive oil
- Salt, as needed
- Water, as needed
Sea Bean Pickle
- 100 g sea beans
- 50 g white balsamic vinegar
- 10 g water
- Sugar, as needed
Charred Escarole
- 1 head escarole, cleaned, washed, split
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt, as needed
Candied Citrus Peel
- 2 large oranges, quartered
- 800 g sugar, separated (divided into 600g and 200g portions)
- 600 g water
- Water for blanching, as needed
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the Octopus: Open the pouch of Cuisine Solutions Poached Octopus, drain off the natural jus, and save. Separate the tentacles, allow to dry overnight in the fridge. To sear: preheat a griddle pan over high heat for 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, generously coat the octopus in oil, and place directly onto the griddle to char, 1-2 minutes per side. Once a good sear is achieved, remove the octopus from the heat and smother with herb marinade.
- For the Herb Marinade: In a small saucepot, brown the shallot and garlic over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine all of the remaining ingredients into a food processor work bowl. Give the mix a few pulses to begin combining the ingredients. Once the shallot and garlic have even color, add a pinch of salt and remove the pan from the heat and pour into the food processor. Continue to purée the mix in pulses. Store for marinating.
- For the Fennel Bulb Purée: Preheat a water bath to 90°C. Peel and wash the fennel bulb. Remove any green, as it will discolor the purée. Shave the fennel on a mandolin for even slices. Combine the fennel, garlic, onion and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper into a vacuum bag. Seal and cook in the water bath for 1 hour. Remove the pouch from the water bath, and open. Pour all of the ingredients into a blender and purée. Drizzle in the olive oil as needed, and adjust seasoning. Remove the purée from the blender, and place into a small mixing bowl. Gently fold and stir the mix to help it cool. Once the mix is just warm to the touch, mix in the chopped fennel fronds for color.
- For the Fennel Escabeche: Wash, trim and peel the fennel bulb. Slit the bulb in half lengthwise. Using a mandolin, shave the fennel into thin ribbons. Season the fennel with a pinch of salt and pepper; drizzle the olive oil in and toss with the marjoram sprig. Place into a sous vide pouch, seal at full compression. Remove from the pouch and place in a clean mixing bowl; season with the vinegar, and adjust salt and pepper as liked.
- For the Fennel Frond Purée: Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the oil, garlic. Allow the mix to sauté until light color forms. Add a pinch of salt, and lower the heat. Add the remaining ingredients to the sauté pan, and quickly wilt the greens. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour all of the contents into a blender. Purée till smooth, and pour out into a shallow bowl, and cool the mix rapidly for best results.
- For the Lemon Emulsion: Combine the honey, water, agar-agar, and half of the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mix to a simmer over low heat, and allow the mix to boil for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the remaining lemon juice and xanthan gum. Using a whisk, give the xanthan a quick mix. Then using a stick blender, emulsify in the hot lemon agar mix. Lastly, blend in the olive oil. Remove from the bowl and allow the mix to chill till the agar sets. Once chilled, the mix may need a second blitz from a stick blender and a splash of water to loosen the mix. Store in a squeeze bottle.
- For the Sea Bean Pickle: Place all of the ingredients in a shallow bowl; toss to combine. Place into a sous vide pouch and seal at full compression. Remove from the pouch and place in a clean mixing bowl, season with the vinegar, and adjust salt and pepper as liked.
- For the Charred Escarole: Wash the escarole and shake dry. Trim any browned leaves. Cut lengthwise straight through the core into halves. Season with oil, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. Quickly char the escarole until wilted and charred in spots on the halves. Turn only once. Remove from the heat, and dress with just a splash more olive oil.
- For the Candied Citrus Peel: Preheat blanching water. Cut peel on each orange into four vertical segments. Remove each peel segment using a knife to remove any white pith. Blanch rinds in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain off the hot water. Cover again in cold water, and drain for a second time. Combine 600 g of sugar and 600 g of water to create the simple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover with foil to ensure all sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat; and add the orange peel. Simmer until peel feels very soft, about 40 minutes. Drain off the syrup. In a mixing bowl, add the remaining 200 g of sugar. Cut the cooked peel into any desired shapes, or keep them whole, and toss the peel to coat. Keep the peels separated, and lift the peel from sugar. Let stand till dry.