by Trends on Trends

Bloody Marys. So controversial. People either order them every Sunday with their brunch, or are completely nauseated by the thought of them. Perhaps the ‘ew’ factor comes from the classic, pre-fab V8 tomato mix full of preservatives and god knows what else. But such is not the case with a bloody mary that is sous vide, a process of which the end result is a light and airy, but flavorful product. (Maybe it’s the thought of a savory, vegetable cocktail, in which case, you may be out of luck, because this still is a bloody mary post.)

A little on sous vide: Sous-vide (/suːˈviːd/; French for “under vacuum”)[1] is a method of cooking food sealed in airtight plastic bags in a water bath or in a temperature-controlled steam environment for longer than normal cooking times. A sous vide machine is a staple on shows like Top Chef, and in the kitchens of successful chefs of all calibers. (It has also been used to quickly produce significant quantities of meals for hurricane evacuees; interesting.) Sous vide machines are often used to infuse things with intense and concentrated flavor. As Emily of Gastronomista put it; the lack of air in the sous vide bag allowed for the integrity of flavor to remain intact. (The exposure to air causes oxidation and therefore bitterness.)

This cocktail, created by Emily Arden Wells of Gastronomista.com is made with fresh ingredients rather than preserved (with the exception of Worcester Sauce and Hot Sauce) including fresh beefsteak tomatoes, fresh bird-chile peppers, whole white peppercorns, whole mustard seed, bay leaves, and fresh lemon peel for a bright citrus-y zip.  All of the ingredients go into the sous vide bag and cook for an hour.

Intimidated? Don’t be. More and more at home cooks are making use of high tech gadgets such as the sous vide machine. It’s not as complicated as it looks!

Let’s Make It Together!

Garden to Glass Sous Vide Bloody Mary

Makes 4 Cocktails

12 oz Vodka
4 Small Tomatoes or 1 Large Beefsteak Tomato – Sliced
4 Thai Bird Chiles
4 Bay Leaves
2 T Whole White Peppercorns
1/2 t. Salt
2 t. Hot Sauce
2 t. Worcester Sauce
2 t. Whole Mustard Seeds
4-5 Lemon Peel Coins
10 Fresh Chive Stalks
Garnish: Fresh Chive Bud

Instructions

Place all ingredients into the sous vide bag, squeeze out all excess air, and seal.
Submerge in the Sous Vide at 140 Degrees Fahrenheit for 1 Hour.
Strain with Cheese Cloth, and store liquid in a non-reactive container prior to serving. (I like glass flip-top bottles).
Equipment: Sous Vide Supreme, vacuum sealer, & vacuum pouches. Glass bottles for storing.
Pro Tip: Use the seal function only, do not use the vacuum function when preparing liquids.

Serve

Serve in a rocks glass with a lot of ice, and garnish with a fresh chive bud.
For a refreshing variation – top with seltzer water!