Introduction

Hi, everyone, and welcome to my blog! My name is Jessica Siuda, and I'm a recent graduate from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. My goal in setting up this culinary blog is to share some of the knowledge that I was fortunate enough to gain during the six months that I spent at FCI, as well as to incorporate many of the interesting and entertaining encounters I had along the way. In addition, my intention is to explore new culinary techniques, cuisines, and ingredients and continue to learn right alongside everyone that reads this blog. The title of the blog, "Sous Vide Siuda," stems from the fact that I recently received a PolyScience circulator that I plan to use incessantly in all facets possible, until I learn all the ins and outs of low temperature cooking. Yes... this could take a while! I have to give due credit here and say that my fellow classmate and alum, Marc, was the one who initially coined this term. When I told him I had gotten a circulator, his response was, "Holy sh*t! Sous Vide Siuda!" 


I liked it, and it stuck. Thanks, Marky Marc. Anyway, while I most certainly will blog about my trials, tribulations, and (hopefully) triumphs, with my new toy, it is not my intent to make it the main focus of this blog. I've got some ideas brewing, but you'll just have to keep reading to find out what I have in mind. So I say unto you... Enjoy! I know I will.
Yours,

J. Siuda

Molten Chocolate Cakes with Blackberry Coulis and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Molten Chocolate Cakes


Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


8 oz plus 6 T unsalted butter
10 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate
6 egg yolks 
6 whole eggs
3 c 10x confectioners’sugar
1 c all purpose flour


For the blackberry coulis:


1 pint fresh blackberries
3 T water
½ c granulated sugar
2 T Chambord


For the Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream:


2 c milk
2 c heavy cream
8 egg yolks
9 oz granulated sugar
2 Tahitian vanilla beans, split and scraped


For the sugar “gold” garnish:


1 c granulated sugar
2-3 T water
Mint sprigs (also for garnish)


Procedure:


1. Make the ice cream: Prepare a crème anglaise by bringing to a boil the milk, cream, and split and scraped vanilla beans. Temper with blanchired egg yolks and sugar (whisk together the yolks and sugar until they become pale yellow). Cook until nappant or able to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Freeze in a ice cream maker, according to manufacturer’s directions.


2. Make the blackberry coulis: Make a simple syrup with the granulated sugar the water. Remove from heat. Transfer to a blender or food processor with the blackberries. Process until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Mix in the Chambord.


3. Make the sugar “gold:” Bring to hard ball stage the sugar and water. Drizzle quickly over a silpat lined sheet pan. Let cool and harden, and separate into shards.


4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.


5. Grease and line with cocoa powder 8 ramekins.


6. Make the chocolate cakes: Melt the butter and chocolate together. While melting, mix together the eggs and confectioners’ sugar. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled a little, whisk in the egg and sugar mixture. Then, whisk in the flour all at once. Pour into the prepared ramekins, and bake 4-5 minutes.


7. For service: Place the cake in the center of the plate. Surround with blackberry coulis. Top the cake with a quenelle of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with sugar “gold” and mint sprigs.

Israeli Couscous Custard with Oven Dried Banana, Kaffir Lime Drizzle, and Honey Tuile

Israeli Couscous Custard


Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


4 firm bananas, peeled
3-4 T turbinado sugar
¾ c Israeli couscous
¾ orange juice
1 ½ c water
1 c sugar
3 sheets gelatin
½ c coconut milk
1 ½ c heavy cream
Simple syrup (½ c water and ½ c sugar)
Zest of 1 lime
1 kaffir lime leaf, chopped
24 raspberries
2 T unsalted butter
¼ c 10x confectioners’ sugar
3 T honey
1/3 c flour, sifted


Procedure:


1. Make the oven dried bananas: Thinly slice the bananas lengthwise on a mandoline. Place on a silpat lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake approximately one hour in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.


2. Make the honey tuiles: Melt the butter. Add the confectioners’ sugar and honey. Mix well. Add the sifted flour. Refrigerate until cold. When the tuile batter is cold, pipe onto silpat lined baking sheet and bake 6-7 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, until golden brown. Working quickly, remove the tuiles individually and wrap around the handle of a wooden spoon until set in a spiral shape. Carefully reserve for service.


3. Make the custard: Place the water, orange juice, couscous, and ¼ c of the sugar in a russe. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for approximately thirty minutes, or until the couscous becomes tender. More liquid can be added if the initial liquid evaporates and the couscous has not thoroughly cooked. Submerge the gelatin leaves in cool water and let bloom. Simultaneously heat cream, coconut milk, and remaining sugar in a russe (deep saucepan) until the sugar completely dissolves. Add the gelatin leaves (once they have softened) to the milk and cream mixture and stir to dissolve. Cool over an ice bath. Once cool, mix together the gelatin mixture and the couscous mixture. Refrigerate or continue to cool over an ice bath, so that the custard thickens. Stir occasionally. 


4. Make the kaffir lime sauce: Prepare a simple syrup as to the above specifications. Stir in the lime zest and chopped kaffir lime leaf. Cool over an ice bath. Place in a squeeze bottle with the top half of the tip cut off, so as to facilitate an easier exit for the zest from the bottle.


5. To plate: Arrange the dried bananas to line the inside of a larger ring mold. Two to three slices should be sufficient. Spoon in the couscous custard to fill the ring. Squirt some of the lime sauce around the plate. Remove the ring mold. Garnish with three raspberries and one tuile.

Baby Lamb Chops with Creamy Polenta and Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Baby Lamb Chops


Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


16 baby lamp chops
6 sprigs chopped fresh thyme
2 T dried porcini salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste


For the polenta:


3 c chicken stock
3 c heavy cream
13 oz polenta

2 oz shredded parmesan cheese
4 T unsalted butter
8 oz mascarpone cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


For the roasted cherry tomatoes:


40-50 cherry tomatoes, on the vine
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch sugar
2 T chopped fresh thyme 


For the broccoli rabe:


1 lb broccoli rabe
1 head garlic, cloves thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon


For the balsamic reduction:


24 oz balsamic vinegar (1 large bottle)


Procedure:


1. Rub the lamb chops with porcini, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped thyme. Let rest and come to room temperature before pan searing.


2. Place the balsamic in russe over heat. Reduce until thick and syrupy in consistency. 


3. Gently toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, chopped thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately ten minutes, or until the tomatoes begins to plump and burst.


4. Bring the chicken stock and cream to a boil. Stir in the polenta, and stir with a wooden spoon until it begins to thicken significantly. Remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese, butter, mascarpone cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm for service.


5. Soften the thinly sliced garlic in some olive oil, but do not brown. Add the broccoli rabe, and sauté until wilted but retaining significant crunch. When done cooking, squeeze with the juice of ½ a lemon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Alternately, you can cook the broccoli rabe a lánglaise (in plenty of boiling salted water), making sure to refresh in ice water, and then sauté it. 


6. Pan sear the lamb chops 1-2 minutes each side for rare to medium-rare doneness, depending on thickness.


7. Plate two lamb chops resting against some polenta. Nestle the broccoli rabe in front of the two chops, and place approximately 5 cherry tomatoes (still on the vine) off to the side. Garnish with dots or drizzles of the balsamic reduction.

Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Fennel Puree and Blood Orange

Olive Oil Poached Halibut

Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


For the fish:


8 4 oz fillets of halibut, pin bones removed
2 T sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
2 T whole fennel seeds
3 T vadouvan
6 c extra virgin olive oil (for poaching the fish)
2 heads garlic, split horizontally in half
4 sprigs of thyme
1 T whole black peppercorns


For the fennel puree:


2 heads fennel, sliced thinly on a mandoline, fronds reserved for garnish
2 shallots, ciseler
1 c heavy cream
Extra virgin olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon (zest reserved for garnish)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


For the blood orange emulsion:


1 c blood orange juice (freshly squeezed if possible)
4 fresh bay leaves
2 ½ c cold, cubed, unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Pinch sugar




Garnish:


Reserved lemon zest
Reserved fennel fronds
Mint leaves
Dill
Cured black olives, chopped
Salmon roe


Procedure:


1. Cover the halibut fillets with the salt, pepper, and fennel seeds and vadouvan. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour.


2. Sweat the shallots and finely sliced fennel for ten to fifteen minutes, until very soft, but not colored. Add the cream and cook an additional ten to fifteen minutes, until the cream has reduced. Puree the mixture in a food processor, adding the butter and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm for service.


3. Bring the olive oil to a simmer and shut off the heat. Gently lower in the halibut fillets, one by one, the garlic, the thyme, and the whole black peppercorns. Let cook about ten minutes, or until desired level of doneness is achieved.


4. Reduce by half the blood orange juice in a saucepan. Add the bay leaves and whisk in the cold, cubed butter to achieve a “beurre blanc” consistency. Season with salt and pepper and the pinch of sugar.


5. For service: Spoon the fennel puree onto the bottom of the plate and, using the top third of the spoon, make a swoosh like motion. Place the halibut fillet over top, and spoon some of the blood orange emulsion around the plate. Garnish with: fennel fronds, dill, mint leaves, black olives, lemon zest, and salmon roe.

Bucatini with Soft Poached Egg, Asparagus, and Truffle

Truffle Bucatini

Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


2 packages dried bucatini (1000 g total)
8 local farm eggs
2 oz parmesan cheese
1 small handful basil leaves, chiffonade
¼ lb unsalted butter
1 bunch of asparagus (the smaller, thinner spears are best)
3 oz pancetta, unrolled and cut into small lardoons
White truffle salt
1 oz black or white truffle paste
1 black truffle (fresh or preserved, your choice) to shave over top
Freshly ground black pepper


Procedure:


1. Poach the eggs in 180 degree Fahrenheit unsalted water with a touch of distilled white vinegar until just done. The white should set, but the yolk will still be very runny. Shock in ice water. Remove once room temperature, and reserve for later use.


2. Shave the parmesan cheese into curls using a vegetable peeler. Set aside for service.


3. Snap the ends off the asparagus. Cook a lánglaise (in salted, boiling water), refresh in ice water, and drain on a paper towel lined plate.


4. Cook the pancetta lardonss until they begin to slightly crisp but are still a little chewy.


5. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente, approximately 11-12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid.


6. Combine the pasta liquid with the truffle paste, butter, and 1-2 T truffle salt.


7. Toss the cooked pasta with the pasta liquid mixture and pancetta lardonss. Keep warm.


8. Boil water enough to accomodate all the poached eggs (or you can reheat them in two batches in a smaller pan). Shut off heat. Reheat the eggs in the water until warmed through. Drain on paper towels.


9. To serve: Twist the pasta to form and bundle and place in the center of the plate, leaving a dent or small hole in the top. Place the poached egg on top of the pasta. Arrange three asparagus spears attractively over the “nest.” Scatter several parmesan shavings over all. Garnish with basil chiffonade and freshly shaved truffles.

Scallop Ceviche with Yuzu, Jalapenos, and Cilantro

Scallop Ceviche


Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients:


16 large sea scallops
Juice and zest of 1 lime
½ c. yuzu juice
1 jalapeno
½ red bell pepper
½ yellow bell pepper
½ orange bell pepper
½ green bell pepper
1 bunch scallions
½ bunch cilantro
1 T raw local honey
4 blue corn tortillas
Canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


Procedure:


1. Look over, rinse, and finely dice scallops.


2. Finely dice all bell peppers.


3. Finely dice ½ the jalepeno, and grate the other half on a microplane.


4. Emincer scallions.


5. Finely chop cilantro.


6. Zest and juice the lime.


7. Combine all above ingredients with the T raw, local honey and the yuzu juice. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let sit at least one hour (or up to several hours) in the refrigerator.


8. Cut each tortilla, depending on the size, into approximately 6 triangles. Deep fry the triangles in 350 degree Fahrenheit oil until crispy, and drain on paper towels. This should be done shortly before service.


9. Plate the ceviche using a medium ring mold, and serve with a sprig of cilantro and the tortilla chips as garnish.

Summer Herb Salad with Jicama, Pomegranate, Avocado, and Enoki Mushrooms

Seasonal Herb Salad


Yield: Serves 8


Ingredients: 


1 bunch baby arugula
1 bunch frisee
Several types of fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, dill, parsley, mint, for example)
3 avocados 
1-2 pomegranates, depending on size
2 bunches enoki mushrooms
½ of a small bulb of jicama
1 bunch basil
2 lemons (1 for the vinaigrette and the juice of the other for the avocados)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


Procedure:


1. Wash, pick over, portion, and combine the lettuce and the herbs. Save some nice looking herbs for garnish.


2. Halve the pomegranates and separate out the seeds, taking care not to spray yourself. This is best done over the sink.


3. Peel and cut the jicama into small macedoine.


4. Separate the enoki into bite size pieces (single mushrooms or small bunches of tiny mushrooms)


5. Chop the basil, and add to a blender or food processor with the juice of one lemon, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Add ¾ of a cup of extra virgin olive oil (or more, depending on taste and the juice yield of the lemon) and blend very minimally, so as not to make the vinaigrette bitter.


6. Slice the avocados thinly and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent oxidation.


7. Combine the lettuce and herbs with basil vinaigrette to taste, just before serving.


8. Plate the lettuce and herbs. Sprinkle with enoki mushrooms, jicama macedoine, and pomegranate seeds. Fan out an odd number of avocado slices directly on top of the salad. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with reserved herbs.

Wellfleet Oysters 3 Ways: Yuzu Kosho, Basil Mignonette, Grapefruit Pearl and Cucumber

Wellfleet Oysters Three Ways


Yield: 8 Servings


Ingredients:


2 dozen oysters (maybe a few more in case one or two are not good)


For the First Garniture:


1 T yuzu kosho (condiment made with yuzu zest, sea salt, chile peppers, and kombu)
3 T hot water


For the Second Garniture:


8 basil leaves, chiffonade
1 large or 2 small shallots, ciseler
1 T black pepper, mignonette
1 t kosher salt


For the Third Garniture:


½ of a seedless hothouse cucumber
½ of a grapefruit (not pink)


Procedure:


1. Combine the yuzu kosho and the hot water. Whisk vigorously until no lumps remain.


2. Combine the chiffonade of basil, ciseler shallot(s), and the black pepper mignonette.


3. Juice the cucumber, leaving the skins on for color. Alternately, if you do not have a juicer, dice and add the cucumber to a food processor. Then strain through cheesecloth. 


4. Using a paring knife, make supremes of half the grapefruit. Put the supremes with some of the juice into a stainless steel russe or sautoir and heat rapidly. Then place in a bowl and wrap twice with plastic wrap. Shake, but not too vigorously. The tiny, individual segments of the grapefruit should separate. Put over a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process.


5. Add the tiny, individual segments of the grapefruit to the cucumber water.


6. Open the oysters, being careful not to leave any pieces of shell once they are opened. Discard the tops of the shells.


7. Place three oysters on each plate. Spoon or place a small amount of each garniture over one of the oysters.

Cheese Straws with Prosciutto and Ras El Hanout

Cheese Twists


Yield: 8 Servings


Ingredients:


1 package (14 oz) frozen puff pastry dough 
¼ lbs manchego cheese (grated)
¼ lbs farmhouse cheddar cheese (grated)
½ t ras el hanout
½ lbs prosciutto


Procedure:


1. Combine cheeses and ras el hanout.


2. Roll out two sections of puff pastry dough at a time. There should be four sections total.


2. Sprinkle ¼ of cheese mixture on top of one section of puff pastry. Top with ½ of the prosciutto. Sprinkle another ¼ of the cheese mixture on top. Place the second section of puff pastry on top of this. 


3. Roll out just a little to help the cheese stick to both layers of puff pastry.


4. Cut with fluted pastry wheel into ½ inch to 1 inch strips. Twist.


5. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or until golden brown and bubbling.


6. Repeat the process with the second two sections of puff pastry, the remaining cheese mixture, and the remaining prosciutto.

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