Take one Sous Vide Supreme. Mix in a Big Green Egg. Sprinkle with other kitchen equipment. Combine with tender chicken breast, vine ripened tomatoes, crisp asparagus tips, fresh basil and papardelle pasta.

The result was a meal truly greater than the sum of its parts. And the ingredient that bought it all together? Pickled celeriac.
Continue reading“Sous Vide Chicken Breast with Pickled Celeriac”→

Equipment

• Sous vide and vacuum sealer
• 2 vacuum bags
• 2 saucepans
• Sharp knives
• Chopping boards
• 2 roasting trays
• Kitchen foil
• Towel
• Colander

Check out my blog post on sous vide cooking for more information on this type of cooking.

Ingredients

* – this is available from BBQ Gourmet and amazon.co.uk (affiliate link) in the UK. Lemongrass pepper can be substituted … but the Dizzy Pig rub is so much better.

Method

The method is broken into sections. A lot happens in a short space of time in the finishing stage, so it helps having two people cooking together to make this meal.

Preparation

1. In the morning (or day before), cut the celeriac to matchstick sized slices. Add slices to a pickling jar with white wine vinegar.
2. Pre-heat the water in sous vide to 65°C/149°F. Sprinkle some Dizzy Pig Shakin’ the Tree rub onto each chicken breast. Place two breasts and thin butter slices into a sous vide bag and seal the bag. Repeat for the remaining breasts.

Cooking

1. Add the sealed pouches into the sous vide, cook at 65°C/149°F for 60 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half, add them to roasting tray, sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Cut asparagus into small lengths, add to one saucepan. Place the pasta into a large, second saucepan.
3. Heat the BGE to 180°C/350°F, setup for indirect cook, cast iron grid. With 20 mins to go before the chicken is ready, roast the tomatoes in their tray for 15 mins, then remove, wrap it in kitchen foil and cover with a towel.
4. Using heat-resistant gloves, remove the platesetter from the BGE, leaving the cast iron grid in. Increase heat to 275°C/530°F.

Finishing

1. After 60 minutes, remove the chicken packets from sous vide.
2. In a saucepan, heat 50g butter and 1 tbsp of Dizzy Pig Shakin’ The Tree rub to create a marinade. Start to cook pasta and asparagus.
3. Open the sous vide bags into a large baking tray. There will be some liquid in bags,  add this to the saucepan with marinade for extra flavour.
4. Sear chicken breasts on BGE /frying pan for 30 seconds each side. Then wrap to keep warm.

Assembly and Serving

1. Drain the pasta and asparagus.
2. Add some pasta and celeriac strips to a bowl/plate. Slice a chicken breast, add this on top of the pasta. Add some tomato halves and sliced asparagus.
3. Pour the warmed marinade over dish. Garnish with some chopped basil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Hints, Tips and Pictures

1. Add hot tap water into the sous vide to reduce the time it takes for the water to get to temperature.
2. Always use heat-resistant gloves when manipulating hot items in a Big Green Egg.
3. The lid of the sous vide can be used as a tray to hold the juices from the bags. Ensure that it is wiped clean of moisture beforehand.
4. For a healthier version, dry rub the chicken and skip the butter in the sous vide, as well as the marinade at the end.
5. Leftover chicken can be used for lunch in pita bread with salad and coleslaw.