Sous Vide: Seared Butternut Squash Steak with Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese

Sous vide can be used to create unique and interesting effects with winter squash. Butternut squash is favored for its uniform shape.

Ingredients

Butternut squash, barrel end, cut into steaks, approximately 2.5 oz./70g each.

Assorted seasonings as desired–we used kosher salt, white pepper, ground green cardamom and dried parsley.

Vegetable oil, a few drops.

Pt. Reyes blue cheese, approximately 1 oz/30 g.

Popcorn, about 16 pieces.

Peanuts, about 16 each.

Balsamic syrup to drizzle.

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle.

Parsley, chopped as needed.

Sambal olek, Sriracha or equivalent, as needed.

Equipment requirements.

Vacuum machine, chamber or channel type.

Small skillet.

Oven (optional).

 

Above: Lipavi C15 container, N15 polycarbonate rack. Lipavi C15L lid.

Actual prep time, 1 hour
Level of difficulty: 2.75
Serves 4

Procedure

FIRST: Sous vide process the Butternut squash as explained HERE.

After processing at 183 F/84 C for one hour, submerge the squash in iced tap water until it achieves 70 F/21 C. Refrigerate at 40 F/4 C until day of service. Remove the squash from the pouch carefully and pat dry with a paper towel.

Cut into desired shapes, approximately 0.75″/2 cm thick. Save the trim for other applications like Butternut squash gnocchi or Butternut squash tortellini. Place the individual steaks on a paper towel.

Fold the paper towel over each steak.

Wrap in a fabric kitchen towel and vacuum in a sous vide pouch.

Remove the towel, and then the paper towel.

Dust lightly with powdered egg white.

Mist lightly with water.

Apply desired seasonings.

Spray or drizzle lightly with vegetable oil. Set aside. Preheat plates in an oven set on “warm,” approximately 170 F/76 C.

Make the popcorn as per the package directions. Set aside.

Preheat a small skillet to 275 F/135 C, add a few drops of oil and add the peanuts. This light browning process only takes a few seconds. Stage the peanuts to a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside. Wipe the skillet dry with a kitchen towel.

Return the skillet to the burner and heat to 275 F/135 C. Add a few drops of vegetable oil and sear each squash steak–do not crowd the pan. This process takes about 30 seconds for each stake. Turn the steak over and continue searing for another thirty seconds. The steak will have an internal temperature of at least 140 F/60 C. Stage each steak onto a plate.

Drizzle the balsamic syrup around the steaks. Arrange the popcorn and peanuts around the steaks as shown. Place a piece of the blue cheese and a peanut on top of each steak. Place a small piece of the blue cheese on the plates as well. Dot the top of the cheese and steaks with the extra virgin olive oil. Place a few drops of the sambal olek on the plates and sprinkle with parsley or chopped mint.

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Norm King

 

 

 

 

About

This Lipavi recipe is one of several that take advantage of various vegetables and starches. Potatoes, carrots and even beets can benefit greatly from sous vide's ability to denature, pasteurize and preserve. Once properly cold shocked and refrigerated, these vegetables can be stored for at least a month without degradation of quality, flavor, or color.

Rather than racking our brains for how to relieve ourselves of an entire winter squash without alienating our families, we can package and process sections of the squash and serve them in various ways at our convenience.

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