In "Under Pressure", Thomas Keller shows us how sous vide, which involves packing food in airtight plastic bags and cooking at low heat, achieves results that other cooking methods simply cannot - in flavour and precision. For example, steak that is a perfect medium rare from top to bottom; and meltingly tender yet medium rare short ribs that haven't lost their flavour to the sauce. Fish, which has a small window of doneness, is easier to finesse, and salmon develops a voluptuous texture when cooked at a low temperature. Fruit and vegetables benefit too, retaining their bright colour while achieving remarkable textures. There is wonderment in cooking sous vide - in the ease and precision (salmon cooked at 123 degrees versus 120 degrees!) and the capacity to cook a piece of meat (or glaze carrots, or poach lobster) uniformly.

Review

The origins of sous vide cooking, or vacuum-packing foods and cooking them at precise, relatively low temperatures for long periods, may have been largely in frozen convenience foods, but it has become standard in top kitchens worldwide, notably Keller's own. Now, Keller aims to demonstrate the technique to a wider swath of cooks-not the masses, but at least those who can afford this lavish volume and the sous vide equipment. One need not cook the exact recipes (which are unaltered from the restaurant's) to be inspired by Keller's careful yet whimsical creations, such as a cuttlefish "tagliatelle" with palm hearts and nectarine or squab with piquillo peppers, marcona almonds, fennel and date sauce. And Keller, with several of his chefs as well as "curious cook" Harold McGee, takes pains in the introduction to explain sous vide fundamentals, arguing persuasively that it is not a fad but an important technique that allows unparalleled control over how ingredients are heated and what flavors and textures result. Still, at least until the equipment is more affordable, most readers will admire this gorgeous book on their coffee tables, from the simple beauty of photos of ingredients in their natural states to plates with a course's elements so artfully arranged they would not be out of place in a modern art museum. Publishers Weekly

Contents

Forward by Bruno Goussault
Introduction: A Powerful New Cooking Tool by Harold McGee
Precision of Execution
Why Sous Vide?
My Path to Sous Vide
The Chefs
The Fundamentals
Vegetables and Fruits
Fish and Shellfish
Poultry and Meat
Variety Meats
Cheese and Desserts
Basics
Product, Temperature, and Time