Serves 4 as a first course



For the Lamb:
2 Racks of Lamb (denuded or cap off)
3 �?4 Branches Thyme or Rosemary
2 cloves of Garlic ( one minced and one sliced)
4 oz Veal Demi Glace
1 cup dry Red Wine
1 Shallot minced
3 tbs butter �?unsalted
1 tsp thyme leaves
Drizzle of Truffle Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Notes on Cooking Sous Vide:
Sous Vide (pronounced sue veed, French for "under vacuum"; also called cryopacking or cuisine en papillote sous vide) is a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures. Food is cooked, in some cases for well over 24 hours, in airtight plastic bags placed in hot water that is well below boiling point (approximately 60°C or 140°F).

The method was developed by Georges Pralus in the mid-1970s for the Restaurant Troisgros (of Claude and Michel Troigros) in Roanne, France. He discovered that food cooked in this way kept its original appearance, did not lose its nutrients and maintained its natural texture. The method is used most in top-end restaurants. Paul Bocuse, Joel Robuchon and Charlie Trotter are some of the proponents of its benefits. Increasingly the methodology is coming to the attention of the amateur/domestic cook.

Our cook Jay, provides these comments and tips:
“This is the part that you should start a few days early since you will need to learn how to make your stove work as a thermal cooker (Ebay listed Professional Thermal Cookers at $3,000 for a used model). Start off with one of the largest stockpots you have; the more water, the more stable the temperature. I use a 12-quart pot. Fill the pot 90% with water and stick a digital thermometer in it.

You want to be able to hold the water at a constant temperature for at least 12 hours. If you like your lamb rare, you want the water to be 126 to 128 degrees. If you like your lamb medium rare, you want 131 to 133 degrees. If you like your lamb well done, find a different recipe. For the rest of this recipe, we will presume cooking it to medium rare. Put the pot on the lowest BTU burner of your stove on the lowest setting and make sure the probe is off the bottom of the pot. (If you purchased the $3,000 thermal bath, you can skip this part). Cover the pot and check the temp in 8 to 12 hours. I pass the time by going to work or to bed. When you check the temperature, you want to see 132 plus or minus a degree. If you can’t handle the plus or minus part, raid the college fund.

Now comes the creative part: If the temperature is just right, leave it for another 12 hours to double check. If it is too low, up the flame a tiny little bit and check again in 8 to 12 hours. Alternately, if the temperature is too high, take off the lid half way and again check in 8 to 12 hours. Keep playing with this so that you can hold the temperature at the desired level for at least 8 hours. You might have to change the pots position over the burner or maybe use a flame shield. The goal is to hold the temperature within a degree or two for at least 12 hours. This may take you 2 or three days, but once you get your stove figured out, you can cook this way anytime. The first time I tried this, I woke up every 2 hours to check the temperature only to find it unchanged. Now that I have done it several times, I just go to sleep and the only lamb I see is the sheep I am counting to fall asleep.

If you got this far, the hard work is over. The rest of the cooking is pretty uneventful. This is where you need the one piece of special equipment, a vacuum food saver. You need to vacuum seal the lamb with your seasonings in a special waterproof bag. A zip lock will not do. You can get a vacuum food saver for about $100, but heck I’ve already saved you $3,000. What’s a hundred bucks?