We have been exploring mason jar cookery again. During our classes at Le Sanctuaire, we demonstrated the benefits of using a chamber vacuum machine and a mason jar to create miniature vacuum chamber to infuse pickles and marinades into fruits and vegetables. The demonstration led to the revisiting of cooking in a jar. When we were in Colorado we used to cook eggs in small jars and serve them at breakfast like a baked egg. We did not have a chamber vacuum machine out west so we just seasoned the eggs, sealed the jar and cooked the eggs at a low temperature. The evolving egg dish was wonderful. Over time we forgot about the dish. It may be time to return to that delicious preparation. Since then we have acquired a chamber machine and explored using the vacuum of the chamber to marinate tomatoes and other vegetables. What we did not do was apply controlled heat. Today we were looking at the ideas which were sparked out west, twice, and what we previously could and had not tried. We filled mason jars with maitake mushrooms, ginger, basil and soy sauce. We will be cooking at a variety of temperatures: 60, 70 and 83 degrees C, to taste and feel the results of mushroom cookery in a vacuum at lower temperatures What is also exciting about this approach is the mushrooms and in the future other vegetables will be able to retain their natural shape rather than being crushed by a bag.
Stay tuned for taste and texture results...
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