Cooking meat, or seafood, slowly and at extremely low temperatures changes everything for the better -- the texture turns more tender, the flavor becomes more concentrated -- which is why chefs around the world are so enamored of sous-vide. It's astonishingly easy to get the same effect by bringing a pot of water to just below a simmer. Insert ribs or sea scallops or whatever. When cooked slowly at a temperature barely high enough to singe your fingers, they all become soft and succulent.
SLOW-POACHED SHRIMP
Serves 4
1 pound medium (26 to 30) shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or other herb (or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 slices
2 cups cooked rice (such as basmati; follow cooking instructions on the package)
Bring a large pot of water to 150 degrees, just below a simmer.
Pat the shrimp completely dry. Place in a bowl and toss with the dill, salt and pepper until the seasonings are well dispersed.
Transfer to a quart-size re-sealable freezer bag. Add the butter. Fold the bag over to force out as much air as possible, then seal.
Check the temperature of the water with an instant-read thermometer.
Lay the bag into the water and cook 5 minutes, then turn the bag over and continue cooking until all the shrimp are just pink, 3 to 7 minutes longer.
Turn out into a shallow bowl. Serve over rice.
Note: This method is based on a recipe from Small Bites, Big Nights by Govind Armstrong.
Per serving: 426 calories, 27 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 202 milligrams cholesterol, 459 milligrams sodium
Regina Schrambling writes for the Los Angeles Times, which provided the recipe analysis.