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Breakfast For Dinner And Other Luxury Kitchen Appliance Confessions
It’s true that the most important tools in the kitchen are your eyes and your nose. However, there is something to be said about a 48-inch Dual-Fuel Pro Range with built-in sous vide, induction, gas, and steam, that you can use to cook meals to perfection because … precision. That’s not something I can say happens in my kitchen often. There are Amazon deliveries, cats underfoot, the phone rings and I have to check an order – it gets hectic around here some days. But if I had the ideal luxury kitchen appliance in my kitchen, the food could basically, could cook itself precisely.
I’m not a lazy cook. Really! I believe in the power of food. The kind of food you create, the meals you share and the stories worth sharing. Let’s be real, family time is better with a hot, freshly prepared meal. You know this. Whether you’re a casual or professional cook, or just love food and entertaining, we want the luxury of kitchen appliances that make it easy to do more with less effort. And it would be nice if these appliances were energy efficient, saved water, used less gas, and gave us back some precious time.
Learn it. Love it. Live it.
So we just finished breakfast for dinner. Chef Nick Ritchie’s Cast Iron Frittata with the Perfect Egg recipe is at the bottom of the blog. And I’m thinking back to last week when I was in Napa California at the Signature Kitchen Suite Experience and Design Center for their luxury kitchen appliance training, food cooking, wine tasting and of course spending time with the other Desginhounds.
What are Designhounds? WOOF! Designhounds is a powerful network of over 500 influencers in the areas of interior, kitchen and bath design. As subject matter experts, authoritative design professionals with actual, real-life design projects, brands count on us to keep them ahead of the trends and help them to understand the true needs of the market.
Look at This Stuff! Isn’t it Neat!
We learned what it meant to be a Technicurean and then we experienced it by getting up close and personal with ranges, range tops, microwaves, wall ovens, refrigeration appliances, (I’m exhausted thinking about how many appliances there are just typing this out but, I’ll keep going) laundry appliances, air purifiers, OLED TV screens that all excel in innovative performance, design and connectivity. Whew!
I am a Technicurean. I love food. Look at me. I love to eat and eat well. I also love technology and innovation. Anything that makes it easier for me to my job better – I’m in for it. While I appreciate all things vintage and antique, I have never longed for the “the good old days” and I don’t reminisce about a time before I could watch TV from my camera that also allows me to take calls. I was meant to be a Jetson.
What Does an Interior Designer Use in Their Own Kitchen?
When people ask me where I want my next kitchen upgrade to be, I usually tell them a walk-in pantry because, let’s be honest, we all need more food storage space right? But why stop there when you can have more than a walk-in pantry. A whole suite of luxury kitchen appliances dedicated to your meals, that cooks them to perfection, while you sit back and check orders? Now, that is the dream!
I don’t know about you but when it comes to cooking at home vs eating out, I prefer eating at home because it’s healthier and cheaper. And most of us can agree that we’re better cooks than chefs! The problem is that mealtimes can be stressful if you don’t have the right tools for them. Because of this stress and lack of precision in my kitchen, I’ve made some pretty big mistakes when trying to prepare meals for myself, family, or friends who come over for dinner. There may or may not have been wine involved.
Big, Big Dreams
If I won the lottery tomorrow I’d buy a new home with plenty of room for this beauty of a beast. The 48″ Dual Fuel Pro Range is impressive with it’s sous vide and induction cooktop and two (TWO) ovens. I’m drooling all over myself just thinking of what I could cook. I use the Anova Sous Vide stick regularly for pork chops, chicken, and steak. I can only imagine the meals I could make with a cooktop sous vide then finishing them off using the induction top burner. In the range below I could roast trays of vegetables and bake fresh rolls. It is amazing!
Back to Reality
However, I live in a humble Chicago condo and can’t give up the cabinet storage space to make my foodie dreams come true. Thankfully, SKS has a luxury kitchen appliance package that is perfect for me. Remember how I talked about precision? I love the 30″ Gas Slide In Range! This baby has Rapid Heat burners and Pro-Heat Convection technology which means I can cook fast and precisely when I set the timer on both the oven and the burners.
I know an over the range microwave is not the “in” thing right now, but it is super practical since we can’t vent to the outside in our Chicago condo. So our microwave serves a dual purpose and acts as a ventilation system too. What makes this luxury kitchen appliance so so so sexy is all the features that are packed into this small footprint. Are you ready? Taking notes? Let’s go! The SKS Over the Range Microwave is also a convection oven. Oh yes it is! That means you can get rid of that air fryer taking up counter space because this microwave not only cooks quickly but it browns as well.
We’re short on space regarding refrigeration as well so if I’m going to select a luxury kitchen appliance to keep all the delicious things from the Logan Square Farmers Market at perfect temperatures, I love this 36-inch Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator with Craft Ice. Craft Ice! It’s so fancy! But more than that, the door in door feature means I can find what I need quickly and easily and customize the freezer space according what I’ve purchased this week. Look inside the door there – everything is so nicely organized. And an organized refrigerator means I won’t over purchase and waste food.
It’s also no secret that I don’t enjoy cleaning. And I find it ridiculous that I have to wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. No one has time for that nonsense! Thankfully, SKS has a PowerSteam Stainless Steel Dishwasher. Power steam means it’s tough on food particles and lipstick but, gentle on my wine stems. It uses less water and it’s quiet. I run the dishwasher at 10 PM before bed to save on electricity so that’s important to me too.
I believe that appliances like this will become the new norm. Those who make the most of their time in the kitchen need appliances that can handle all of their culinary needs—not just heating up leftovers, but also preparing meals with multiple components, keeping ingredients at the right temperature for precision cooking, etc. Will your kitchen be equipped with one of these in the near future? Let’s hope so. Is it a luxury most chefs would welcome? Absolutely! The point is, as there are more demands on our schedules – our lives demand the luxury kitchen appliances that help us make the most of our time preparing the foods that help us reconnect.
Cast Iron Frittata with the Perfect Egg
Servings: 4
Prepping time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
(excludes sous-vide cooking time)
Ingredients
8 large eggs
¼ C red pepper, diced small
¼ C red onion, diced small
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ C baby potatoes, halved
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnishing
1 1/2 tsp and 1 tsp salt, divided
½ tsp and ¼ tsp ground pepper, divided
½ Tbsp olive oil
Method
For the Frittata:
In a mixing bowl, add four eggs, red pepper, red onion, garlic powder, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and mix. Transfer mixture to a sous vide pouch, add the butter, and seal. Cook at 147.2°F (64°C) for 45 minutes. After cooking, agitate the bag with egg mixture to prevent coagulation and achieve pasteurization.
Lay potatoes flat in a single layer in a sous vide bag and add 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and olive oil. Seal and cook at 181.4°F (83°C) for 90 minutes.
Once cooked, pour the egg mixture and potatoes into a large mixing bowl and add chopped parsley. Transfer contents into the greased cast iron skillet. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven at 375°F for 20–25 minutes. You may wish to remove the foil for the final 10 minutes of baking for a browned surface. A toothpick inserted into the center of the frittata should come out clean once it is cooked all the way through.
For the Perfect Egg:
Cook four eggs at 145.7°F (63.2°C) for 60 minutes. Remove from the water bath and set aside until ready for service.
To Serve:
After removing the cast iron frittata from the oven, crack open the poached eggs on top, garnish with additional chopped parsley, and serve.
For more recipes like this, visit Sous Vide Magazine.
Recipe provided by our partners at Cuisine Solutions.
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