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Vacuum compressing fruits and vegetables is a popular modernist technique that can give many plant foods an attractive translucent appearance and a pleasant, surprising texture. This technique exploits the ability of a vacuum chamber to reduce surrounding pressure, which causes air and moisture within the plant tissue to rapidly expand and rupture structures within the food. When surrounding pressure is restored to a normal level, the labyrinth of air-filled spaces collapse. As a result, light tends to pass through the food rather than being scattered and diffused, which is why vacuum-compressed plant foods appear translucent. Causing the porous structure of a plant food to collapse also imparts a somewhat dense, toothsome texture that can give a familiar ingredient, such as watermelon, an entirely new appeal.WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Chamber vacuum sealer
Sous vide bag(s)