Sous Vide Spiced Salmon Tacos with Grapefruit Slaw

Prepare an immersion circulator for use according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Preheat the water to 113°F (45°C).

To make the salmon, in a small bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ancho chile powder, cumin, cayenne, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Set aside 1 Tbs. of the spice blend for the crema. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels, then sprinkle on all sides with the remaining spice blend.

Place the salmon in a vacuum bag. If using, add the lime slices and rosemary sprigs and vacuum seal the bag. Alternatively, place the ingredients in a gallon-size zip-top bag.

When the water reaches the desired temperature, lower the bag into the water bath and clip the top of the bag to the side of the water basin. Cook the salmon for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the crema and the grapefruit slaw.

To make the crema, in a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, hot sauce and reserved 1 Tbs. spice blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Transfer the crema to a serving bowl and swirl in more hot sauce, if desired. Alternatively, transfer the crema to a piping bag. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the slaw, place the cabbage in a colander set in the sink or a large bowl and season generously with salt. Let stand for 20 minutes to allow the cabbage to soften and release any liquid.

Meanwhile, working with 1 grapefruit at a time, cut a slice off the top and bottom. Stand the fruit upright and use your knife to cut downward, following the curve of the fruit, to remove the peel and the bitter white pith. Continue around the entire fruit. Then cut on either side of each membrane to remove the segments of fruit. Squeeze the membrane to extract the remaining juice; you should have about 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml).

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the grapefruit juice and olive oil until emulsified.

Gently squeeze out any liquid from the cabbage, then add the cabbage to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Add the grapefruit segments, shallot, cilantro and jalapeño and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

When the salmon is done, remove the bag from the water bath and very carefully transfer the salmon to a plate. If the fish breaks apart, don't worry; you will be breaking it up, anyway. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the avocado oil. Add the salmon and sear, turning once, until a golden crust forms on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.

Just before serving, hold each tortilla with stainless-steel tongs over a gas flame and char for about 20 seconds. Alternatively, char the tortillas in a heated large fry pan on the stovetop. Transfer the tortillas to individual plates.

Top each tortilla with a spoonful of slaw, followed by a few chunks of salmon. Spoon some crema over the fish. If using a piping bag, using scissors, cut a small opening off the tip of the bag and pipe the crema over the fish. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges. Serves 2.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen