Would one of you knowledgeable chefs tell me about the process that sounds like "su-veed" ?!
Answers: I see it on "Iron Chef America" and "Top Chef" frequently and I just HAVE to know what it is and what it's used for.
it is called sous-vide. It is a process by which the foods are vacuum sealed so that there is no oxygen present when cooking. The vacuum bag is then submerged in a low temperature water bath. Freshness and flavor is preserved, as are all the natural juices. Sous vide cooking is mostly done by professionals or those with a lot of money due to the necessity of a thermal immersion circulator. The circulator keeps the water bath at a precise temperature. The reason for this need is that if the water is not at the right temperature, botulism bacteria can grow in the anaerobic environment found in the vacuum bag.
It's from the french term "sous - vide" which means packed in an air tight vacuumed container, to preserve the foods freshness etc.