Sous Vide Alligator Salad

This recipe should probably be called “Tastes Like Chicken Alligator Salad,” because the alligator does, in fact, taste like chicken in this application. Alligator is a traditionally tough meat, but it’s surprisingly tender when prepared in the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 00:20

Recipe Time: 03:00

Temperature : 134F / 56.7C

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless alligator filets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1/2 cup finely diced scallions

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 134°F (56°C).
2. Season the alligator with salt and pepper and place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag with the olive oil and garlic. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting. Place in the water bath and set the timer for 3 hours.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the alligator from the bag and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. Add the alligator, walnuts, apple, celery, and scallions, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.