Transcript Food Preparation

Food Preparation
Techniques
The Language of the Recipe
O Become familiar
O Terms are important
tools for the cook.
O Each has its own
meaning.
O Achieve best results.
B. Cutting Techniques
O Cutting means dividing a large or whole food
into smaller parts, using a tool with a sharp
blade, usually a knife.
O Cutting board is the kitchen equipment that
provides appropriate spot to cut or slice food.
1. Chop – means to cut food into small, irregular
pieces.
2. Mince – to chop finely into smallest possible
pieces.
3. Cube and dice – refers to cutting food into
small, square pieces. Cubed pieces are about
½ inch square. To dice, make them 1/8 to ¼
inch square.
4. Pare – means to cut of a very thin outer
layer or coating by the paring knife.
5. Peel – means to pull or strip of the skin or
rind using one’s hands, like peeling an orange.
6. Slice – means to cut a food into large, thin
pieces with a slicing knife. Used as sawing
motion while pressing the knife down gently.
7. Sliver – means to cut a food into very thin
strips.
8. Crush – means to pulverize foods into
crumbs, powder or paste with knife, rolling
pin, mortar and pestle, blender, food
processor or garlic press.
9, Flake – means to break or tear of small
layers of food, often cooked fish, with a fork.
11. Grate – means to reduce food into finer
strips by pressing and grabbing food against a
grater, such as cheese.
10. Shred – means to reduce food into larger
strips by pressing and grabbing the food
against the rough surface of a shedder.
12. Grind – means to use a grinder to break
up a food into coarse, medium, or fine
particles. Meat and coffee beans are often
ground.
13. Mash – means to crush food into a
smooth mixture with a masher of beater.
14. Puree – means to grind or mash cooked
foods or vegetables until they are smooth.
Tools for this task include food processor,
blender, immersion blender, food meal and a
sieve.
15. Quarter – means to divide a food into four
equal pieces.
16. Snip – means to cut food into small
pieces with kitchen shears.
C. Mixing Techniques
O Mix means combining two or more ingredients
thoroughly to blend. Useful tools for these
tasks range from spoon to a food processor.
1. Beat – means to mix thoroughly and add air
to foods. Use a fork, wire whisk or electric mixer
and do a vigorous over and over motion.
2. Cream – means to beat ingredients, such as
shortening and sugar, combining until soft and
creamy
3. Fold – means to gently mix a light, fluffy
mixture to a heavier one. Foamy egg whites
are often folded into a cake batter.
4. Stir – often applies to food that is cooking.
Mix with a wooden spoon or turner into a
circular motion. This distributes heat and
keeps foods from sticking to a pan.
5. Toss – means to mix ingredients, such as
salad greens and dressing, by tumbling them
with tongs or a large spoon and fork.
6. Whip – means to beat quickly and
vigorously to incorporate air into a mixture,
making it light and fluffy.
D. Coating Technique
O Coating adds flavor and texture. Coating also
helps food brown better and retain moisture
usually dry ingredients, such as flour or
cornmeal. Liquid coatings is used by brushing
the food item with a sauce or dipped in a
batter.
1. Baste – means to pour liquid over a food as it
cooks, using a baster or spoon. Foods are often
basted in sauces or pan juices.
2. Bread – means to coat a food with 3 different
layers. The food is first coated with flour. This
provides a dry surface for the next layer, which
is liquid such as milk or beaten egg. Finally, the
food is usually coated with seasoned crumbs or
cornmeal.
3. Brush – means to use a pastry brush to
coat a food with a liquid, such as melted
butter, egg – milk, egg wash, or a sauce.
4. Dot – means to put small pieces of food,
such as butter or raisins, on the surface of
another food.
5. Dredge – means to coat food heavily with
flour, bread crumbs or corn meal.
6. Dust – means to lightly sprinkle a food with
flour or confectioner’s sugar,
7. Flour – means to coat a food lightly such as
chicken or fish, with flour.
8. Glaze – means to coat food with a liquid
that forms a glossy finish.
Other food preparation
techniques
1. Blanch – means to dip a food briefly in boiling water and then in
cold water to end the cooking process.
Blanching is used to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Soften food
Preserve its color
Facilitate removal of skin
Eliminate bitter flavors
2. Candy – means to cook a food in sugar
syrup.
3. Caramelize – means to heat sugar until it
liquefies and darkens in color. Other foods
maybe caramelized to release their sugar
content.
4. Clarify – means to make a liquid clear by
removing solid particles.
6. Deglaze – means to loosen the flavorful
food particles in a pan after food has been
browned. The food is removed from the pan
and excess fat poured off. A small amount
liquid (water, stocks, vinegar or white wine) is
added, stirred, and simmered. The resulting
sauce is served with the cooked food.
5. Core – means to remove the center of a
fruit, such as an apple or pineapple.
7. Drain – means to separate water from solid
food, such as vegetables or cooked pasta, by
putting the food in a colander or strainer.
8. Marinate – means to add flavor to a food by
soaking it in a cold, seasoned liquid for a
certain period.
9. Mold – means to shape a food by hand or
by placing it in a decorative.
10. Reduce – means to boil a mixture in order
to evaporate the liquid and intensify the flavor.
11. Scald – means to heat liquid to just the
below the boiling point. Also, to blanch food.
12. Season – means to add such flavorings
as herbs and spices to a food.
13. Shell – means to remove the tough outer
coating of a food, such as egg or nuts.
14. Steep – means to soak dry ingredients,
such as tea or herbs, in hot liquid to extract
flavor or soften the texture.
15. Strain – means to separate solid particles
from a liquid, such as broth, by pouring the
mixture through a strainer of sieve.
16. Vent – means to leave an opening in a
container so steam cab escape during
cooking
Flute
O To form a standing edge on a pastry, such as pie crust,
before baking. Press the dough with your fingers to
create this scalloped edge, or use a fork to “crimp” the
edge.
Sift
O To put dry ingredients
through a sifter or a fine
sieve to incorporate air.
O If you don’t have a sifter
you can use a strainer or
a wire whisk.
Cut in
O To mix solid
shortening with flour
by cutting the
shortening into small
pieces and mixing
until it is completely
covered with the flour
mixture. Use a pastry
blender, two knives,
or a fork.
Julienne
To cut food into long, thin strips.
Score
To make thin, straight cuts through the
outer edge of fat on meat to prevent the
meat from curling during cooking.
Scrape
To rub a vegetable, such as a carrot,
with the sharp edge of a knife in
order to remove only the outer layer
of skin.
Trim
To cut away most of the fat from the
edges of meat.
Bake
OTo cook in an
oven or oventype appliance
in a covered
or uncovered
pan.
Barbeque
O To cook meat or poultry slowly over coals
on a spit or in the oven, basting it often
with a highly seasoned sauce.
Boil
To cook in liquid,
usually water, in
which bubbles
rise constantly
and then break
on the surface.
Braise
To cook meat slowly, covered and in a
small amount of liquid or steam.
Broil
To cook under direct heat or over coals.
Brown
To make the surface of
a food brown in color
by frying, broiling,
baking in the oven, or
toasting.
Deep-fat fry
To cook in hot
fat that
completely
covers the
food.
Fry
To cook in hot fat.
Pan-broil & Pan-fry
To cook
uncovered in
an un-greased
or lightly
greased skillet,
pouring off
excess fat as it
accumulates.
To cook in an
uncovered
skillet with a
small amount
of fat.
Poach
To cook gently
in hot liquid
below the
boiling point.
Preheat
To set the oven to
cooking temperature in
advance so that it has
time to reach the
desired temperature by
the start of cooking.
Roast
To cook by dry heat,
uncovered, usually in the
oven.
Saute
To cook uncovered in a small
amount of fat in a pan.
Sear
To cook meat quickly at a high temperature until it becomes
brown. Use a skillet with a small amount of fat, or the oven
at a high temperature.
Steam
To cook over steam rising from boiling
water.
Stew
To cook slowly and for a long time in liquid
Stir-fry
To fry small pieces of food very quickly in
a small amount of very hot oil while
stirring constantly. Use a wok or skillet.
Toast
To brown by direct heat in a toaster or in
the oven.