Transcript Chapter 8

Nutrition for Foodservice and
Culinary Professionals
Chapter 8
Balanced Cooking Methods and Techniques
Learning Objectives
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Explain the difference between a seasoning and a flavoring ingredient
and give examples of each.
Identify appropriate times for adding seasoning and flavoring
ingredients to the cooking process for best flavor.
Identify common herbs, spices, and blends used in the kitchen and be
familiar with each one’s aroma, flavor, and effect on food.
Discuss how to develop a flavor profile for a menu item, including
five examples of flavor builders you could use.
Explain how to use the following techniques to add flavor: reduction,
searing, deglazing, sweating, puréeing, rubs, and marinades.
Describe how to use the following cooking methods in balanced
cooking: sauté and dry sauté, stir-fry, roast, broil, grill, steam, poach,
and braise.
Explain the functions of basic baking ingredients and techniques to
make healthier baked goods.
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Introduction
The typical American buys a meal or snack from
a foodservice operation about three to five
times/week.
 Americans depend on chefs, cooks, and
foodservice employees to prepare nutritious
foods for them.
 Vast majority of operators promote balanced
choices.
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Balanced Menu Items
Quality ingredients and taste are important considerations for balanced
menu items.
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Flavor
Seasonings:
Substances used to
bring out a flavor that
is already present.
 Flavorings:
Substances used to
add a new flavor or
modify the original
flavor.
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Herbs: Leafy parts of
certain plants that
grow in temperate
climates.
 Spices: Roots, bark,
seeds, flowers, buds
and fruits of certain
tropical plants.
Mostly available
dried.
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Cooking with Herbs and Spices
Fresh herbs can only withstand about 30
minutes of cooking, so they work best for
finishing dishes, tossing in before serving, or in
other accompaniments such as fresh salsas.
 Dried herbs work well in longer cooking
applications.
 Whole spices take longer to release flavors than
ground spices.
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Pepper and Red Pepper
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Pepper comes in three
forms:
◦ black
◦ white
◦ green
Black pepper is only
used in dark-colored
foods.
Ground white pepper is
chosen by most good
cooks as the true
seasoning pepper.
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Red pepper, also
called cayenne, is
NOT related to white
or black pepper. It
comes from dried red
pepper pods and has
a spicy hot profile.
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Herbs and Spices
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Basil
Warm, sweet flavor
 Used in soups,
sauces, entrées,
relishes, salsas, and
dressings
 Used with vegetables
such as tomatoes,
eggplant, and peppers
 Used in salads
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Oregano
Belongs to the same
herb family as basil
 Strong, bittersweet
taste, and perfume
aroma
 Italian,
Mediterranean,
Spanish, South
American, and
Mexican cuisine
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Tarragon
Pleasant perfume like
flavor that is
somehow mild and
strong at the same
time
 Licorice qualities
 Most often used in
poultry and fish
dishes, as well as in
salads, sauces, and
cold dressings
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Rosemary
The leaf of an
evergreen shrub
 Often used in dishes
in which a liquid is
involved—soups,
stews, stocks, etc.
 Used with poultry,
beef, lamb, pork,
tomato preparations
 Dried rosemary
should be strained.
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Dill
Classic flavor of dillflavored pickles
 Also used in soups,
fish dishes, stews,
complex salads,
butters
 Delicate flavor with
flowery undertones
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Mint
A sweet herb.
 Available in a number of varieties such as
apple, banana, black, English, and spearmint.
 Fresh mint is a good flavoring and garnish for
fruits, vegetables, salsas, relishes, salads,
dressings, mixed greens, iced tea, desserts, and
sorbets.
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Paprika and Chili Peppers
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Paprika
◦ Two flavors: mild and
hot
◦ Hungarian paprika: hot
and spicy, used to make
Hungarian goulash
(braised dishes)
◦ Spanish paprika: mild in
flavor and vibrant red
color, used for coloring,
blending with rubs, and
mild seasoning
◦ Turns brown under
excessive heat
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Chili peppers
◦ Contain capsaicin
◦ Range from mild to hot
◦ Used in Mexican, Asian,
Thai, Peruvian, Indian,
Cuban, and South
American cuisines
◦ Chili powder blends also
available—from
smoked, dark, mild, and
hot blends to single
varietal
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Curry Powder
Blend of spices, containing as many as 15
different kinds, such as cloves, black and red
peppers, cumin, garlic, ginger, cinnamon,
coriander, fennel, etc.
 Originated in India and South Asia
 Ranges from mild to hot
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Sweet Aromatic Spices
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Used in baking,
dessert
cookery,
sauces, stews,
marinades,
rubs,
vegetables, and
entrees
Spices. Top row, left to right: cloves,
nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon sticks.
Bottom row, left to right: juniper berries,
cardamom, saffron, star anise.
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Toasting Spices
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To toast a spice:
1. Place a sauté pan on medium to high heat for
about 1 minute.
2. Add the spices in the dry pan.
3. Toss quickly, being careful not to burn, until a
nutty aroma is extracted from the spices.
Once cool, finely grind and store in an airtight
container.
Use as a seasoning agent in applications such as
marinades, rubs, dressings, soups, stews, ragouts,
salsas, and relishes.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Spice Blends
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Many herbs and spices can be combined to produce
blends with global seasonings adding distinctive flavors,
such as:
◦ Italian: garlic, onion, basil, oregano, crushed red
pepper, thyme
◦ Asian: ginger, five-spice powder, garlic, scallion, Thai
basil, cilantro
◦ French: tarragon, mustard, chive chervil, shallot
◦ South American: chili peppers, lime juice, garlic,
cilantro, onion
◦ Indian: ground nutmeg, fennel, coriander, cinnamon,
fenugreek, curry
◦ Mediterranean: oregano, marjoram, thyme, pepper,
coriander, onion, garlic
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Flavor Profiles
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To plan your menu item, go through these steps:
◦ Identify the meal period.
◦ Identify what flavor direction you want to go
in, such as a sweet profile in a dessert.
◦ Choose the main feature item with sides or
garnishes.
◦ Consider how the dish will be presented.
◦ Consider combinations of flavor ingredients,
such as cilantro with lime, onion, and cumin.
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Flavor Profiles (cont’d)
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To achieve maximum flavor, use techniques
discussed in this chapter such as:
◦ Toasting and grinding spices
◦ Reducing liquids
◦ Marinating
◦ Using fresh herbs and good fortified stocks
◦ Picking appropriate cooking methods to maximize
the potential of each dish
◦ Add fat at the end
◦ Poach and cook grains and legumes in flavored
stock
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Powerhouses of Flavor
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Fresh herbs and toasted spices
Herbs and spice blends
Freshly ground pepper
Citrus juices, citrus juice
reductions
Strong-flavored vinegars and
vinaigrettes
Wines
Strong-flavored oils such as
walnut oil and extra-virgin olive
oil
Infused vinegars and oils
Reduced stock (glazes)
Rubs and marinades
Raw, roasted, or sautéed garlic
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Caramelized onions and shallots
Roasted bell peppers, chili
peppers
Grilled or oven-roasted
vegetables
Coulis, salsas, relishes, chutneys,
mojos
Dried foods: tomatoes, cherries,
cranberries, raisins
Fruit and vegetable purees
Condiments such as
Worcestershire sauce, hot chili
sauce, Dijon mustard
Natural, pure extracts
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Balanced Preparation
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Reduction
Searing
Deglazing
Sweating
Puréeing
Rubs
◦ Wet or dry
◦ Just before cooking for delicate items
◦ At least 24 hours for large cuts of meat
◦ Flavors the exterior of the meat
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Marinades
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Marinades allow a food to stand on its own with a
light dressings, chutney, sauce, or relish, for
example.
Usually contains an acidic ingredient (wine,
vinegar, citrus, yogurt, tomato juice) to break down
tough meat or poultry.
Oil is used to carry flavor but isn’t essential.
To give marinated foods flavor, try citrus zest, diced
vegetables, fresh herbs, shallots, garlic, low-sodium
soy sauce, mustard, and toasted spices.
Besides tomato, adding chopped kiwi or pineapple
to a marinade helps soften tough cuts.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Balanced Cooking Methods
Dry-heat cooking methods are acceptable for
balanced cooking when heat is transferred with
little or no fat. Excess fat is allowed to drip
away from food being cooked.
 Both pan frying and deep frying add varying
amounts of fat and kcalories, so they are not
acceptable cooking methods.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sauté and Dry Sauté
Sautéing can be made acceptable by using
nonstick pans, healthy oils, and at times
finishing with a small amount of butter.
 Use a well-seasoned or nonstick pan and add
about half a teaspoon or two sprays of
oil/serving after preheating the pan.
 A quick two-second spray adds about 1 gram of
fat to the product.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sauté and Dry Sauté (cont’d)
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To dry sauté, heat a nonstick pan, spray with
vegetable-oil cooking spray, then wipe out the
excess with a paper towel. Heat the pan again, then
add the food.
Add shallots, garlic, or other seasonings, then
deglaze the pan with stock, wine, or another liquid
and reduce to a sauce consistency.
If browning is not important, you can simmer the
ingredient in a small amount of liquid such as wine,
vermouth, flavored vinegar, juices, or defatted stock
to bring out the flavor. (Vegetables can be cooked
with little or no added fluid at a high heat.)
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sauté and Dry Sauté (cont’d)
Another sauté method is to blanch vegetables in
boiling water to the desired doneness and then
shock them in ice water or lay out on towels and
place in the refrigerator.
 Dry sauté in a hot nonstick pan with stock, wine,
fresh herbs, garlic, and chopped shallots and
finish with fresh black pepper and extra virgin
olive oil, butter, or a first pressed nut oil (1
teaspoon for four servings).
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Stir-fry
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First, coat the cooking surface with a thin layer of
oil such as peanut oil, which has a strong flavor so
you can use a small amount. Have all your
ingredients ready. Preheat the pan to a high
temperature.
Foods that require the longest cooking times should
be the first ingredients you start to cook. Stir the
food rapidly during cooking and don’t overfill the
pan.
Use garlic, scallion, ginger, rice wine vinegar, lowsodium soy sauce, and chicken/vegetable stock for
flavor.
Add a little sesame oil at the end for taste (about 1
teaspoon per four servings).
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Roasting
When roasting, always place meats and poultry
on a rack so they don’t cook in their own
drippings.
 You can add flavor when roasting, broiling, or
grilling by using rubs, marinades, or smoking,
and also by deglazing the roasting pan to make
either jus or jus lié.
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Jus and Jus Lié
To give jus additional flavor, 
add a mirepoix to the roasting
pan during the last 30 to 40
minutes.
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 To remove most of the fat from
the jus, you can use a fat
separator or skim off the fat
with a ladle. If time permits,
you can refrigerate the jus and
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the fat will congeal at the top.
 To make jus lié, remove the fat
from the jus, then add some
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vegetables.
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Cook the jus at a moderately
high heat so they brown or
caramelize.
Add stock and a little wine to
deglaze the pan.
Stir the ingredients to release
the food from the pan because
you want that flavor.
Continue to add stock to cover,
then reduce the jus until the
color is appropriate.
You can thicken if you want
with a cornstarch slurry.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Smoke-Roasting—Pan Smoking
Works best with smaller, tender items such as chicken
breast, fish fillet, vegetables, and seafood but it also can
be used to add flavor to larger pieces.
 Place about a half-inch of soaked wood chips in the
bottom of a roasting pan or hotel pan lined with
aluminum foil.
 Next, place the seasoned food on a rack sprayed with
vegetable spray and reserve. Heat the pan over
moderate-high heat until the wood starts to smoke, then
lower the heat.
 Place the rack over the wood and cover the pan. Keep
covered until the food has the desired smoke flavor, then
complete the cooking in the oven if the food is not yet
done.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Flavorful Sauces for Roasted,
Broiled, or Grilled Foods
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Chutneys
Relishes
Purées
Mojos
Coulis
Salsas
Compotes
Vinaigrettes
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Grilling and Broiling
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Grilling
◦ Cook meat and poultry
at higher temperatures
than seafood and
vegetables.
◦ Don’t grill thin fish
fillets as they will fall
apart.
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Broiling
◦ Spray food with olive
oil or baste it with
marinade, stock, wine,
or reduced-fat
vinaigrette during
cooking.
◦ To finish, sprinkle a
thin layer of Japanese
breadcrumbs and glaze
under the broiler.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Moist Heat Cooking
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In moist-heat cooking of meat or poultry, the danger
is that the fat in the meat or poultry will stay in the
cooking liquid. This problem can be resolved to a
large extent by chilling the cooking liquid so that
the fat separates and can be removed.
Moist-heat cooking methods do not add the flavor
that dry-heat cooked foods get from browning,
deglazing, or reduction. To be successful, you will
need good fortified stocks or jus, well-trimmed
seasoned meats and skinless poultry, and seasonings
such as wine and fresh herbs.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Steaming and Poaching
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Introduce flavor into
steamed and poached
foods by adding herbs,
spices, citrus juices, and
other flavorful
ingredients to the water.
For example, fish is
often poached in a court
bouillon, a flavorful
liquid.
Steaming and
microwaving are
excellent ways to cook
vegetables.
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Braising Steps
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Trim the fat. Season the meat or poultry.
In a small amount of oil in a brazier, sear the
meat or poultry to brown it to develop flavor.
Remove the meat and any excess oil from the
pan.
Put the pan back on the heat. Add vegetables
and caramelize (brown) them.
Deglaze the pan with wine and stock, being
sure to scrape the fond.
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Braising Steps (cont’d)
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Add tomato paste, wine, stock, and aromatic
vegetables. Reduce.
Return the meat to the brazier, cover, and put
into the oven, covered to simmer. Make sure
the meat is three-quarters covered with liquid,
so the meat cooks evenly and prevents the
bottom from getting scorched.
When the meat is done, strain the juices. Skim
off fat and reduce the juices. Purée the veggies
and use them to thicken the jus.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Hot Topic: Healthy Baking
Flour—provides gluten (protein) and structure.
Bread flour has the most protein and cake flour
has a lot less gluten.
 Eggs—are high in protein, so they give
structure. Eggs also contribute flavor, color, and
tenderness.
 Fats—provides moisture and help give baked
goods their tender crumb.
 Sugar—provides sweetness and keeps baked
goods moist and tender.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Healthy Baking
Healthy baking means finding a balance
between structure and moisture. The main
ingredients that give structure are flour and
eggs, while fats and sugar give tenderness and
moisture. Wet ingredients also act as moisteners.
 If you want to decrease or eliminate an
ingredient from a recipe, consider what the
ingredient does. You can use another ingredient
that performs the same job—such as using more
sugar to tenderize when decreasing fat, or you
can reduce the amount of ingredients that have
opposite effects.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tips for Reducing Fat/Sat Fat
Use oils instead of solid fats. Oils can’t
completely substitute for fats when creaming is
essential to leavening.
 If you reduce the fat in a recipe you need to
increase other tenderizing ingredients (such as
sugars), decrease ingredients that toughen the
product (such as switch to cake flour or use
fewer eggs), or do both.
 Use two egg whites in place of one whole egg.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tips for Reducing Sugar
You can often reduce the amount of sugar in a
recipe for 10 percent or more.
 To make up for sugar, you can use flours with
less gluten or dairy products such as fat-free
yogurt.
 Also use spices to boost sweetness.
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© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tips for Specific Baked Goods
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Cake tips: Light cakes rely less on fat and more of
sugar and liquids for a tender texture. Don’t
overbeat once the flour is added, and don’t
overbake.
Pie crusts: Make sure you coat the flour proteins
with fat and don’t overwork the dough.
Cookies: Don’t use soft margarine, whipped butter,
or diet margarines because they contain too much
water. Light cookies require precise measuring of
the flour especially. Watch oven carefully to get out
at the right time.
Quick breads: They are much more versatile than
other baked goods in terms of making a variety of
tasty, healthful versions.
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