Size, temperature and character of food

Ø Small cuts of beef cook faster than bigger cuts.

Ø Chilled steak takes longer time to cook.

Ø Fish cook quickly due to the structure of the flesh.

METHODS OF COOKING

WHY DO WE COOK?

Ø Easy to digest, soften and palatable.

Ø Improve flavor

Ø Destroys pathogenic bacteria

Ø Safer to eat

EFFECT OF HEAT ON FOOD

PROTEIN	COAGULATION (FIRM) Ø At 71 °C to 85 ° C Ø Example: Eggs and Connective tissue in meat.
STARCH	GELATINIZATION Ø Occurs when starches absorb water and swell.
FATS	MELT Ø Fats that present in meat or fish can act as a cooking medium. Ø When fat is heated at too high heat, it begins to smoke and deteriorate.
WATER	EVAPORATES Ø Reduction occurs and water tends to dry up.
SUGAR	CARAMELIZATION Ø Over heated sugar changes color and taste bitter. (sugar is converted to carbon)

METHOD OF COOKING

1/- Role of cooking:

▪ Make the food safe in killing all harmful micro-organisms,
▪ Modify the taste by making the food more crispy or softer according to the ingredient or method of cooking chosen for the recipe,

▪ Heat the food to simply embellish the tasting,

▪ Make the food digestible.

2/- Choice of a method of Cooking:

The choice of a method is made in relation to:
▪ The ingredient: its shape, its size, its quality, its taste, its tenderness.

▪ The final purpose: exchange of flavors or not with other ingredients or cooking liquid.

3/- Classification of Cooking:

This classification is applied for all ingredients:

▪ DRY-HEAT METHOD,

▪ MOIST-HEAT METHOD,

▪ COMBINATION OF BOTH METHODS.

***** Explanation of those 3 methods: *****

$ DRY HEAT METHOD → The main culinary aims are a superficial clotting of the proteins, a changing in the texture due to the browning of the proteins on the surface, and in some cases to collect the juices to make a sauce.
The beginning of this cooking must be done at a very high temperature.

Examples of Dry-Heat Cooking Methods: - Roasting,
- Sautéing,
- Grilling,
- Pan-frying,
- Deep-frying,
- Broiling,
- Baking.

$ MOIST HEAT METHOD → Cooking with moist heat is the process of applying heat to food by submerging it directly into a hot liquid or by exposing it to steam.

Examples of Moist-Heat Cooking Methods: - Poaching,
- Simmering,
- Boiling (à l’anglaise, etc…),
- Steaming.

$ COMBINATION COOKING METHODS → Some cooking methods employ both dry-heat and moist-heat cooking techniques.

The two principal combination methods are: - Braising (large pieces),
- Stewing (smaller piece).

In both methods, the first step is usually to brown the main item using dry heat. The second step is to complete cooking by simmering the food in a liquid.
Combination methods are often used for less tender but flavorful cuts of meat as well as for poultry and some vegetables.

(Below are some of the main cooking methods explained in detail)

**************** *Dry Heat Cooking Methods **************

Ø Roasting:

Roasting is to cook foods by surrounding them in dry heat usually in an oven. It can also be accomplished by spit roasting over an open fire or on an outdoor grill. There are two schools of thought about roasting. One is that meats should be roasted first at a high temperature, usually 204˚C to 218˚C (400˚F to 425˚F), to brown the meat and seal in natural juices. After the meat is browned the temperature is reduced to 163˚C (325˚F) to allow the meat to cook slowly. The other method is to cook meats by roasting at 163˚C (325˚F) for the entire cooking period. The thought for each method is that it reduces shrinkage and gives a more moist finished product.
Eg. Roast Chicken, Roast Beef, Roast Peppers.

Baking is similar to roasting however it is normally associated with baking bread or cakes.

Ø Sautéing:

Sautéing is to cook quickly in a small amount of fat. The pan should be preheated. This will allow the food to be seared quickly. Small pieces of foods such as diced onions must be stirred or otherwise kept in motion during sautéing. Larger cuts of vegetables or slices of meat are usually only turned once.

Eg. Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions (duxelles), Sautéed Chicken.

Ø Grilling:

Grilling is done on a grate over a heat source. The heat source may be an electrical element, charcoal, or a gas flame.
Eg. Grilled Beef Rib eye, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Vegetables.

NOTE: It should be noted that barbecuing is defined as cooking over charcoal or ashes and may be confused with some of the above-mentioned cooking methods.

Ø Frying:

Ä Pan fried

- Pan frying is done in a moderate amount of fat over moderate heat. This method is used for larger pieces of food and usually takes longer than sautéing. Varying amounts of fats are used and the food may be turned more than once during cooking.
Eg. Pan-fried Fish, Pan-fried Chicken.

Ä Deep-fried

- Deep fat frying is to fry foods completely submerged in fat. Although it seems fairly simple, deep fat frying is not as easy as one would think. Foods must be fried at the correct temperature, 177˚C to 182˚C (350˚F to 360˚F) to minimize fat absorption. Only small amounts of food should be fried at any one time. Larger amounts of food cause the temperature to drop drastically.
Eg. Kentucky fried chicken, French Fries.

Ä Stir-fried

- Stir-frying is to cook food in a little fat and food is constantly stirred and tossed. This cooking term is commonly used in Asian cooking particularly in Chinese Cuisine. However, it is now more and more common to find this method of cooking incorporated into Western Cuisine.
Eg. Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew nuts, Stir-fried mixed vegetables.

Ø Broiling:

Broiling is to cook foods at a high temperature with an overhead heat source. Sometimes the temperature may be as high as 815˚C to 1093˚C (1500˚F to 2000˚F) in some commercial broilers. The food usually rests on a grate four to six inches below the heat source and is usually only turned once during the cooking process.
Eg. Broiled fillet of fish, Broiled Chicken.

*************** Moist Heat Cooking Methods **************

Ø Poaching:

Poaching is to cook in a liquid that is not actually bubbling at 74˚C to 82˚C (165˚F to 180˚F) usually used to cook delicate foods such as fish and eggs. Eg. Poached Eggs, Poached Fish.

Ø Simmering:

Simmering is cooking in a liquid just below the boiling point. Bubbles usually rise and break just below or at the surface. The temperature of the liquid is 85˚C to 96˚C (185˚F to 205˚F) degrees.
Eg. Simmering of Chicken Stock, Simmering of stew.

Ø Boiling:

Boiling is cooking in liquid at 100˚C (212˚F) at sea level. The liquid may be water, a seasoned liquid, wine, stock, or a combination. Boiling is usually reserved for certain vegetables and starches such as potatoes and pasta. Meats, fish and eggs outside the shell are never boiled. The higher temperature and agitation toughens protein and breaks up delicate foods.
Eg. Boiled Potatoes, Hard-boiled Eggs.

Ø Steaming:

Steaming is cooking foods by exposing them directly to steam. It can be accomplished in a number of ways; on a rack above boiling liquid, by wrapping foods tightly, or in a covered pan allowing the food item to cook in its own steam. Steaming is a preferred method of cooking for vegetables since it minimizes the loss of nutrients and the vegetables can be cooked rapidly without agitation.
Eg. Steamed Fish, Steamed Rice, Steamed Asparagus.

Ø Blanching:

Blanching is a pre-cooking method where food is cooked very briefly in boiling water. Foods are placed in cold water and brought to a boil (for non-green food items) or placed directly into boiling water(green vegetables and tomato). After a brief cooking time they are removed and plunged in iced-water (refreshing) to stop the cooking process and to set color. Meats are blanched briefly to leach out impurities or salt, while vegetables are blanched to set color, remove harmful enzymes or to loosen skin for easier peeling.
Eg. Blanching of Tomatoes to peel the skin, Blanching of parsley to maintain its chlorophyll green, Blanching of potatoes before frying/sautéing.

A NOTE: Blanching can also be done in fat. French fries may be partially cooked in deep fat and allowed to drain and cool before cooking completely done.

*************** Combination Cooking Methods ************

Ø Paperbag Cooking (en Papillotte):

Food items are sealed in a heat proof material (baking paper / aluminum foil/ heatproof plastic wrap) and when placed in a hot oven, causes the moisture from the food to turn to steam which will then cook the food itself. This method of cooking is a good way to contain the flavors and nutrients of the ingredients used. For example, if fish and vegetables are sealed in a bag and placed in a hot oven, the flavors from the vegetables will be absorbed by the fish and vice versa.
Eg. Tilapia en Papillote.

Ø Braising):

Food items are first seared by sautéing in oil till a nice brown color is obtained (to develop flavor). Excess oil is then discarded, aromatic ingredients added together with a little liquid (wine, stock, etc.). Food is then covered and place over a low flame on a stove or in an oven. Braised food is generally very tender and the remaining cooking liquid is strained and used for moistening the food.

Note: Searing is required only for meat, poultry and game only. To braise vegetables, searing is omitted.

Ø Stew:

Food items are first seared by sautéing in oil till a nice brown color is obtained (to develop flavor). Excess oil is then discarded, aromatic ingredients added together with enough liquid (wine, stock, etc.) to cover food items, often with flour added as thickener. Food is then simmered over a low flame, covered or uncovered (or covered and place in an oven).

Stewing	Braising
· Enough liquid is added to cover food item during stewing process · Food items normally cut to smaller pieces · Food item is left in sauce for serving	· Amount of liquid added should not exceed more than a quarter way up food item · Food items range from small cuts to large pieces · Cooking liquid is strained and adjusted before being served as accompaniment or poured onto food item to moisten

STOCKS

• A stock is a flavorful liquid made by gently simmering bones or vegetables in a liquid to extract their flavorful aroma, color and nutritive value.
• Stocks are the foundation of soups, sauces and gravies.

3 BASIC INGREDIENTS FOR STOCK ARE:

1. Bones (different bones release flavor at different rates).

2. Vegetable known as mirepoix (consists of onion, carrots and celery added to a stock to enhance flavor and aroma.

3. Water.

TYPES OF STOCKS	DEFINITION
1. WHITE STOCK	Made by simmering chicken or veal bones with vegetables. A stock remains colorless during cooking process.
2.BROWN STOCK	Brown stock is made from beef or veal bones that have been brown in the oven before simmered in water. The stock has a rich dark color
3.FISH STOCK	Is made by slowly cooking fish bones or crustaceans shell and vegetables without coloring them (sauté), adding water and simmer for a short period of time.
4.FUMET	A highly flavored fish stock.
5.COURT BOUILLON	Water simmered with vegetables seasonings and an acidic product, such as vinegar or wine. Used for simmering or poaching fish, shellfish and vegetables.

PRINCIPLES OF STOCK MAKING

1.START THE STOCK IN COLD WATER	¨ Ingredients should always-covered in cold water. ¨ When bones are covered in cold water, blood and other impurities dissolve. ¨ As the water heats, the impurities coagulate and rise to the surface. ¨ Easily remove by skimming. ¨ If bones covered with hot water, the impurities would coagulate more quickly and remains disperse in the stock without rising to the top, making the stock cloudy. ¨ Water level should cover the bones because no flavor can be extracted from bones that are not in the water. ¨ Bones exposed to the air will darken stock.
2.SIMMER STOCK GENTLY	¨ Bring stock to boil and reduce to simmering. ¨ While simmering the ingredients release the flavor into the liquid.
3.SKIM THE STOCK FREQUENTLY	¨ Stock should be skim often to remove fat and impurities that rise to the surface during cooking.
4.STRAIN STOCK CAREFULLY	¨ Once the stock finished cooking, the liquid must be separated from the bones, vegetables and other solid ingredients.
5. COOL THE STOCK QUICKLY.	¨ Prevent growing of bacteria.
6.STORE STOCK PROPERLY	¨ At the correct temperature.
7. DEGREASE THE STOCK.	¨ When stock refrigerated, fat rise to the surface, harden and easily lifted or scraped away before stock is reheated.

TYPE OF STOCKS

TYPES OF STOCKS	INGREDIENTS	METHOD OF PREPARATIONS
WHITE STOCK (Chicken stock)	500 gm. Chicken bones. 1 Lt. Water 125 gm. Mirepoix (Bouquet garnie) Bay leaf	1. Wash bones very clean. (Free from fat) 2. Combine everything in the stockpot and simmer. 3. Strain and cool stock.
BROWN STOCK (Beef, chicken or lamb)	500 gm. Roasted Chicken bones. 1 Lt. Water 125 gm. Mirepoix(Bouquet garnie) Bay leaf	1.Wash bones very clean. (Free from fat) 2.Roast in the oven until brown. 3. Combine everything in the stockpot and simmer. 4.Strain and cool stock.
FISH STOCK (Fish stock and fumet)	500 gm. Fish bones. 50 ml. oil 1 Lt. Water 125 gm. Mirepoix(Bouquet garnie) Bay leaf	1. Wash bones very clean. 2. Heat up oil and sauté bones and vegetables. 3. Add in water and simmer for a short while. 4. Strain and cool stock.

Glaze, Demi-Glaze and Fumet: What’s the difference?

· Glaze (Glaçe): a concentrated stock from meat and poultry that is obtained by reducing strained stock to one-fourth in volume and has a syrupy consistency.

· Demi-Glaze (Demi- Glaçe): strained stock that is reduced down to half the original volume.

· Fumet: usually refers to strained fish or mushroom stocks that has been reduced to a concentrated consistency.

White Stock vs Brown Stock

· Brown Stock: Bones are browned by either sautéing on a pan or roasted in the oven before adding liquid.

· White Stock: Raw bones are covered with liquid and simmered.

SAUCES:

A sauce is a flavorful liquid, usually thickened, which is used to flavor and enhance other food.

A sauce adds the following qualities to foods:

1. Moistness

2. Flavor

3. Richness

4. Appearance (color and shine)

5. Interest and appetite appeal

The structure of sauces is made up of:

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