Basic Cooking Techniques

TIP SHEET: BASIC COOKING TECHNIQUES

Cooking is the term we use to describe the process of preparing food by applying heat. In order to master the art of cooking, it is important to understand both dry and moist cooking techniques, as these are the two fundamental ways that heat is conducted to food. With a lile learning and some targeted pracce (and a few good recipes to follow), you will be able to apply the right technique for your selected ingredients and the desired results. Understanding how ﬂavor is developed through the cooking process will help to ensure that all of your meals are delicious.

COOKING TERMINOLOGY USEFUL DEFINITIONS FOR A FEW BASIC COOKING TECHNIQUES MOIST HEAT DRY HEAT

Moist heat: heat is conducted to food by Dry heat: heat is conducted to food by hot water, water-based liquids, or steam. air, hot metal, radiaon, or hot fat.

• Steaming: cooking food through direct • Baking: to cook food by surrounding it with contact with steam. hot, dry air. Oen applies to breads, pastries, and fish. • Boiling: cooking in a liquid that is bubbling rapidly (also called a rolling boil). Water boils • Roasng: to cook food uncovered by at 212°F at sea level. surrounding it with hot, dry air. Oen applies to meat, poultry, and vegetables. • Simmering: cooking in a liquid that is bubbling gently. Typically this occurs when • Broiling: to cook food uncovered using a water is between 180°F - 200°F. radiant heat from above. • Blanching: a technique in which a food is • Grilling: to apply a dry heat source, usually briefly immersed in simmering or boiling water from below, directly onto the surface of food. and then promptly removed. This is done to fix • Sautéing: to cook quickly in a pan on the the color, preserve nutrional value, loosen stovetop in a small amount of fat. the skin (tomatoes, stone fruit), or remove • impuries (as in blanching bones). Searing: to brown the surface of food at a high temperature. Understanding Cooking When we cook, we change the chemical make up of food. This can change a food’s flavor (making it more delicious) and make it easier to digest. A Look at Moist Heat Cooking Techniques Cooking foods in water or another liquid is simple when you learn to manage the temperature correctly.

Four moist Steaming preserves food’s heat • Steaming (water turns to steam at 100°C, so nutrional value, keeps food contained steam is usually above this) moist, is very gentle on food, cooking A good technique for...fish, vegetables, and cooks food quickly. techniques rice, potatoes. from Choose to boil foods that are hoest to sturdy because the high • Boiling (water boils at 212°F or 100°C at sea level) coolest... agitaon of the boiling water may cause food to fall apart. A good technique for...pasta, beans, rice, As the heat and other grains. increases, the With good planning, the size and rate of simmering liquid can be the bubbles • Simmering (water ranges from 180°F - 200°F) transformed into a broth, increase. soup, or sauce. A good technique for...soups, potatoes, Observe levels of Increasing Heat and tougher cuts of meat. agitaon and acvity to Use a well-flavored poaching monitor which of • Poaching (water ranges from 160°F - 180°F) liquid that is just barely these techniques moving. It may be hard to see any visible signs of bubbles. is at play. A good technique for...very delicate items like eggs and fish.

A Look at Dry Heat Cooking Techniques Cooking without moisture, at temperatures of greater than 300°, can build delicious ﬂavor in foods.

Roasng and Baking Sautéing and Sweang Browning Foods Though used interchangeably, To sauté, start with a pre-heated Browning foods helps develop these terms oen differ with pan, then add a small amount of complex flavors and smells that respect to food being cooked fat before adding food. A can't be achieved through (you bake bread) and oven crowded pan will reduce the moist-heat cooking. temperature (roasting is hotter). heat, causing food to steam Cooking in a dry heat Cooking foods uncovered in the rather than sauté. A hot pan is environment (like the oven or a necessary to achieve browning. oven (surrounded by hot air) sauté pan) browns and cooks food evenly because the To sweat, you cook foods slowly caramelizes foods, which food surface is evenly exposed on low heat to release moisture, creates rich flavor. to the heat. creating tender translucent pieces. TIPS FOR RECIPE READING

Read the recipe at least two mes. • Don’t rush through it. READ • Taking your me will help you to avoid mistakes.

Review the yield for this recipe to determine if the recipe will make enough for what you need. YIELD • Determine if you’ll need to scale the recipe.

Gather all of your ingredients AND all of your equipment. • Take as few trips as possible. GATHER • Use a cart if you have one.

Preheat the oven if the recipe requires. PREHEAT • Be sure the oven is ready when you are.

Carefully review how ingredients are wrien to determine if you need to do any prep before you begin the steps. • For example: If the ingredient list says, “4 onions, PREP chopped,” you must have the chopped onions ready before you begin your steps.

Follow the recipe carefully, focusing on the instrucons. • Take your me. • Use the right equipment for the job. STEPS • Be organized and clean as you go. • Follow food safety rules at all mes.

Be ready with what you need when it is me to serve. • Select the appropriate serving dishes for the recipe. • How will you poron the dish? SERVE • What serving tools will you use? TIP SHEET: USING A FOOD PROCESSOR AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOOD PROCESSOR

Lid Food processors are specialized cung machines that allow Bowl you to rapidly chop, mince, and slice large Food Detachable Plunger Stem quanes of food.

In food processors Base/Motor Chopping the motor is separate Blade from the bowl, the Slicing and Grang blades, and the lid. Disks

SAFETY FIRST 2.2 Making Different Cuts Mechanized cung equipment like food Use the different aachment blades to processors can be very dangerous if not used create different cuts. correctly or if complete aenon is not given to the task. Follow these ps to ensure safety. Chop Mince • Always read the manual or get trained on equipment. Don’t use a machine if you are Slice Grate not sure how it works. • Take all safety precautions. Use food plungers and other safety devices whenever possible. Determining When the Food Processor Makes Sense • Make sure that the food processor is on a firm and stable surface. While food processors can be an efficient solution for cutting large amounts of vegetables, they may • Be sure to thoroughly clean and sanize not always be the best solution. When you need kitchen machines aer each use. small quantities of vegetables, your chef’s knife is a • Always unplug and turn off the machine better option than setting up, breaking down, and before cleaning, assembling, or disassembling. cleaning your food processor.

MODULE SIX: SAUCES

TASTING NOTES

CHECK FOR USE IN MENU PLANNING COMMENTS RECIPE (Production, Menu Planning, Taste, etc.) Breakfast Lunch Snack

Cheese Sauce

Marinara Sauce

Enchilada Sauce

Pizza Sauce

Barbecue Sauce

Baked Ziti

Vegetable Lasagna

Enchilada Casserole

Macaroni and

Cheese

Cheese Pizza

Barbecue Pizza with

Corn

1 MODULE SIX: SAUCES

Actions:

Please list 3 specific things you would like to do differently in your kitchen or in your cooking based on what you learned today. We will follow up next time and ask how these actions went, so please pick things you feel ready to take some action on.

2 Module Seven: Whole Grains

HEART HEALTHY WHOLE GRAINS

In the Grains workshop you’ll learn all about how whole grains differ from processed grains, and you’ll explore the various health benefits of having whole grains in your diet. The recipes that you and your team members prepare during the hands-on kitchen producon will give you exposure to a variety of grains and present creave ideas for integrang whole grains into both the breakfast and lunch menu at your centers. Through the demonstraons and the recipe producon, you’ll learn a variety of techniques for cooking tasty whole grains, including steaming, boiling, and the use of the rice cooker, an efficient, easy-to-use piece of equipment for cooking grains. An addional benefit of this workshop is that you have another chance to apply and pracce the range of culinary skills you learned in previous modules. A tasng acvity, the last part of each workshop, will give you a chance to explore specific ways to add whole grains to your center menus.

HANDOUTS RECIPES

All About Grains ﬂyer Breakfast Grains: Lunch Grains: Tip Sheet: Using the Chef’s Knife Brown Rice Tip Sheet: Basic Cooking Techniques Old Fashioned Oats Tips for Recipe Reading Granola Fried Rice Module Seven Tasng Notes French Toast Couscous Salad Blueberry Sauce Pasta Salad Vegetable Jambalaya All About Grains

Grains, especially whole grains, are an essenal part of a healthy diet. The healthiest kinds of grains are whole grains, as they are the best source of ﬁber and other nutrients. Naturally low in fat, whole grains are complex carbohydrates, which, because they take a long me to fully digest, provide the body with energy for hours. While the modern American diet includes a lot of grains, chances are that most people do not eat enough whole grains. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of all grains eaten be whole grains.

What are Grains? CHOOSING GRAINS Grains, also called cereals, are the seeds of grasses There are two main types of grains that are culvated for food. This seed (also called a available for purchase in supermarkets kernel) is protected by a husk. Before a grain can be eaten, the husk must be removed. today: whole grains and reﬁned grains. Whole grains are the enre seed of a plant. The seeds include three key edible parts: the bran, the Whole Grains: unreﬁned grains that keep germ, and the endosperm. the enre seed in place. Whole grains haven't had their bran and germ removed by milling. ✤ Examples: brown rice, whole wheat, corn, quinoa, barley, oats. Bran Endosperm

Refined Grains: grains that are milled, a process that strips seeds of both the bran and germ. While this is done to create a finer texture and extended shelf life, it also removes many nutrients and fiber. ✤ Examples: white flour/bread, white rice, pasta, and many types of cereal and crackers. Enriched Grains are refined gains that have had some of the nutrients (but not the fiber) added back in. Most refined grains (e.g., white flour, Germ bread, and pasta) are enriched, and many are also forfied with addional vitamins and minerals.

The bran: the outer layer of the grain kernel. Rich in ﬁber and B vitamins. Studies show that eang The germ: the core of the kernel. Rich in vitamin whole grains instead of E, the B vitamins, healthy fats, and anoxidants. reﬁned grains lowers the The endosperm: the middle layer. Contains the risk of many chronic carbohydrates and protein, and is the part of the grain that provides energy to our bodies. diseases. hp://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/ TIP SHEET: USING THE CHEF’S KNIFE ANATOMY OF A SAFE KNIFE HANDLING CHEF’S KNIFE ✦ A sharp knife is a safe knife. ✦ Always pick the knife up by the handle. ✦ Always cut on a cung board. ✦ Do not use a knife to open cans. ✦ Let a falling knife drop. Never try to catch it! ✦ When walking, hold knife firmly with the tip facing the floor and the sharp blade facing behind you. ✦ Be aware of where the knife is at all mes. • Blade: the knife’s cutting surface. ✦ Store knives properly (either on a magnec wall • Bolster: in knives forged from a single piece of metal, rack or in a knife guard in an organized drawer). the bolster aaches the blade to the handle ✦ Always wash knives by hand. Don’t soak them (balancing the weight of the knife). or use the dishwasher. • Cung edge: the center poron of the blade (used ✦ Don’t leave knives where they can’t be seen for a variety of cung jobs). (e.g., the sink). • Handle: the part of the knife you hold when cung. ✦ Designate a knife storage container at the dish • Heel: the widest part of the blade, located at the staon for all dirty knives. back of the cung edge (used for chopping or cung through more dense items). ✦ When drying a knife, keep the sharp edge away • Tip: the sharp point of the knife (used for delicate from your hand. tasks).

CUTTING STATION SETUP Having the correct cung FINISHED staon setup is an important BENCH GARBAGE SCRAPER PRODUCT me management strategy. BUCKET USABLE SANITATION R TRIM BUCKET (with wipe) Refrigerate Cutting stations should include: or use PRODUCT immediately A secured cung board BEING Knives and other tools FABRICATED A bench scraper (1 hour’s worth of product only) CUTTING BOARD Product being cut (in a hotel pan or other container) Keep potenally (Secured with a scky liner hazardous foods or a damp paper towel) A ﬁnished product container in separate containers. A garbage container A sanitaon bucket KNIVES AND STEEL KNIFE GRIPS CUTTING MOTION 1. Start with p of knife lower than heel. 2. The cung moon is a rocking forward moon.

! Grip 1: CORRECT Thumb and pointer on KNIFE CUTS either side of the blade.

LARGE DICE (CUBE)

SMALL ! Grip 2: CORRECT DICE Choked up on handle with ﬁngers resng on bolster. MINCE

STRIP

HALF MOONS BIAS CUTS ! Grip 3: INCORRECT Pointer on knife’s spine. May cause stress and injury.

GUIDE HAND

Stabilizes food being cut. FLORETS SLICE • Keep upright • Fingers curled under knuckles • Fingernails are visible TIP SHEET: BASIC COOKING TECHNIQUES

COOKING TERMINOLOGY USEFUL DEFINITIONS FOR A FEW BASIC COOKING TECHNIQUES MOIST HEAT DRY HEAT

Moist heat: heat is conducted to food by Dry heat: heat is conducted to food by hot water, water-based liquids, or steam. air, hot metal, radiaon, or hot fat.

A Look at Dry Heat Cooking Techniques Cooking without moisture, at temperatures of greater than 300°, can build delicious ﬂavor in foods.

Read the recipe at least two mes. • Don’t rush through it. READ • Taking your me will help you to avoid mistakes.

Review the yield for this recipe to determine if the recipe will make enough for what you need. YIELD • Determine if you’ll need to scale the recipe.

Gather all of your ingredients AND all of your equipment. • Take as few trips as possible. GATHER • Use a cart if you have one.

Preheat the oven if the recipe requires. PREHEAT • Be sure the oven is ready when you are.

Be ready with what you need when it is me to serve. • Select the appropriate serving dishes for the recipe. • How will you poron the dish? SERVE • What serving tools will you use? MODULE SEVEN: WHOLE GRAINS

TASTING NOTES

CHECK FOR USE IN MENU PLANNING COMMENTS RECIPE (Production, Menu Planning, Taste, etc.) Breakfast Lunch Snack

Old Fashioned Oats

Granola

French Toast

Brown Rice

Fried Rice

Couscous Salad

Pasta Salad

Vegetable Jambalaya

1 MODULE SEVEN: WHOLE GRAINS

Actions:

2 Module Eight: Soups and Dips

CREATIVE WAYS TO EXPAND YOUR MENUS

This workshop is all about Soups and Dips. To keep things easy and aﬀordable, the soup and dip recipes prepared in this workshop are made by blending together a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, or legumes to create a tasty and nutrious new dish. And because they oen contain healthy ingredients, many soup and dip recipes support the nutrional recommendaons of the Healthier Meals Iniave. Soups and dips can be a featured entrée item or part of a larger meal. Dips, which may be sweet (honey yogurt dip) or savory (guacamole), also make a great snack when paired with vegetables, fruit, or whole grain crackers, pita breads, or corn torllas. By experimenng with several delicious recipes, you’ll see how easy it is to make homemade soups and dips. During the hands-on recipe producon you’ll pracce the culinary skills (knife skills, measuring by weight, and proper cooking techniques) you’ve learned in a previous module. A tasng acvity, the last part of each workshop, will give you a chance to explore speciﬁc ways to add homemade soups and dips to your center menus.

HANDOUTS RECIPES

All About Soups and Dips ﬂyer Soups: Dips: Tip Sheet: Using the Chef’s Knife Guacamole Tip Sheet: Basic Cooking Techniques Broccoli Soup Tips for Recipe Reading Corn Soup Creamy Herb Dip Module Eight Tasng Notes Green Pea Soup Asian Dip Potato Soup Honey Yogurt Dip All About Soups and Dips

Soups and dips are made by combining together a variety of fresh ingredients to make a tasty new blended dish. All recipes featured in the HMI soups and dips workshop are puréed, or mixed smooth, so they can be good choices for younger children who are new to eating solid foods. Cooking soups and dips from scratch makes it easy to introduce vegetables, ﬁber, protein, and nutrients into your menu while meeng the healthier meals iniave priories. And you are sure to have fun preparing and serving these hearty, kid-friendly recipes as a part of your lunch and snack service.

“Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses Dips to leave you when you are impoverished and stretches its resources to give you a Dips are a type of sauce used to add flavor, texture, hearty sustenance and cheer? Who warms and nutrients to other foods. However, dips differ you in the winter and cools you in the from many sauces because, instead of pung the sauce on the food, you dip the food into the sauce. summer? Yet who also is capable of doing It is easy to see how they got the name dips. honor to your richest table and impressing Dips can be sweet and used to enhance the flavor of your most demanding guests?” fruit or baked goods, and they can also be savory -- -- Miss Manners (newspaper columnist Judith Martin) which is the term we give to foods that are not sweet (savory actually means salty) -- and used with vegetables, whole grain pitas, or corn torllas. Soups Dips are eaten all over the world and are an important part of Soup is a liquid-based food that is made by combining food ingredients (like meats, meat many cultures. bones, beans, and/or vegetables) with liquid (such as stock, water, or juice). Some soups also contain FOOD CULTURE grains (like rice or pasta) and some are made from fruit. Many soups are served hot, while some are Guacamole Mexico best warm, and still others eaten cold. Hot soups, the most common form of soup in America, are Peanut sauce Thailand typically made by boiling solid ingredients in a liquid in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a Chutney India broth. Hummus Syria (and Eastern Mediterranean) Chefs categorize soups as being either clear soups or thick soups. The HMI Culinary Workshop Series Tzatziki Greece provides you with several recipes for thick soups that are thickened by pureeing a range of vegetables. TIP SHEET: USING THE CHEF’S KNIFE ANATOMY OF A SAFE KNIFE HANDLING CHEF’S KNIFE ✦ A sharp knife is a safe knife. ✦ Always pick the knife up by the handle. ✦ Always cut on a cung board. ✦ Do not use a knife to open cans. ✦ Let a falling knife drop. Never try to catch it! ✦ When walking, hold knife firmly with the tip facing the floor and the sharp blade facing behind you. ✦ Be aware of where the knife is at all mes. • Blade: the knife’s cutting surface. ✦ Store knives properly (either on a magnec wall • Bolster: in knives forged from a single piece of metal, rack or in a knife guard in an organized drawer). the bolster aaches the blade to the handle ✦ Always wash knives by hand. Don’t soak them (balancing the weight of the knife). or use the dishwasher. • Cung edge: the center poron of the blade (used ✦ Don’t leave knives where they can’t be seen for a variety of cung jobs). (e.g., the sink). • Handle: the part of the knife you hold when cung. ✦ Designate a knife storage container at the dish • Heel: the widest part of the blade, located at the staon for all dirty knives. back of the cung edge (used for chopping or cung through more dense items). ✦ When drying a knife, keep the sharp edge away • Tip: the sharp point of the knife (used for delicate from your hand. tasks).