Menu planning

4. Food preparation, cooking and presentation • The importance of colour, texture, flavour, shape, temperature and time. • Appropriate methods of cooking. • Appropriate methods of presentation. Culinary Terms • The selection, storage, preparation and serving of: - Fruit - Vegetables – Meat/Poultry - Fish – Eggs - Dairy products - Cereals, flour, rice, pasta - Convenience products - Sauces – consistencies - Basic dough products/Basic pastry products - Cakes, sponges and scones

The importance of colour, texture, flavour, shape, temperature and time. A variety of colours makes food attractive Garnishes and decoration can add colour Colour of plates should make the food look as good as possible Texture Dishes/meals should include a variety of different textures Cooked food should have the correct texture Flavour Dishes should contain a range of flavours and work well together Savoury food needs to be well seasoned (salt, pepper, herbs, spices) Food should smell pleasant

The importance of colour, texture, flavour, shape, temperature and time. Shape and layout Using a variety of shapes makes food more interesting Food could be cut up into different shapes or stacked up The shape of serving dishes can improve the way the dish looks Temperature Serve hot food on hot plates and cold food on cold plates Food should not be served in the temperature danger zone (63oC – 5oC) Timing Food should be served promptly so that the customer is not kept waiting Food should be served quickly so that it is served at the right temperature

Methods of Cooking Boiling Means cooking food in a pan of boiling liquid – 100oC Vegetables, rice and pasta are often boiled Popular because it is quick and simple. No use of fat so healthy too Makes the texture of the food softer – overcooking will make it too soft Vegetables can loose some of the vitamins (water soluble – B + C) Cooking water can be use in gravy Simmering More gentle than boiling – slightly lower than boiling point Fewer nutrients lost Soups and stews often simmered Poaching Cooking food very gently in a liquid that is below boiling point Used to cook delicate foods – fish and eggs. Prevents food breaking up

Methods of Cooking Stewing Used to cook food slowly in liquid over a long period of time Often used to cook tough meat and/or to develop flavour of dish The cooking liquid becomes the sauce for the food Braising Is like stewing but the food is usually fried first to develop the flavour It is then put into an ovenproof dish and liquid is added (wine/stock/water) the dish is covered with a lid or foil The food cooks by a mixture of simmering and steaming Popular for large joints of meat Steaming Cooking food with steam from boiling water Food stays moist Helps preserve colour, texture and vitamins Used for fish and vegetables

Methods of Cooking Pressure cooking A pressure cooker is a sealed pan which cooks above the boiling point of liquid Often used for stews, curries, chilli con carne, soups Cooks food quickly Safety – need to know how to use safely and how to reduce steam before opening Blanching Means to cook food in boiling water for a very short period of time The food is then normally plunged into iced cold water to stop the food from cooking Blanching vegetables helps to preserve the colour, texture and taste Later, the vegetables can be reheated quickly without loosing their colour or texture Microwaving Heat up the water, fats and sugar in a mixture to cook it (friction) Mostly used for defrosting or reheating Popular because of speed of cooking and ease of use Cannot use metal – produces sparks which can damage the machine Normal microwaves do not brown food – can buy multi function models High fat / high sugar dishes beware – in for too long can set alight (chocolate)

Methods of Cooking Frying – means cooking food in hot fat Uses fat or oil heated to a very high temperature to cook the food quickly The food absorbs fat as it cooks – adds flavour but less healthy Fat needs to be hot otherwise absorbed into food – greasy/goes soggy Safety very important – keep away from liquids – do not attempt to move until cooled down Shallow fat frying Uses a frying pan with a small amount of oil. Most foods need turning Examples of use – fish, meat, eggs Deep fat frying Food is completely submerged in very hot oil (chips cooked at 180oC) Some deep fat fryers have heat gauges and thermostats to prevent overheating Delicate foods are coated first – egg and breadcrumbs / batter Excess oil needs to be drained off after cooking – use of absorbent paper or special cloths (like J cloths)

Methods of cooking Stir frying Uses a wok with little hot oil. Works better on a gas flame. It is healthier than other methods of frying Food needs to be cooked into even sized pieces and cooked in order to ensure everything is the correct texture at the end of the cooking period Advantages – very quick, healthy Disadvantages – cannot be cooked in advance Baking Cooked in an oven (convection). The outside of the food should be brown and crisp Baking foods can be healthier than frying or roasting as it uses less fat Food which dries out easily should be baked in foil (fish, chicken) Roasting Cooks in oven (convection) using dry heat but fat is added to the outside of the food before cooking. The outside will go brown and crisp while the middle is moist Uses – large joints, vegetables

Methods of cooking Grilling Uses dry heat to cook the food at a very high temperature (radiant) Fairly healthy as no fat added and any fat drips out during cooking process A quick method which browns the outside Disadvantage – timing otherwise food can burn or be raw in the middle Used for tender cuts of meat, fish and vegetables. Breadcrumbs on au gratin dishes