Bell Ringer Learning Target – I can use cooking techniques to prepare recipes from the Protein and Dairy groups.

Preparing Proteins and Dairy 2018 Recipes Cuban Style Black Beans and Rice Spaghetti Pie Aunt Ella’s Macaroni and Cheese Panko Coated Tilapia Spinach Salad

Cooking Techniques

Brown Browning is the process of partially cooking the surface of meat Removes excessive fat Gives the meat a brown color crust and rich flavor Ground meat will frequently be browned prior to adding other ingredients and completing the cooking process.

Al Dente Italian: "to the tooth". Describes pasta and vegetables, rice, or beans that are cooked to be firm to the bite.

Saute’ French: "to jump," Describes how food reacts when placed in a hot pan Describes the method of tossing the food in the pan. To cook food quickly in a minimal amount of fat over relatively high heat. French verb sauter, which means "to jump,"

Cooking Rice 1. Rinse the rice. 2. Measure the rice and water. 2:1 ratio of water to rice ½ cup uncooked rice per person 3. Bring the water to a boil. Remember, rice expands as it cooks 4. Add the rice. 5. Cover and cook. Turn heat down to low. 1. Rinse your rice: It's good practice to rinse your rice in a strainer before cooking. This isn't strictly necessary, but it will rinse off any dusty starch on the surface of the rice along with any leftover chaff or stray particles. (Some rices have more starchy coating than others.) 2. Measure the rice and water: For most rice, use a 1:2 ratio of one cup of rice to two cups of water. Measure a half cup of uncooked rice per person and scale this ratio up or down depending on how much you're making. Some rice varieties will need a little less or a little more water as it cooks, so check the package for specific instructions. 3. Bring the water to a boil: Bring the water to boil in a small saucepan. Rice expands as it cooks, so use a saucepan large enough to accommodate. A 2-quart saucepan for one to two cups of uncooked rice is a good size. 4. Add the rice: When the water has come to a boil, stir in the rice, salt, and butter (if using), and bring it back to a gentle simmer. 5. Cover and cook: Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low. Don't take off the lid while the rice is cooking — this lets the steam out and affects the cooking time. 6. Rice is done when tender: Start checking the rice around 18 minutes for white rice and 30 minutes for brown rice. When done, the rice will be firm but tender, and no longer crunchy. It is fine if it's slightly sticky but shouldn't be gummy. If there is still water left in the pan when the rice is done, tilt the pan to drain it off. 7. Turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes, covered. This steams the rice just a little more. 8. Remove the lid and fluff: Fluff the rice with a spoon or a fork, and let it sit for a few moments to "dry out" and lose that wet, just-steamed texture. 9. Serve the rice: Leftover rice keeps well in the fridge for several days, so you can make extra ahead to serve later.

Cooking Rice 6. Cook until tender 7. Turn off the heat and let stand. 15-20 minutes 7. Turn off the heat and let stand. Covered 8. Fluff with a fork.

Brown Rice 1. Rinse the rice: Place the rice in a large strainer or colander and rinse it thoroughly under cool water. There is no need to dry the rice before cooking; a bit of moisture on the rice is fine. 2. Toast the rice (optional): Warm a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat in the pot where you'll cook the rice. Add the rice and toast until the rice is dry and starting to look slightly toasted on the tips. It will also start to smell fragrant and nutty. 3. Combine the rice and water: Slowly pour the water into the pot with the rice — if you toasted the grains, the water will steam and bubble at first. Stir in a teaspoon of salt. 4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Make sure the liquid stops boiling and has reduced to a bare simmer over low heat, then cover the pot. 5. Cook for 45 minutes. Do not uncover the pot to check the rice during cooking. 6. Check the rice: At the end of the cooking time, remove the cover and check to see if all the water has been absorbed; a little water on the very bottom is fine, but if there's more than a tablespoon, drain off the excess. At this point, the rice should also be chewy and tender, and no longer crunchy. If it's still crunchy, add a little more water (if needed) and continue cooking; check every 10 minutes until the rice is done. 7. Cover and let stand another 10 to 15 minutes: Take the rice off heat, and place the lid back on top. Let the rice stand another 10 to 15 minutes, covered. This last step prevents the rice from becoming overly sticky and helps it lose that wet, "just-steamed" texture. 8. Fluff and serve: Use a fork to fluff the rice, then transfer it to a serving dish. Serve while warm. Store the leftovers: Let any leftovers cool completely, then transfer to storage containers. Refrigerate rice for 3 to 5 days. Brown rice can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Seeding Tomatoes Why seed a tomato? When the extra liquid would hurt the texture of the recipe The seeds and liquid contain vitamin C. Sometimes the recipe needs the extra moisture. Cut the tomato down the center "equator" line into two halves. Use a small spoon to scoop the tomato seeds and any tough white core out of the four seed cavities. Discard the seeds. See the full post:http://toriavey.com/how-to/2012/06/how-to-seed-tomatoes/#4pcqHZcIpDgiYK7s.99 Why seed a tomato? Tomato seeds and their surrounding gel contain a lot of liquid. In certain recipes, that extra liquid can mess with the texture– like in Israeli Salad, for example. Some people have trouble digesting the seeds, which is another good reason to seed your tomatoes. During the seeding process, you can also get rid of the tough, white, flavorless parts attached to the core. Most of a tomato’s flavor resides in the red fleshy part, not the seeds and their gel, so tossing the seeds won’t change the flavor of your dish much. However, the gel does contain vitamin C and some nutrients, so be sure to check your recipe… sometimes having the seeds and extra moisture in the mix can be a plus! If you are ready to seed your tomatoes, read on for three simple step-by-step methods.

Panko Breadcrumbs A type of breadcrumbs Uses white bread Usually does not use the crust Bread is processed into large flakes, then dried Absorbs less oil than breadcrumbs Has little flavor on its own Adds a crunchy texture Panko is a type of flaky breadcrumb. It's commonly used in Asian cuisine, although it has become more popular and widely available in Western cooking. What sets it apart from standard breadcrumbs is its texture and the type of bread that's used. While breadcrumbs can be made using a number of different types of bread, panko is made using white bread. There are two varieties of panko: white panko, which is made from white bread without any crust, and tan panko, which is made from the entire loaf. The bread is processed into large flakes, rather than crumbs, and then dried. Panko has a light, airy, and delicate texture that helps it crisp as it cooks. The texture of panko makes it especially wonderful for fried food because it absorbs less oil than breadcrumbs, keeping food more crisp and crunchy. On its own, panko has little to no flavor. It can be used as a crunchy topping to add texture to baked casseroles, like macaroni and cheese, as a breaded coating for fried foods, or as a binder for meatballs. It's also commonly used in Japanese cooking. http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-panko-and-breadcrumbs-word-of-mouth-218201

Breading Pat dry Dredge – to coat wet or moist foods with a dry ingredient prior to cooking.  Dip in beaten egg Let excess drain off Place fillet in breadcrumbs, turning to coat both sides. Dredge a fish fillet through the flour and knock off the excess, then dip it in the beaten egg. Hold it up to drain off any excess egg, and place it in the breadcrumbs. Turn the fish over until the fillet is evenly coated with a good layer of crumbs and set it to one side. Repeat with the other fillets.

Cooking Fish 10 minutes per inch of thickness Start checking at 8 minutes Check for flaking with the tip of a knife Fish should be opaque

Boiled Eggs