1. Menu planning

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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