1. Balanced Cooking Methods and Techniques
Chapter 8

2. Learning Objectives
Explain the difference between a seasoning and a flavoring ingredient and give examples of each.
Identify appropriate times for adding seasoning and flavoring ingredients to the cooking process for best flavor.
Identify common herbs, spices, and blends used in the kitchen and be familiar with each one’s aroma, flavor, and effect on food.
Discuss how to develop a flavor profile for a menu item, including five examples of flavor builders you could use.
Explain how to use the following techniques to add flavor: reduction, searing, deglazing, sweating, puréeing, rubs, and marinades.
Describe how to use the following cooking methods in balanced cooking: sauté and dry sauté, stir-fry, roast, broil, grill, steam, poach, and braise.
Explain the functions of basic baking ingredients and techniques to make healthier baked goods.

3. Introduction
The typical American buys a meal or snack from a foodservice operation about three to five times/week.
Americans depend on chefs, cooks, and foodservice employees to prepare nutritious foods for them.
Because you cant rely on fats, salt and sugar for flavoring in healthy cooking, we must develop flavor profiles and practice healthy cooking techniques
Vast majority of operators promote balanced choices.
However, most customers choose to not eat healthy

4. Introduction
Because you cant rely on fats, salt and sugar for flavoring in healthy cooking, we must develop flavor profiles and practice healthy cooking techniques
The key is aroma
Aromatic vegetables
Onion
Garlic
Shallot
Chive
Scallion
Leeks

5. Flavor
Seasonings: Substances used to bring out a flavor that is already present.
Flavorings: Substances used to add a new flavor or modify the original flavor.
Herbs: Leafy parts of certain plants that grow in temperate climates.
Spices: Roots, bark, seeds, flowers, buds and fruits of certain tropical plants. Mostly available dried.

6. Cooking with Herbs and Spices
Herbs and Spices are flavor builders, not rescues or remedies
Fresh herbs can only withstand about 30 minutes of cooking, so they work best for finishing dishes,
Dried herbs and spices should be used as the dish is cooking to assure maximum flavor
Dried herbs work well in longer cooking applications.
Whole spices take longer to release flavors than ground spices.
Fresh herbs, as opposed to dried, are far more superior and versatile
They are great when you need a crisp, clean flavor

7. Spice Blends
There is a spice reference on page in the 8th edition book and page in the 7th edition
Many herbs and spices can be combined to produce blends with global seasonings adding distinctive flavors, such as:
Italian: garlic, onion, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, thyme
Asian: ginger, five-spice powder, garlic, scallion, Thai basil, cilantro
French: tarragon, mustard, chive, chervil, shallot
South American: chili peppers, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, onion
Indian: ground nutmeg, fennel, coriander, cinnamon, fenugreek, curry
Mediterranean: oregano, marjoram, thyme, pepper, coriander, onion, garlic

8. Powerhouses of Flavor Fresh herbs and toasted spices
Herbs and spice blends
Freshly ground pepper
Citrus juices, citrus juice reductions
Strong-flavored vinegars and vinaigrettes
Wines
Strong-flavored oils such as walnut oil and extra-virgin olive oil
Infused vinegars and oils
Reduced stock (glazes)
Rubs and marinades
Raw, roasted, or sautéed garlic
Caramelized onions and shallots
Roasted bell peppers, chili peppers
Grilled or oven-roasted vegetables
Coulis, salsas, relishes, chutneys, mojos
Dried foods: tomatoes, cherries, cranberries, raisins
Fruit and vegetable purees
Condiments such as Worcestershire sauce, hot chili sauce, Dijon mustard
Natural, pure extracts

9. Other Ways to Add Flavor
Juices
Reduced orange juice, reduced beet juice, etc.
Citrus juices spark flavor even if the citrus flavor cannot be perceived
Vinegars and oils – infused
Wine, cider and balsamic vinegars
They have a light tangy taste that activated taste buds without the addition of salt
Stocks
Characteristics of a good stock
Fat-free
Clear- translucent and free of solid matter
Pleasant to senses of small and taste
Flavorful, but neutral
Stocks are a low kcal way to add flavor to stock
Convenience bases aren’t good for stock

10. Other Ways to Add Flavor
Marinades
Allow a food to stand on its own with a light dressing, chutney, sauce, or relish
Usually contains an acidic ingredient (wine, vinegar, citrus, yogurt, tomato juice) to break down tough meat or poultry.
Oil is used to carry flavor but isn’t essential.
Besides tomato, adding chopped kiwi or pineapple to a marinade helps soften tough cuts.
They contain enzymes that act as natural meat tenderizers

11. Other Ways to Add Flavor
Rubs
Dry marinade made of herbs and spices, sometimes moistened with a little oil and rubbed on the surface of meats
Glazes
Reduced stocks
Glace de viande, volaille, poisson
Wine and Spirits
May be added during cooking to enhance the overall flavor.
They are flavor builders rather then flavorings.
Extracts
Used primarily in baking

12. Other Ways to Add Flavor
Sauce Alternatives
Vegetable Purees
Coulis – Sauce made of a puree of vegetables or fruits
Salsa and Relishes – Chunky mixtures of vegetables and/or fruits and flavor ingredients
Chutney – Sauce from India made with fruits, vegetables, and herbs
Compote – Fruit cooked in syrup and flavored with spices or liqueur
Mojo – Spicy Caribbean sauce

13. Putting It All Together
You don’t need to separate your cooking methods from healthy to fattening. You should be using the same methods of preparation as you do for any style of cooking. The exceptions are deep-frying, pan-frying, and sautéing with oil. When you are preparing dishes that limit fat, it is smarter to use those fats at the end of your preparation rather than during the cooking process

14. Healthy Cooking Methods
Reduction
Boiling or simmering a liquid down to a smaller volume
Searing
Exposing meats surface to high heat before cooking at a lower temperature
Deglazing
Adding liquid to a hot pan to be used for sauces
Sweating
Cooking slowly in small amounts of fat over low heat without browning
Pureeing
Mashing or straining a food to a smooth pulp

15. Healthy Cooking Methods
Dry Heat Cooking Methods
Roasting- cooking with heated air
Smoking- indirect heat by smoke
Broiling- radiant heat from above
Grilling- radiant heat from below
Sauté- cooking foods quickly in small amounts of fat with high heat
Dry sauté- sauté with no oil added
Stir fry- cooking small foods over high heat with small amounts of oil

16. Healthy Cooking Methods
Moist Heat Cooking Methods
Simmering- cooking just below a rolling boil
Steaming- using steam to cook rather then a liquid medium
Poaching- food submerged in liquid between Not a simmer
Braising- larger cuts of meats
Stewing- smaller cuts of meat
Microwaving- no liquid added. Retains more moisture, nutrients and color in the final product

17. Jus and Jus Lié
To give jus additional flavor, add a mirepoix to the roasting pan during the last 30 to 40 minutes.
To remove most of the fat from the jus, you can use a fat- separator or skim off the fat with a ladle. If time permits, you can refrigerate the jus and the fat will congeal at the top.
To make jus lié, remove the fat from the jus, then add some vegetables.
Cook the jus at a moderately high heat so they brown or caramelize.
Add stock and a little wine to deglaze the pan.
Stir the ingredients to release the food from the pan because you want that flavor.
Continue to add stock to cover, then reduce the jus until the color is appropriate.
You can thicken if you want with a cornstarch slurry.

18. Healthy Baking
Flour—provides gluten (protein) and structure. Bread flour has the most protein and cake flour has a lot less gluten.
Eggs—are high in protein, so they give structure. Eggs also contribute flavor, color, and tenderness.
Fats—provides moisture and help give baked goods their tender crumb.
Sugar—provides sweetness and keeps baked goods moist and tender.

19. Healthy Baking
Healthy baking means finding a balance between structure and moisture. The main ingredients that give structure are flour and eggs, while fats and sugar give tenderness and moisture. Wet ingredients also act as moisteners.
If you want to decrease or eliminate an ingredient from a recipe, consider what the ingredient does. You can use another ingredient that performs the same job—such as using more sugar to tenderize when decreasing fat, or you can reduce the amount of ingredients that have opposite effects.

20. Tips for Specific Baked Goods
Cake tips: Light cakes rely less on fat and more of sugar and liquids for a tender texture. Don’t overbeat once the flour is added, and don’t overbake.
Pie crusts: Make sure you coat the flour proteins with fat and don’t overwork the dough.
Cookies: Don’t use soft margarine, whipped butter, or diet margarines because they contain too much water. Light cookies require precise measuring of the flour especially. Watch oven carefully to get out at the right time.
Quick breads: They are much more versatile than other baked goods in terms of making a variety of tasty, healthful versions.

21. Handling Customers Special Requests
Chapter 11

22. Learning Objectives
Identify appropriate ingredients/menu items when customers request foods low in kcalories, fat and cholesterol, sugar, or sodium.
Compare and contrast a food allergy with a food intolerance, and identify the most common food allergies.
Describe how to set up a food allergy management plan in a restaurant, and identify foods to avoid for the most common food allergies.
Give three examples of gluten-free foods from each food group, explain cross-contact, and give five examples of how to avoid cross- contact when preparing gluten-free menu items.
Identify appropriate ingredients/menu items for a customer who is lactose intolerant.
Identify complementary protein combinations, and use them along with vegetarian menu planning guidelines to plan a vegetarian menu that includes vegan options.

23. Introduction
Vegetarian, low-fat, and other requests are becoming fairly common.
Part of your daily regime as a chef is to be prepared for these special needs without creating kitchen havoc.
The best approach when designing your menus is to have choices that follow the basic dietary guidelines discussed in this book.

24. Low Kcalorie How to offer menu items lower in kcalories:
Adjust the portion size smaller.
Offer different sizes of an entrée, perhaps a half-size.
Allow customers to share an entrée.
Offer to put sauces and dressings on the side.
Make sure you have some balanced sides.
Choose balanced cooking methods and put on the menu.
Have balanced sauces and dressings, as well as fruit- based dessert choices.

25. Menu Choices for Low Kcalorie
Fruits and vegetables
Dips made with nonfat yogurt
Juice
Clear soups with veggies/lean proteins
Salads with balanced dressings
Lean proteins
Sauces with small amounts of fat
Roasted and steamed vegetables
Fruits and fruit-based desserts
Drinks with no or little sweetening

26. Low Fat and Cholesterol
Biggest sources of fat and saturated fat in American diet:
Fats and eggs used to make grains-based desserts
Cheese
Whole milk
Beef and pork
French fries
Dairy desserts such as ice cream

27. Menu Choices for Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Diet
Raw vegetables and fruits
Baked pita wedges with vegetable-based dip or hummus
Balanced dressings
Light margarine
Lean proteins
Pasta with vegetables
Meatless entrees
Roasted and steamed vegetables
Fruits and fruit-based desserts
Low-fat fruit yogurt with meringue cookie

28. Low Sugar
Avoid added sugars found in baked goods, desserts, ice cream, sugar-sweetened beverages including fruit drinks, candy, and some jams/pancake syrups.
Most appetizers, soups, salads, breads and rolls, entrées, and side dishes are low in sugar.

29. Diabetes Diabetes Mellitus Hyperglycemia Type 1 Type 2 (90%)
A disorder of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by high blood sugar and inadequate or ineffective insulin
Hyperglycemia
High levels of blood sugar
Type 1
Mostly children and adolescents. Cannot make their own insulin
Type 2 (90%)
Overweight adults. Body cannot produce enough insulin
If you have diabetes, your body cannot make or properly use insulin. This leads to high blood glucose, or sugar, levels in your blood.
Healthy eating helps keep your blood sugar in your target range.

30. Low Sodium
Most Americans eat more sodium than required. Too much sodium raises blood pressure.
The major source of sodium in the diet is salt.
1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 milligrams sodium.
Processed foods tend to be high in sodium.
In all menu categories, limit high-sodium ingredients such as salt, soy sauce, MSG, seasoned salts, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce, most Asian sauces, and any ingredient that is pickled, brined, smoked/cured.

31. Also avoid the following for a low-sodium diet:
Regular soup bases, mixes, or bouillon cubes
Commercial salad dressings unless lower than 100 mg sodium/2 tablespoons
Convenience breaded poultry/fish
Cured/smoked meats and fish such as bacon, ham, bologna, hot dogs, luncheon meats
Canned vegetables or beans
Commercial baked goods and pancake mix

32. Allergy vs Intolerance
Food allergy: An abnormal response to a food triggered by your body’s immune system.
Anaphylaxis-
Severe allergic reaction that can include difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth and throat, severe drop in blood pressure, loss on consciousness
Food intolerance: An unpleasant reaction to food that does not involve the immune response. Symptoms can include gas, bloating, dizziness, etc.

33. Following foods account for 90 percent of all food allergies:
Milk
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree nuts (walnuts, pecan, almonds, cashews, etc)
Fish and shellfish
Soy
Wheat
Food allergies are more common in infants and young children. They might outgrow them.
Adults also have food allergies—especially to fish and shellfish.

34. Food Allergies and Intolerances
Most cases of allergic reactions to foods are mild, but some are violent and life-threatening and can be caused by simply a trace amount of the offending food.
Peanuts are the leading cause of death from food allergies.
1/5000 of a gram has been known to be fatal
Whereas people with true food allergies must avoid the offending foods altogether, people with food intolerances can often eat small amounts of the offending foods without experiencing symptoms.

35. Gluten Free Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disease.
When a person with celiac disease consumes any food, beverage, or medication containing gluten, his or her immune system is “triggered” and responds by damaging the lining of the intestinal tract.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and/or a severe skin rash.
Other people without celiac disease also have gastrointestinal symptoms after eating gluten. This is called “non-celiac gluten intolerance.”
Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, or oats
contaminated with these grains.

36. To avoid gluten, check food labels for:
Wheat—including durum wheat, farina, graham flour, wheat bran, semolina, kamut, and spelt wheat
Barley
Rye
Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
Oats (unless labeled gluten-free)
Malt as in barley malt extract
Brewer’s yeast
Dextrin
Modified food starch

37. Someone avoiding gluten CAN eat:
Brown rice, wild rice, white rice
Corn and cornmeal
Amaranth
Quinoa
Millet
Teff
Sorghum
Buckwheat groats
Flax
Starches/thickeners such as:
Potato starch
Tapioca starch
Arrowroot
Corn starch

38. Low Lactose
In lactose intolerance, an enzyme is missing so lactose (milk sugar) is not split into its components in the small intestines.
Instead, lactose goes to the large intestine where it attracts water and causes bloating and diarrhea.
In addition, intestinal bacteria ferment lactose and produce gas.
Symptoms usually occur with 30 minutes to 2 hours and clear up within 2 to 5 hours.

39. Treatment for Lactose Intolerance
Treatment includes a diet limited in lactose (present in dairy and added to some foods) and use of lactose-free milk and milk products.
A number of individuals can drink small amounts of milk without any symptoms, especially when taken with food.
Yogurt and hard cheese are usually well tolerated because they often are quite low in lactose.

40. Vegetarian and Vegan
The largest group of vegetarians are called lacto- ovo vegetarians because they eat dairy and eggs.
Lacto vegetarians eat dairy, but no eggs.
Vegans do not eat eggs or dairy products and therefore rely exclusively on plant foods to meet protein and other nutrient needs.