Chapter 8: Salad and salad dressing

Salad and salad dressing
- Before refrigeration,the pantry was where the food products were kept before going into the kitchen.

What is salad?
- salad is a single food or mixture of food accompanied or bound by a dressing.
- contain meat,grains, nuts or cheese , contain no lettuce.
- can be an appetizer, entree, side dish or dessert.
- color,texture and flavor should compliment each other.

Types of salad:

• Appetizer salad - first course, attractive arrangements and garnish are important, stimulate the appetite with tangy, flavorful dressings and look good, should not be too filling
• Accompaniment salad - main course, light & flavorful, not too rich, heavy salads
• Main course salad - variety and balanced meal, cold salad plates
• Separated salad - European version of a salad, a refreshing salad after a wonderful entree to cleans the palate and ready for dessert
• Dessert salad - usually sweet and contain (fruits,sweetened gelatin)

Green salad : spinach,escarole,lettuce,chinese cabbage or celery cabbage,sprouts

Vegetables raw : avocado,broccoli,radishes, cauliflower,carrots

Vegetables : cooked,canned ( asparagus,beets,beans,corn)

Starches : dried beans, potatoes,macaroni products, grains, bread 

Fruits : apples, apricots,bananas,dates,figs 

Protein food : meat(all), poultry(all), fish and shellfish, bacon,cheese

Miscellaneous salad ingredients :

~Gelatin (plain or flavored) 

~Nuts

Four (4) basic parts of a salad:

• Base or underline
• Body
• Garnish
• Dressing

Guidelines for arranging salad:

• use cold plate
• keep the salad off the rim
• strike a good balance of colors
• height keeps a salad attractive
• cut the ingredient neatly
• make salad ingredient identifiable
• keep it simple

Preparing salad greens:

Washing ➪ Draining ➪ Crisping ➪ Tearing and Cutting ➪ Mixing ➪ Platting ➪ Garnishing ➪ Dressing (immediately before service ➪ Serving . 

Vegetable salads

~ all ingredient is vegetables other than lettuce or other leafy greens

~can be raw (cucumbers,celery)

What is bound salad?

~mixtures of foods that held together with thick dressing (mayonnaise type)

~popular cooked: chicken,eggs,rice,crab

Gelatin salad

> started with aspics,highly ornamented appetizers

> elaborate pieces made from fish stocks in natural gelatin

> purefied granular gelatin and gelatin sheets (available in the kitchen)

> know how to prepare the salads using unflavored gelatin with fruit juices and other ingredients

Compose salad

~ made by arranging two or more elements attractively on a plate

~Guidelines: 

  •Observe the guidelines for each of the salad components, such as greens, vegetables,         cooked salads, and fruit salads

  •Prepare each component separately

  •Arrangements may be plated in advance if the components will hold well

  •Prepare and add hot or warm components immediately before serving

  •Observe general guidelines of salad arrangement and presentation

Salad bar and buffet service
~ Salad bars have become the standard fixtures in restaurants
~ Popular with operators and customer
~ Always keep the salad attractive and well stocked

~Arrange the salad bar : plates,mixed greens,condiments,dressings,crackers

Salad dressing
~liquids and semi liquids that used to flavor salad
~three categories of basic salad dressing 
   -oil and vinegar dressing
   -mayonnaise-based dressing
   -cooked dressing

Ingredients :

- depends on the quality of the ingredients and most dressings are oil and vinegar or citrus  

juice

Types of oil used :  corn oil,olive oil,walnut oil

~all purpose oils have a mild,sweet flavor

Salad dressing ingredients
~vinegar: cider vinegar,wine vinegar,white or distilled vinegar
~lemon juice
~egg yolk

      

Seasoning and flavoring 
- any herbs or spices can be used for salad dressing
- dried herbs & spices need extra time to release their flavors
- salad dressing should be made 2-3 hours before serving
- other ingredients added for flavoring are mustard,Worcestershire sauce and various types 
of cheese.

Emulsions
Temporary Emulsions
→simple oil and vinegar dressings because they'll always separate after shaking
→negative side(have to be shaken or stirred before used)

Permanent Emulsions
→mayonnaise is a mixture of oil and vinegar, but bound together by egg yolks(emulsifiers)
→commercial emulsifiers are gums,starches & gelatins

Oil and vinegar dressings
Basic vinaigrette → oil+vinegar (3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar)
Mayonnaise = oil + egg yolks

Chapter 7: Understanding vegetables

On 22 Nov 2017, we have learn chapter 7 which tell us about understanding vegetables.Here are some of that we learn in class and teach by our lecturer,Chef Naim.


Vegetables 
- one time the vegetables is unimportant,abused and neglected.
- but nowadays vegetables are the most important because of their; Nutrition,Variety,Flavor,Eye appeal and Sophistication.
- highly perishable.

Controlling Quality Changes During Cooking
⇒Cooking affects:
   1. Texture
   2. Flavor
   3. Color
   4. Nutrients
(how much is changed of each will determine the final products quality)

Controlling texture changes
Fiber - structures of vegetables (include cellulose and pectins)
         - made firmer by acids & sugars
         - softened by heat & alkalis

Starch - another vegetables component
           - dry starchy foods (cooked in enough water to absorb moisture & soften)
       
Doneness - a vegetable is done when it reach its peak degree of tenderness
                 - most vegetables cooked al dente (firm to the bite)

Control flavor changes
Cooking produces flavor loss and to keep to a minimum:
 -cook as short a time 
 -use boiling salted water
 -enough water to cover vegetables
 -steam vegetables

Strong flavored vegetables - comes from the onion and cabbage families or root vegetables
-some vegetables changes its flavor
-avoid over cook because some vegetables develop a strong and unpleasant flavor when overcooked

onions(strong flavored vegetables)

Cooking and sweetness
- fresh harvested vegetables are high in sugar but as they mature or sit in storage the sugar turns to starch.
- serve sweet-tasting vegetables : serve young fresh vegetables and use a little sugar to cook old vegetables

Controlling color changes
White vegetables
- white pigments called flavoness (primary coloring compounds)
- example; celery,cucumbers,and zucchini
- it will stay white (acid) and turn yellow (alkaline)
- to keep it white add acid

Red vegetables

- red pigments called anthocyanins but only found in few vegetables
- acids (bright)
- alkaline [green or blue-green(not appealing)]

Green vegetables - green coloring called chlorophyll is present in all green plants.

Yellow and Orange vegetables - yellow and orange pigments (caretenoids) and stable.

Controlling nutrient losses
6 factors that affect nutrient loss;

• High temperature
• Long cooking
• Leaching
• Alkalis (baking soda,hard water)
• Plant enzymes
• Oxygen 

Pressure steamers cook quickly→Braising uses low heat ( long cooking)→Baking eliminates leaching of vitamins & minerals→Boiling faster than simmering→Cutting vegetables into small pieces(decrease cooking time)

Standard of quality in cooked vegetables
Vegetables combinations ⇨ Color ⇨ Appearance on plate ⇨ Texture ⇨ Flavor ⇨ Seasonings ⇨ Sauces ⇨ Vegetables combinations

Classifying vegetables as used in the kitchen

• The Gourd family (squashes)
• Seeds and Pods (beans, okra, peas)
• Tender-Fruited vegetables (avocado,eggplant,tomatoes)
• Roots and Tubers (beets,carrots)
• The Cabbage family (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower)
• The Onion family (garlic,shallots,onions)
• Leafy greens (spinach,lettuce,chicory)
• Stocks,Stems and Shoots (asparagus, celery, fennel)
• Mushrooms

Mushroom

 

Okra 

Fresh vegetables: Evaluating and preparing

• Asparagus
• Artichokes
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage,Green,Red and Savoy
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Mushroom
• Okra
• Parsley
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

Mushrooms 

⇒Two types of mushroom which is Cultivated Exotic mushrooms (Shiitake,Oyster mushrooms,Enoki mushrooms) and Wild mushrooms (Morel,Bolete,Black trumpet).

Processed vegetables

- Quality of the frozen or canned vegetables never equals

- Handling frozen vegetables: check the temperature,large ice,signs of leaking,freezer burn,cook frozen vegetables from the frozen state

- Canned vegetables: reject damaged cans,know the drained weight,check grade

- Dried vegetables: two basic types of dried vegetables~Dried Legumes, Freeze-Dried and Other Dehydrated Vegetables.

Storage

Fresh and Frozen

-A fresh vegetables such as potatoes,onions and winter squash stored at 10 degree to 18 degree Celsius in a dry place while other vegetables stored in refrigerator.

-As for frozen vegetables,store at -17 degree Celsius or cooler, in original containers until it is ready to use.

Dried and Canned

-Dried vegetables should be store in a cool (less than 23 degree Celsius) in a dry place,well-ventilated place

-Canned vegetables: keep in cool,dry place

-Leftovers: 

~Don't create them in first place

~Don't mix batches

~Cool quickly and use with caution

Chapter 6: Understanding Fish and shellfish

This is what i have learn for this chapter;

Composition and structure
- The edible flesh of fish is like meat and poultry that consist water,protein,fats and small amount of minerals and vitamins.
- Fish have a very little connective tissue and that makes the difference between fish and meat.
- Fish cooks quickly,naturally tender,moist-heat used to provide moistness and fish tends to fall apart easily when it is cooked.

Special problems in cooking fish
Doneness and flaking:
 >when the fish is cooked, it breaks apart into natural separations called "flaking".
 >fish often served overcooked because of residual cooking.

Observe these tests for doneness:
 >if the fish just separates into flakes
 >if there is a bone, the flesh separates from the bone and its not pink
 >the flesh has turned opaque or white ( depending on the fish)

Cooking fat and lean fish
→Lean fish are low in fat (flounder) :
 - Moist-heat methods - suited to poaching
 - Dry-heat methods - lean fish be basted if its broiled or baked
 - Dry-heat methods with fat - may be fried or sauteed.The fish gains added palatability from the added fat.

→Fat fish high in fat (salmon,tuna)
 - Moist-heat methods - poached like lean fish
 - Dry-heat methods - fat fish are well suited to broiling and baking.Removes excess oiliness.
 - Dry-heat methods with fat - can be cooked in fat.

Fish-market forms
-whole or round
-drawn
-dressed
-steaks
-fillet
-butterflied fillets
-sticks or tranches

Cutting fish-market forms
> Buying processed fish versus cutting it yourself:
- doing your own fish butchering based on:
  -freshness
  -cost
  -availability
  -usage of fins,bones heads and fat
  
 Saltwater fish- round fish
-FLAT : flounder,english sole,petrale sole,domestic dover sole, and turbot
-Example; 

• Bluefish 
• Jack
• Salmon
• Sardine
• Tuna
• John Dory
• Tilefish
• Shark
• Mahi-mahi

Freshwater fish

• Catfish 
  
• Eel
• Tilapia 
  
• Trout 
  
• Whitefish

Handling and storage

- Temperature is the most important concern with storage 

- Fish-stored at freezing temperature) to avoid bacteria from multiplying,retain moisture of the flesh,prevent fish odors,prolong the shelflife of the fish

-Storage time not exceed 1 to 2 days,if fresh.

Determining freshness:

• Smell
• Eyes
• Gills
• Texture
• Fins and scales
• Appearance
• Movement

Frozen,Canned and other processed fish

>Federal inspection

  -fish and shellfish grading is voluntary

  -performed on fee-for-service program

>Frozen - accounts for more daily consumption than fresh

>Checking quality; -should be frozen

                               -fresh,sweet odor

                               -wrapped well

>Storage; -be stored at -17 degree Celcius, 

                 -well wrapped to prevent freezer burn

                 -maximum time of storage : Fat Fish(2 months), Fat fish(6 months)

Thawing and Handling

Frozen raw fish

 -Thaw in refrigerator, allowing 18 to 36 hours

 -Small pieces can be cooked from frozen state, up to 8 ounces

Canned fish

- Check for signs of damaged cans

- Store in a cool dry place

- Opened fish should be put in a wrapped container, labeled, and can be kept for 2 to 3 days

Shellfish
➝Mollusks - soft sea animals.Commonly eaten; Bivalves,Univalves,Cephalopods
➞Crustaceans - animals with segmented shells and jointed legs

Miscellaneous Seafood
-Snails or escargot

-Frogs legs

-Surimi

Nutrition
- Fish & shellfish (low in calories,fat,sodium,high in vitamins A,B and D and protein)
- Fish high in group of polyunsaturated (Omega-3)

General Rule for:
Baking Fish- Bake at 350 degree F to 400 degree F ( 175 C to 200 C) for 10 minutes.

Broiling fish: - do not overcook
                     - use small slices
                     - broil thick cuts 
                     
For sauteing and pan-frying fish
- lean fish is best
- coat fish with breading or flour
- cook in butter/oil
- cook small items(over high heat), larger items(over lower heat)
- brown the most attractive side first

En Papillote - in paper ( cooked tightly wrapped with its flavoring ingredients and sauce)

Chapter 5: Understanding Poultry and Game Birds

Topic outlines:
1. Composition and structure
2. Inspection and grading
3. Classification and market forms
4. Handling and storage
5. Doneness
6. Trussing method

Composition and Structure
→The muscle tissue contains:
 - Water (75%)
 - Protein (20%)
 - Fat (up to 5%)
 - Small amounts of elements and carbohydrates
 - Muscles consist of muscle fibers and connective tissue
→Young birds more tender than older birds
Birds that do fly have only dark meat 

Maturity and Tenderness
-Tenderness of a piece of meat is related to connective-tissue and its increase with the exercise of the muscle and maturity and age.
-Young,tender birds (cooked by dry heat)

"Light Meat" and "Dark Meat"
Light meat - Breast and wings
                   - less fat,less connective tissue, cooks fatster














Dark meat - Drumsticks and thighs
                  - more fat,more connective tissue,longer cooking time

1. Cooking whole birds
2. Cooking poultry parts

Free range chickens
-allowed to go outdoors,move and eat in natural environment
-organic

Major problems with roasting
-cooking the legs to doneness without overcooking the breasts
  -barding
  -basting
  -roasting separate
  -roasting birds breast down

Grading of poultry and inspection
-all poultry consumed in the U.S. is subject to USDA inspection.

Grading

- universal
-graded according to their overall quality
-from the highest to the lowest
  -USDA grade A
  -USDA grade B
  -USDA grade C
  -no bearing on tenderness or flavor
  -grade based on: (shape of carcass,amount of flesh & fat,pinfeathers,skin tears,blemishes)

Classifications and market forms
Kind - species(chicken,turkey)
Class - the subdivision of kind
Style - amount of cleaning and processing (live,dressed)
State of refrigeration - chilled or frozen

Poultry
- the collective term for domesticated birds bred for eating. ( Chickens, Ducks,Geese,Turkey )

Chicken
→most popular and widely eaten
→contain white and dark meat
→any method of cooking
→available fresh and frozen
→poussin - special bird

Turkey
→the second most popular poultry in united states
→white and dark meat
→small amount of fat
→young turkey lends itself
→breasts can be cut into cutlets or scaloppine

Duck and Geese
→have dark meat only
→mostly in food operations
→high percentage of bone to fat to meat ratio
→large percentage of fat

Squab (Pigeon)
→dark meat and well suited for broiling,sauteing
→a little fat

Guineas
→flavorful chicken
→descendent of the pheasant
→domestically raised

Game Birds and Specialty Products
-Partridges
-Pheasant
-Wild duck
-Ostrich
-Emu

Ratites
-a family of flightless birds with small wings and flat breastbones.
-example; ostrich (native to africa)

Handling and Storing
-can be purchased in many forms; fresh,portioned controlled(PC),cut-up,frozen,individually quick frozen(IQF)
-perishable
-often bring salmonella bacteria
-hazardous food
-fresh chickens and small birds (stored on ice)
-do not refreeze poultry

Doneness
- cooked well done (except for squab and sauteed duck breast)
- there is difference between well done and overcooked

Dry-Heat cooking methods
 Broiling→Grilling→Roasting→Determining the doneness of poultry (touch,temperature,looseness of joints,color of the juices)