Soups, Salads, & Casseroles. Soups Base Liquids Broth: flavorful liquid made by simmering meat,...
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Transcript of Soups, Salads, & Casseroles. Soups Base Liquids Broth: flavorful liquid made by simmering meat,...
Base Liquids
Broth: flavorful liquid made by simmering meat, poultry, fish, animal bones, or vegetables in water
Stock: similar to broth, but is made with vegetables and sometime with animal bones but not meat
Tips for Preparing a Stock
Rich and flavorful- cook low heat for long time Increase surface area by cutting pieces small Cracking the bones
Brown stock – begin by browning meat (beef)
Light stock – use un-browned meat (chicken)
Cold water – cook slowly for several hours at a simmer
Preparing Stock
Cut meat and vegetables to be used Brown meat In a large pot place ingredients in and cover with water Cover with tightly fitted lid and simmer for several hours Skim off any foam Remove fat from surfaceStain to separate the solid materials from the broth Clarify the stock Stock strained to remove an egg, solid materials, and
eggshellReduce the volume by further cooking
Preparing bouillon and consommé
Bouillon: beef or chicken stock
Consommé clear: rich-flavored soup made from stock
Clarify – strained stock by adding a slightly beaten egg white and few pieces of egg shell to boiling broth Traps solid material into the
egg then strain stock
Thickening Methods
Reduction: process of simmering an uncovered mixture until some of the liquid evaporates
Legumes and vegetables Thicken in the same way that grains Examples: beans, split peas Less starch vegetables will add more color and flavor –
mash or puree them Examples: broccoli, squash, and carrots
Eggs Less effective than starch at thicken liquids, but they
add richness and flavor
Thickening Methods cont.
Grains products Prepared grain products
Thicken by absorbing water and releasing starch as they cook Examples: rice, barley, and oats
Flour and cornstarch Flour - all-purpose flour works best because it
has more starch than other types Cornstarch: white powder of pure starch made
from the endosperm of the corn kernel Twice the thickening power of flour
Thickening Methods cont.
Grains products cont. Flour and cornstarch cont.
Avoid lumps Mix starch and cold water
• 1 part cornstarch and 2 parts water • Called slurry
Pour slowly and stir Simmer and stir
• Simmer for several minute to get rid of the raw flour taste
Gelatinization: chemical process that takes place as starch thickens liquid
Thickening Methods cont.
Grains products cont. Making a Roux
Roux: mixture of equal amounts of flour and fat
Butter, margarine, or fat drippings Add flour until the mixture thickens Keep stirring until the fat coasts the starch
granule and a smooth paste forms Cook and stir the roux into the liquid that
you want to thicken Stirring constantly, continue to cook it over
low heat until the mixture is smooth and thick
Kinds of soups
Soup: dish made by cooking solid foods in liquid
Clear soups Rich-flavored broth in which meat,
poultry, fish, vegetables, and seasonings have been cooked
Consommé: clarified broth, completely strained of all particles and sediments
Cream soup Milk instead of stock Bisque: is a rich cream soup that uses
shellfish as the base Usually made with starchy foods
Kinds of soups cont.
Chunky soups Chowder – made with fish, meat, or
vegetables and thickened with potatoes or cream
Minestrone – hearty Italian soups made with vegetables, beans, and pasta and topped with grated Parmesan cheese
Fruit soups Fruits are pureed and flavored with
spices and grated peels
Microwaving soups
Stock is best when cooked slow – not good for microwaving
Great for re-heatingCover container with lid to prevent spills
Salad
Salad: mixture of raw or cooked vegetable and other read-to-eat foods, usually served with a dressing Appetizers Entrees Side dishes Desserts
Sweet or savory Something from all food groups
Kinds of salads
Protein salad - small pieces of protein food combined with a dressing Protein needs to be main ingredient Examples – egg salad, chicken salad
Kinds of salads cont.
Pasta salad - cooked pasta, vegetables, possibly a protein food, and a dressing Examples – macaroni salad, pizza salad
Kinds of salads cont.
Vegetable salad - salad greens raw/cold/cooked Examples – coleslaw, potato salad, Caesar, &
tossed salad Tossed salad: when greens, chopped or sliced
vegetables and dressing are mixed together – mixing different kinds of greens
Kinds of salads cont.
Fruit salad - canned, frozen, or fresh fruit served on a bed of greens or in a hallowed fruit shell Examples – ambrosia, waldrof
Kinds of salad cont.
Gelatin salad - commercial fruit-flavored gelatin or mix fruit and vegetable juices with unflavored gelatin Molded
Kinds of salads cont.
Combination salad – puts together several different foods Leftovers are great for this type Examples – chicken Cesar salad
Salad Greens
Selecting greens Color is key to nutrition
Darker the green = more vitamin A Avoid
Brown spotting called rust Spoilage
Cleaning greens Most greens
Pull leaves away from brunch Rinse in cold water Restore: soak leaves for 10 minutes to rehydrate the cells Pat them dry
Iceberg - see notes under cooking tips at the end of the packet
Salad Greens cont.
Storing greens Thoroughly remove all
liquids, otherwise the leaves will wilt faster
Salad spinner Store in air tight container
or plastic bag
Preparing salad ingredients
Preserve freshnessTrim all bruises and inedible portions on fresh
salad ingredientsWash all fresh ingredients - avoid soaking
Lose water soluble vitamins Cause wilting
Pieces should be bite-size Leafy greens need to tear
Apples, peaches, bananas with lemon juice Enzymatic browning
Drain excess liquidVary shapes and sized - will add interest
Preparing salad dressing
Salad dressing: seasoned mixture, often consisting of oil and vinegar, used to flavor a salad Acts as a binder, holding the salad
together Emulsions - combination of 2 liquids
that ordinarily will not stay mixed - oil and vinegar
Temporary emulsion: must shake or stir before every use
Permanent emulsion: will not separate
Kinds of salad dressings
Vinaigrette: mixture of oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and seasoning Also called French dressing 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar Whisk together
Mayonnaise - vinegar/lemon juice, oil, seasoning, and egg yolk Emulsifying agent - egg yolk, surrounds the droplets
of oil and keep them suspended in the liquid Some recipes call for cooking or tempering the egg
mixture
Preparing salad dressing cont.
Cooked salad dressing - looks like mayonnaise, thicken it with a starch Cooking fat and water with starch paste, which
serves as an emulsifier Commercially called salad dressing
Dairy dressing: made with buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese and seasoning Ranch dressing
Assembling a salad
Close to serving timeBase - foundation on
which you place the main salad ingredients Contrast color Eye appealing Salad greens
Body - main part, on top of base
Assembling a salad cont.
Dressing - sauce served on or with a salad to add flavor Pour over just before serving Avoid too much Some may need to be added
several hours before to combine and mellow the flavors
Garnish - add eye appeal, simple Croutons: small pieces of bread
made crisp by baking at a low temp
Styles of assembling a salad
Tossed salad – mixture of greens and dressing, often mixed with other vegetables
Arranged salad – salad ingredients placed in an attractive pattern
Styles of assembling a salad cont.
Layered salad – similar to arranged salad, except that ingredients are place in layers one on top of the other, rather than in a flat pattern on the plate
Bound salad – held together tightly by a thick usually creamy dressing
Molding a Salad
Dissolve the gelatinAdd extra ingredients
Fruit, vegetables, and nuts
Pour into mold Lightly oil or rinse with cold water – help from
sticking
Chill Refrigerate until it is set – several hours
Remove from the mold Dip mold into warm water (not hot) for 10 seconds Invert onto a plate for serving
Casseroles
Casseroles: flavorful combination of precooked or quick-cooking food sin one-dish meal
Quick and easy to prepareCan make one dish to feed the whole family
Casserole ingredients
Protein food - meat, cheese, eggVegetables - Canned, frozen, or cooked
vegetables Starch - potatoes, rice, and pasta, casserole
fillingBinder - condensed soup, cheese sauce,
white sauce Binder: liquid that helps hold a mixture together
Seasonings – help add flavor Toppings - crumbs, cheese, or chopped nuts
Can help from drying out
Putting it together
For starters- pick one item out of each group, little seasonings
Grease the bottom of the dishAluminum foil can stop the top from
browning too quickly But can also prevent it from fully cooking in the
middle, so read the recipe Can be made on the stove top – may have to
be stirred more often
Casserole Tips
Watch for fat or sodium contentAny precooking can help speed up the
baking process Cut meat into bite size pieces – cook fasterMany casseroles and be prepared the day
before and made the following day Many will freeze well
Microwaving casseroles
Cooking, reheating, and defrosting Do not cook with the toppings on – it will just get
soggy Precooked ingredients
Herbs and Spices
Herbs – leaves of plants usually grown in temperate climates Basil, bay leaf, mint Fresh or dried
Spices – dried roots, stems, and seeds of plants grown mainly in the tropics Cinnamon, allspice, pepper Whole or ground form
Blend – combination of ground herbs and spices Poultry seasoning
Using herbs and spices
Fresh – great for garnishesDried – concentrated flavor
Use 1/3 of the fresh amount
Always use dried unless recipe calls for freshGround spices release flavor immediately so
add them at the endBouquet garni – cheese cloth bag with whole
spices and herbs in it, can be easily removed Often used in soups
Storing herbs and spices
Cool dry place away from lightBuy in small amounts Will keep their flavor and aroma for about a
year when properly storedWhole spices will last longerTest – rub a small amount between your
hands to see if they smell strong or not
Gourmet cooking
Gourmets – people who enjoy being able to distinguish the complex combinations of flavors that make up foods
Gourmet food – food that is expertly seasoned
Takes time to know what goes togetherWhen learning they start with small
amounts Eating just spices until they understand what parts
of the mouth is awakened by the flavor
Ground hamburger
Thaw in the microwave using defrost button Do not put frozen hamburger into the pan to cook
You will burn parts while some is still frozen When the hamburger is all cooked you will need to
drain off all excess grease Do not drain this down the sink – it will harden and clog the
sink You can use a colander/strainer over the top of a can and allow
the grease to harden and then place in the garbage - messy You can use a paper towel to soak up the grease while it is still
in the pan Tilt the pan to one side to allow all of the grease to run to one
side then place the paper towel in the pan to soak up the grease Toss the paper towels into the garbage can You can stir the paper towel around in the meat as well
Bacon
Bacon can be difficult to cut with a knife so it is easier to cut the bacon with scissors
If the bacon needs to be in small pieces for the recipe – it will be easier to cook it in small pieces to begin with Cut bacon into 1 inch strips and place it all into the
big pot and cook it all at one time Bacon grease needs to be placed into a can
to cool and harden before being placed into the garbage can
Cook on medium to high heat Always have one person that is watching the bacon
– it can burn easy
Chicken
Thaw in the microwave using defrost button Always cut chicken into bite size pieces
before cooking – this will speed up the cooking process Chicken is easy to cut while it is somewhat frozen
To check the chicken to see if it is done, cut open one of the larger pieces and check to see if it is still pink Usually people prefer the chick to have a small
amount of brownness to the outside of the chicken
Garlic
There is a small piece of skin on the outside of the garlic clove
Easiest way to remove this is by laying the garlic on the cutting board and placing a large knife on it side on top of the garlic and hitting the knife with the heal of your hand This will break off the outside skins and you will be able to
pick it off in just a couple of pieces
Always mince your garlic – no one wants to bite into a large piece of garlic
Lettuce
Cleaning a head of lettuce Hit the bottom of the head of
lettuce on the counter top – this will loosen the stem of the lettuce With your hands pull out the stem
Run cold water into the whole in the lettuce for about 30 seconds
Hold the head of lettuce upside down over the sink allowing all of the water to run out May need to squeeze the lettuce to help
get all of the water out
Lettuce cont.
Cutting a head of lettuce Place on the cutting board and try and cut
the lettuce into about ½ inch strips Once all cut then cut in the opposite
direction into about ½ inch sections again Prevent enzymatic browning, tear green
or cut with plastic lettuce knife rather than metal knife
Place into the bowl, the lettuce might still be wet Use a salad spinner if available If no salad spinner then you may want to use
paper towels to tray and soak up some of the liquid so the salad is not runny or soggy