2. Break down the veal into all its component parts and record the weights of the trim and waste, starting in blank 4. In this case, there are only six items: fat, bones, small meat scraps for grinding, meat for stew, unusable waste, and cutting loss. Record the weight of the finished scaloppine in blank 13. FOOD COST CALCULATIONS 117 Table 5.5 Raw Yield Test Form Item Test number Date Purveyor Price per pound Total cost AP weight (1) Lb price (2) Total cost (3) Trim, salvage, and waste: Item Weight Value/lb Total Value (lb x value) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Total weight (4 thru 10) (11) Total value (4 thru 10) (12) Total yield of item (13) Net cost (3 – 12) (14) Cost per lb (14 ÷ 13) (15) Percentage of increase (15 ÷ 2) (16) Table 5.6 Completed Raw Yield Test Form Item veal leg to scaloppine Test number 3 Date 6/5/10 Purveyor ABC Meats Price per pound $5 Total cost $150 AP weight (1) 30 lb Lb price (2) $5 Total cost (3) $150 Trim, salvage, and waste: Item Weight Value/lb Total Value (lb x value) (4) fat 21 ⁄2 lb $0.12 $ .30 (5) bone 3 lb 5 oz $0.38 $1.26 (6) ground veal 2 lb 2 oz $4.89 $10.39 (7) stew meat 3 lb $5.29 $15.87 (8) unusable trim 14 oz 0 0 (9) cutting loss 3 oz 0 0 (10) Total weight (4 thru 10) (11) 12 lb Total value (4 thru 10) (12) $27.82 Total yield of item (13) 18 lb Net cost (3 – 12) (14) $122.18 Cost per lb (14 ÷ 13) (15) $6.79 Percentage of increase (15 ÷ 2) (16) 1.36 (136%)
What is cutting loss? This is not something you can actually weigh. However, there is always some loss of weight due to particles of meat and fat sticking to the cutting board, to drying, and to other factors. So when you add up all your weights, you find they total less than 30 pounds. To determine cutting loss, add up blanks 4 through 8 and blank 13. Subtract this total from line 1. 3. Enter the values per pound of the trim, salvage, and waste on lines 4 through 10. In this case, these numbers are given to you by the executive chef from the invoices. • The fat collector pays 12 cents per pound for waste fat. • When you have to buy extra bones for your stockpot, you pay 38 cents per pound for them, so this is their value to you. This is also the figure you use when you cost out your stock recipe. If you didn’t make stock and threw out the bones, you’d enter 0 in this blank. • Similarly, the values entered for ground veal and stew meat are the prices you’d have to pay if you bought them. • Unusable trim and cutting loss have no value, so you enter 0. 4. Calculate the total value of each item on lines 4 through 10 by multiplying the weight by the value per pound. Note that this particular form tells you how to do all the calculations. 5. Add the weights in lines 4 through 10 and enter the total in blank 11. Add the total values in lines 4 through 10 and enter this figure in blank 12. 6. Subtract the total value of all the trim (blank 12) from the price you paid for the veal (blank 3). This gives you the net cost of your 18 pounds of scaloppine. 7. To find the cost per pound of the scaloppine, divide the net cost (blank 14) by the weight (blank 13). This is the figure you will use in costing recipes for veal scaloppine. 8. The percentage of increase in the last line is determined by dividing the net cost per pound (blank 15) by the price per pound of the whole leg (blank 2). This figure can be used as follows: Suppose next week you buy another leg of veal from the same purveyor, but the price has gone up to $5.29 per pound. Instead of doing another yield test, you can simply multiply this new price by the percentage of increase ($5.29 times 1.36) to get a new cost per pound of $7.19. COOKED YIELD TEST Earlier we introduced two important abbreviations: AP (as purchased) and EP (edible portion). A third expression sometimes used is AS, meaning as served. When foods such as fruits are served raw, AS may be the same as EP. But if the food is cooked, these weights are different. In the case of the veal scaloppine, your recipe portions, and therefore your portion costs, are based on raw weight. For example, your scaloppine recipe might call for 51 ⁄2 ounces raw meat per portion. In some cases, on the other hand, your portions may be based on cooked weight. This is most often true of roasts. For example, let’s say you buy whole fresh hams, bone and trim them, and serve them as roasts, allowing 6 ounces sliced, cooked meat per portion. To arrive at your cost, you will have to do a cooked yield test, as illustrated in Tables 5.7 and 5.8. (This form may be printed on the same sheet of paper as the raw yield test form so the operation can have a complete cost analysis on one form.) This form has been filled in with the results of a cooked yield test done on a roast, boneless fresh ham. Let’s assume this same ham has already had a raw yield test done on it. The first half of the form, through blank 3, is filled in before the test starts. The numbers for blanks 1, 2, and 3 are taken from the raw yield test form, but you should double-check the net raw weight by weighing the item again before roasting. Enter the total weight of cooked ham served in blank 4. You arrive at this figure by recording the total number of portions served and multiplying this number by the portion size. Let’s say 22 portions are served at 6 ounces each. This gives us a total of 132 ounces (22 × 6), or 81 ⁄4 pounds. You might be tempted to simply weigh the whole roast after cooking and trimming. Remember, though, that there will be some waste—crumbs on the slicer or cutting board, spillage of juices, and so on. It is more accurate to record the weight you actually sell. 118 CHAPTER 5 MENUS, RECIPES, AND COST MANAGEMENT
If this had been a bone-in roast, you would have another reason to carve the meat before weighing, because you could not include the weight of the bone in your as-served figure. The remaining blanks on the form are determined by doing the calculations, just as you would do the calculations for the raw yield test. Portion Costs Portion cost, or raw food cost, is the total cost of all the ingredients in a recipe divided by the number of portions served: portion cost = cost of ingredients number of portions Here we cost out a sample recipe to show you how the procedure works. First, note the following points and keep them in mind when you are calculating portion costs. Many errors in costing are caused by forgetting one of these points. 1. Costs must be based on AP (as purchased) amounts, even though recipes often give EP (edible portion) quantities. These terms are explained in the preceding section. 2. Include everything. That means the lemon wedge and parsley garnish for the fish filet, the cream and sugar that go with the coffee, and the oil that used for pan-frying the eggplant. These are sometimes called hidden costs. FOOD COST CALCULATIONS 119 Table 5.7 Cooked Yield Test Form Item Test number Date AP price per lb Cooking temperature Net raw weight (1) Net cost per lb (2) Total net cost (3) Weight as served (4) Cooked cost per lb (3 ÷ 4) (5) Shrinkage (1 – 4) (6) Percentage of shrinkage (6 ÷ 1) (7) Total percentage of cost increase (5 ÷ AP price per lb) (8) Table 5.8 Completed Cooked Yield Test Form Item roast fresh ham Test number 2 Date 6/5/10 AP price per lb $3.49 Cooking temperature 325° Net raw weight (1) 12 lb Net cost per lb (2) $3.93 Total net cost (3) $47.16 Weight as served (4) 8 lb 4 oz Cooked cost per lb (3 ÷ 4) (5) $5.72 Shrinkage (1 – 4) (6) 33 ⁄4 lb Percentage of shrinkage (6 ÷ 1) (7) 31% Total percentage of cost increase (5 ÷ AP price per lb) (8) 164%
Seasonings and spices are a typical example of hidden costs that are difficult to calculate. Some operations add up the cost of all seasonings used in a year and divide that by the total food cost to get a percentage. This percentage is added to each item. For example, if the cost of an item is $2.00 and the seasoning cost percentage is 5 percent, the total cost is $2.00 plus 5 percent of $2.00, or $2.10. Other hidden costs can be calculated in the same way. For example, you could figure out your cost percentage for frying fat and add the percentage to all deep-fried foods. Some restaurants take an arbitrary figure for all hidden costs, usually 8 to 12 percent, and add this to all menu items. 3. Record the number of portions actually served, not just the number the recipe is intended to serve. If the roast shrank more than you expected during cooking, or if you dropped a piece of cake on the floor, those costs still have to be covered. Controlling Food Costs Calculating food costs is a critical part of the business of selling and serving food. The preceding section explains the basic mathematics of determining these costs. But cost control is much more than calculating costs based on written recipes. Cost control begins with menu planning and encompasses every phase of the operation, from purchasing to service. Menu Planning A well-planned menu takes care to utilize ingredients efficiently and in a way that avoids waste. When writing a menu, consider the following guidelines for total utilization of foods. 1. Use all edible trim. Unless you use only portion-controlled meats, poultry, and fish and only frozen and canned vegetables, you will have edible trim. You can either throw it away and call it a loss, or you can use it and make money on it. Plan recipes that utilize these trimmings and put them on the menu. For example: 120 CHAPTER 5 MENUS, RECIPES, AND COST MANAGEMENT Procedure for Calculating Portion Cost 1. List ingredients and quantities of recipe as prepared. 2. Convert the recipe quantities to AP (as purchased) quantities. 3. Determine the price of each ingredient (from invoices, price lists, etc.). The units in this step and in step 2 must be the same in order for you to do the calculation. 4. Calculate the total cost of each ingredient by multiplying the price per unit by the number of units needed. 5. Add the ingredient costs to get the total recipe cost. 6. Divide the total cost by the number of portions served to get the cost per portion. Example: Costing a Recipe Item: Baked Rice Ingredient Amount Recipe Quantit y Price Total Rice, long grain 4 lb 4 lb $0.62/lb $2.48 Butter 12 oz 0.75 lb 1.97/lb 1.48 Onions 1 lb 1.2 lb 0.36/lb 0.43 Chicken stock 4 qt 4 qt 0.25/qt 1.00 Salt 1 oz 1 ⁄16 lb 0.15/lb 0.01 Total cost $5.40 Number of portions 50 Cost per portion $0.11 Note: Cost of chicken stock is determined by costing out the operation’s recipe for chicken stock.
• Use small meat scraps for soups, chopped meat, pâtés, creamed dishes, croquettes. • Use larger meat trimmings for soups, stews, braised items. • Use bones for stocks, soups. • Use vegetable trimmings for purées, soups, stews, stocks, fillings for omelets and crêpes. • Use day-old breads for stuffings, breading, French toast, croutons, meat extender. 2. Don’t add an item to the menu unless you can use the trimmings. This is really the same as the preceding item, looking from the opposite angle. In other words, don’t put rissolé potatoes on your menu unless you also plan to serve an item that uses the trimmings, such as whipped potatoes or croquettes. 3. Plan production to avoid leftovers. The best way to use leftovers is not to create them in the first place. Handling food twice— once as a fresh item and once as a leftover—is more expensive and time-consuming than handling it once, and it almost always results in loss of quality. Limited menus— that is, with fewer selections—decrease the likelihood of leftovers. 4. Plan ahead for use of leftovers. Careful planning of production can keep leftovers to a minimum. But some leftovers are almost inevitable, and it’s better for your costs to use them than to throw them out. Whenever you put an item on the menu that could become a leftover, you should have a recipe ready that will use it. This is better than being surprised with leftovers you don’t know what to do with. For example, if you served roast chicken for dinner one day, you might plan on chicken salad for a luncheon special the next day. Remember to handle all leftovers according to proper sanitary procedures. 5. Avoid minimum-use perishable ingredients. Minimum-use ingredients are those that are used in one or two items on your menu. For example, an operation might serve chicken breast topped with sautéed mushrooms but not use mushrooms in any other item. When the ingredient is perishable, the result is a high percentage of spoilage or waste. This situation can be remedied in any of three ways. • Change the recipe to eliminate the minimum-use ingredient. • Eliminate the item from the menu. • Add other items to the menu using the ingredient. Be careful not to unbalance the menu, however, by using an ingredient in too many dishes. Try to avoid both extremes. Purchasing MANAGING INVENTORY Par stock is the inventory of goods an operation must have on hand to continue operating between deliveries. It is important to maintain a proper par stock to avoid running out of essential items. On the other hand, it is costly to maintain a larger inventory than necessary. This is partly because part of your operating cash is tied up in unused inventory. Second, excessive inventory of perishable items can lead to spoilage and thus to loss. Accurate forecasting of future business, based on careful study of past business, is key to managing inventory and establishing par stock. Carefully write specifications for each item purchased so the item is described accurately. Compare price and quality offered by several vendors in order to get the best quality for the best price. Order from up-to-date quotes and price lists. Receiving Pay careful attention to receiving procedures: • Schedule receipts so an employee can devote full attention to checking the shipment without being rushed. Try to schedule deliveries so they don’t arrive at the same time. CONTROLLING FOOD C OSTS 121
If the employee receiving the goods has kitchen duties as well, schedule deliveries during off hours so he or she has adequate time to check the shipments. • Check the delivery immediately, while the driver is there. Don’t allow the driver to unload the shipment and depart, leaving the order on the loading dock. • Compare the delivery invoice to the order forms to make sure the right goods are delivered. • Compare the delivery invoice to the actual goods received to make sure you have received everything you are paying for. Keep a scale at the receiving entrance so items can be checked for proper weight. Check the delivery for quality: • Check the temperature of refrigerated goods. • Check the temperature of frozen goods, and check for signs of thawing and refreezing. • Check all perishables for freshness. • Check all containers and packaging for damage. • Immediately transfer all goods to proper storage. Storing Proper storage is essential to avoid spoilage and loss of food items. The basic principles of storing dry foods, refrigerated foods, and frozen foods are detailed in Chapter 2 (see pp. 26–28). In addition, storage of specific categories of foods, especially meats, poultry, seafood, produce, and dairy products, is included in the discussions of each. Consult the index for further reference. Measuring and Other Cooking Procedures As discussed earlier in this chapter, the concept of measurement applies to two principal areas: measurement of ingredients in recipe preparation, and measurement of portions to be served, also known as portion control. The fundamentals of both types of measurement are explained earlier in this chapter (see pp. 105–107) and need not be repeated here. Measurement is an indispensable part of good kitchen procedures. Think of measurement as part of your basic cooking procedures, not as something separate. All cooking procedures, including measuring, combine to help control food costs, because proper cooking procedures help avoid waste due to improperly prepared foods. For example, lack of attention at the grill station often results in meats returned by the customer for being overcooked. Having to discard and replace badly cooked foods greatly increases food cost. Serving All the cook’s attention to measurement and portion control goes for nothing if a server drops the plate on the way to the dining room. A well-trained serving staff is an important part of controlling food costs. Serving staff must be trained in serving techniques and in portion control for those items, such as desserts or salads, they are responsible for plating. Servers must understand the menu well so they can explain each item to customers and avoid returned dishes. The chef often may wish to sell more of some items than others as part of inventory and cost control, so serving staff must also be trained to be effective but pleasant sales people. The demands made on the service personnel can best be met when the chef and the service manager cooperate in their training. 122 CHAPTER 5 MENUS, RECIPES, AND COST MANAGEMENT KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • What is the procedure for converting a recipe to a different yield? • Why do recipes sometimes not give the same results when converted to a different quantity? What kinds of adjustments might you have to make to avoid this problem? • What are AP quantities and EP quantities? Explain how to perform yield calculations when you know the AP quantity and the percentage yield. • What is the procedure for calculating food costs? • What are some good ways to keep food costs as low as possible?
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 123 TERMS FOR REVIEW static menu cycle menu à la carte table d’hôte prix fixe tasting menu course fresh imported homemade organic recipe standardized recipe AP (as purchased) weight EP (edible portion) weight portion control metric system gram liter meter degree Celsius kilodecicentimilliyield conversion factor food cost percentage yield test cutting loss as served (AS) portion cost hidden cost minimum-use ingredient par stock QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. What role is played by the chef’s favorite dishes when a menu is written? 2. What are the main differences among breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus? 3. Which of the following are most likely to have static menus? Fast-food restaurant French restaurant Army mess High school cafeteria Employee lunchroom 4. The following menus are made up of dishes prepared from recipes in this book. Evaluate each for variety and balance. Clear vegetable soup Cream of mushroom soup Green salad with French Waldorf salad dressing Veal scaloppine à la crème Chicken fricassée Broccoli Mornay Cauliflower au gratin Rice pilaf Scotch broth Oxtail soup Cucumber and tomato Coleslaw salad Beef pot roast Roast rack of lamb with Braised green cabbage spring vegetables Bouillon potatoes Oysters casino Gazpacho Vichyssoise Tomato and avocado salad Broiled steak Chicken Pojarski Baked potato Baked acorn squash Buttered green beans Duchesse potatoes 5. What is the best solution to the problem of using up leftovers? What is the next best solution? 6. What are some reasons written recipes can’t be 100 percent exact and must depend on the cook’s judgment? Select two or three recipes (from this book or any other) and try to determine where they depend on the cook’s judgment. 7. What is the purpose of a standardized recipe? 8. What are the three basic ways of measuring ingredients? Which method is used for most solid ingredients, and why? 9. What is the first step in portion control? List four other techniques of portion control. 10. Make the following conversions in the U.S. system of measurement: 31 ⁄2 pounds = ______ ounces 6 cups = ______ pints 81 ⁄2 quarts = ______ fluid ounces 3 ⁄4 cup = ______ tablespoons 46 ounces = ______ pounds 21 ⁄2 gallons = ______ fluid ounces 5 pounds 5 ounces ÷ 2 = ______ 10 teaspoons = ______ fluid ounces 11. Make the following conversions in the metric system: 1.4 kilograms = ______ grams 53 deciliters = ______ liters 15 centimeters = ______ millimeters 2,590 grams = ______ kilograms 4.6 liters = ______ deciliters 220 centiliters = ______ deciliters 12. Turn to the recipe for Swedish Meatballs on page 367. Convert it to yield 35 portions. 13. Discuss the main types of problems you may face when converting recipe yields. 14. What is the difference between AP weight and EP weight? Explain how these terms are related to calculating costs per portion of menu items. 15. The following problems are calculations with food cost percentages, portion cost, and menu price. For each problem, two of the figures are given. Find the third. Food Cost Percentage Portion Cost Menu Price a. ______ $1.24 $4.95 b. 40% ______ $2.50 c. 30% $2.85 ______
OOD SERVICE INDUSTRY SANITATION AND SAFETY TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SCI NCE MENUS RECIPES COST MANAGEMENT NUTRITION MISE EN PLACE STOCKS AND SAUCES SOUPS UNDER TANDING MEATS COOKING MEATS AND GAME UNDERSTANDING POULTRY AND GAME BIRDS COOKING POUL RY AND GAME BIRDS UNDERSTANDING FISH AND SHELLFISH COOKING FISH AND SHELLFISH UNDERSTAND Chapter 6 Roasted Beet Salad with Gorgonzola, page 748.
ING VEGETABLES COOKING VEGETABLES POTATOES LEGUMES GRAINS PASTA OTHER STARCHES COOKING FOVEGETARIAN DIETS SALADS AND SALAD DRESSINGS SANDWICHES HORS D’OERVES BREAKFAST PREPARATIODAIRY AND BEVERAGES SAUSAGES AND CURED FOODS PATES TERRINES AND COLD FOODS FOOD PRESENTTION AND GARNISH BAKESHOP PRODUCTION YEAST PRODUCTS QUICK BREADS CAKES AND ICINGS COOKIEMenu planners must have a basic understanding of nutrition because the human body requires a variety of foods in order to function and be healthy. The food-service worker’s responsibility to provide nutritious food and well-balanced menus depends, in part, on the operation. School and hospital food services must, of course, plan menus carefully to meet basic nutritional needs. A qualified dietitian is usually required in such establishments. The obligations of restaurateurs are more subtle. Because they are in business to sell food, they must offer foods that will attract customers. People who plan menus are as concerned with presenting attractive, flavorful foods as they are with serving nutritious foods. Also, if the menu is à la carte, there is no way to ensure a customer will order items that make up a nutritionally balanced meal. But restaurateurs do have an obligation to offer a choice. That is, menus should be planned so customers can order well-balanced meals if they desire. People are becoming more concerned with fitness and health, so a nutritiously balanced menu may even help attract customers. Nutrition 125 After reading this chapter, you should be able to 1. List and describe the six categories of nutrients, explain their functions in the body, and name some food sources of each. 2. Define the term calorieand describe the relationship between calories and weight gain. 3. List and describe the eight guidelines for maintaining a healthful diet. 4. Describe ways that cooks can incorporate nutrition principles into their cooking and their menu construction.
Nutrients Nutrients are chemical compounds that are present in foods and that fulfill one or more of the following functions: • Supply energy for body functions. • Build and replace cells that make up body tissues. • Regulate body processes. There are six categories of nutrients: • Carbohydrates • Vitamins • Fats • Minerals • Proteins • Water Calories The calorie is a unit of measurement of energy. It is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram water by 1°C. Remember that one of the functions of nutrients is to supply energy to the body. The calorie is used to measure how much energy certain foods supply for these functions. In our overfed society, calories have come to be viewed as something to be avoided. Nevertheless, without sufficient food energy, we could not live. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can be used by the body to supply energy. 1 gram carbohydrate supplies 4 calories 1 gram protein supplies 4 calories 1 gram fat supplies 9 calories There is a direct connection between calorie intake, physical activity, and weight gain. Simply put, if you consume more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. All the diet schemes and fashions in the world—at least the ones that are medically sound—can be reduced to this. In other words, losing weight is possible only by eating fewer calories, by burning more calories through exercise, or, preferably, by both. In order to lose weight while maintaining good nutrition and health, one should avoid empty calories as much as possible and eat primarily foods of high nutrient density. Emptycalorie foods are those that provide few nutrients per calorie. Refined sugars and starches are examples of empty calories. Foods of high nutrient density are those that provide relatively many nutrients per calorie. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are examples of foods with high nutrient density. Kinds of Nutrients and Their Importance Each of the nutrients listed has certain characteristics and functions in the body. These are discussed in general terms. For a summary of individual nutrients and the foods in which they are found, see Table 6.1. Many fad diets emphasize either the good or the bad qualities of a single nutrient. For example, a particular weight loss diet may advise eating mostly protein foods and eliminating carbohydrates as much as possible. However, because all nutrients are essential, such diets can lead to nutritional imbalances. Thus, it is necessary to understand the function and importance of all nutrients. The amount of each nutrient needed daily varies from person to person, depending on such factors as age, sex, general health, and level of activity. 126 CHAPTER 6 NUTRITION
CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms bound together in chains of varying lengths. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Simple sugars, such as glucose, are small compounds containing 6 carbon atoms. Table sugar, or sucrose, is a larger sugar molecule with 12 carbon atoms. Sugars are found in sweets and, to a lesser extent, in fruits and vegetables. Starches are complex carbohydrates consisting of long chains of simple sugars bound together. They are found in such foods as grains, bread, peas and beans, and many vegetables and fruits. Carbohydrates are the body’s most important source of food energy. Fats and proteins can also be burned for energy, but the body uses carbohydrates first. If no carbohydrates are available, the body then burns fat. However, if fats are burned with no carbohydrates present, toxic compounds called ketone bodies are produced. If too many ketone bodies accumulate, a condition called ketosis develops, and the blood becomes unable to carry oxygen properly. The result can be fatal. Thus, one of the important functions of carbohydrates is to help the body burn fat properly. About 50 to 100 grams carbohydrate are needed every day to prevent ketosis. Most authorities believe complex carbohydrates, especially those from whole grains and unrefined foods, are better for you than simple carbohydrates. This is partly because starchy foods also have many other nutrients, while sweets have few other nutrients. Also, there is some evidence that a lot of sugar in the diet may contribute to heart and circulatory diseases. Simple sugars and refined starches are primary sources of empty calories. Another reason carbohydrates from whole grains and unrefined foods are preferable to those from refined sugars and starches is that these unrefined foods are sources of fiber. The term fiber refers to a group of carbohydrates that cannot be absorbed and used by the body. Therefore, fiber supplies no food energy. However, it is important for the proper functioning of the intestinal tract and the elimination of body waste. In addition, there is evidence that sufficient dietary fiber helps prevent some kinds of cancers and helps decrease cholesterol in the blood. Fruits and vegetables, especially raw, and whole grains supply dietary fiber. Fiber can be classified as either soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a kind of gel. It is found inside and between plant cells. Insoluble fiber also absorbs water, but less, and forms bulk in the intestines. It is found in cell walls and other structural parts of plants. FATS Fats supply energy to the body in highly concentrated form. Also, some fatty acids are necessary for regulating certain body functions. Third, fats act as carriers of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K). Because of these important functions, it is necessary to have some fats in the diet. Fats may be classified as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated. These terms reflect chemical differences in the composition of fats. Cooks do not need to know the chemical structure of fats, but they should understand their nutritional characteristics and the foods in which they are found. Many foods contain a combination of these three types, with one type predominating. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Animal products—meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products—and solid shortenings are the major source of saturated fats. Tropical oils such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil are also rich in saturated fats. Health experts believe these fats contribute significantly to heart disease and other health problems. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Although too much of any kind of fat is unhealthy, these fats are considered more healthful than saturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils such as corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and cottonseed oil. High levels of monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil and canola oil. Both kinds of unsaturated fats are found in other plant products as well, including whole grains, nuts, and some fruits and vegetables. One group of saturated fats of special concern is trans fats. These fats occur naturally in small amounts only. Most of the trans fats in our diet are from manufactured fats subjected to a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fats are fats changed from liquid to solid by adding hydrogen atoms to the fat molecules. This is the process used to make products such NUTRIENTS 127 CALORIES AND CALORIES In scientific terminology, the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram water by 1°C is called a kilocalorie, sometimes written Calorie (with a capital C) and abbreviated kcal. When written with a small c, the term calorierefers to a unit of energy measurement that is only 1,000th as large— the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C. Nevertheless, in discussions of nutrition, the word calorieis commonly substituted for kilocalorie. Just remember that when you see caloriein connection with food, the real meaning is Calorie (or kilocalorie).
as solid shortening and margarine. Trans fats are of concern because they limit the body’s ability to rid itself of cholesterol that builds up on the walls of arteries (see sidebar, p. 130). Fats are members of a group of compounds called lipids. Another lipid found in the body is cholesterol, a fatty substance closely linked with heart disease because it collects on the walls of arteries and blocks the flow of blood to the heart and other vital organs. It is found only in animal products and is especially high in egg yolks, butterfat, and organ meats such as liver and brains. The human body also manufactures its own cholesterol, so not all the cholesterol in the blood is necessarily from foods. Although some cholesterol is necessary for body functions, it is not considered a nutrient because the body is able to manufacture all the cholesterol it needs. Experts generally agree it is best to keep the cholesterol in the diet as low as possible. Recent research has suggested that monounsaturated fat may actually lower the levels of the most harmful kinds of cholesterol in the body. This may explain the relatively low incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean regions, where olive oil is the most widely used fat. This research has helped popularize the use of olive oil in other parts of the world, especially in North America. Remember, however, that too much fat of any kind is bad for the health. Do not make the mistake of thinking monounsaturated fats are good for you and can be used in excess. PROTEINS Proteins are known as the building blocks of the body. They are essential for growth, for building body tissues, and for basic body functions. They can also be used for energy if the diet does not contain enough carbohydrate and fat. Proteins consist of substances called amino acids. The body is able to manufacture many of them, but there are nine amino acids it cannot manufacture and must get from foods. A food protein that contains all nine essential amino acids is called a complete protein. Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products contain complete proteins. Proteins that lack one or more of these essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins. Foods high in incomplete proteins include nuts, grains, and dried beans and other legumes. Foods that, if eaten together, supply all the amino acids are called complementary proteins. For example, cornmeal tortillas topped with chili beans supply complete protein because the corn supplies the amino acids lacking in the beans. Beans and rice is another example of a food combination supplying complementary proteins. Complementary proteins are especially of interest to vegetarians, especially vegans, and are discussed in more detail in Chapter 20. The average adult needs 50 to 60 grams protein a day. For most North Americans, getting enough protein daily is not a problem; most get about twice as much as they need. Greatly excessive protein in the diet can lead to a variety of health problems, including kidney and liver damage. VITAMINS Vitamins are present in foods in extremely small quantities, but they are essential for regulating body functions. Unlike proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, they supply no energy, but some of them must be present in order for energy to be utilized in the body. Also, lack of certain vitamins causes deficiency diseases. Vitamins are classified as water-soluble and fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins (the B vitamins and vitamin C) are not stored in the body and must be eaten every day. Foods containing these vitamins should be handled so the vitamins are not dissolved into the cooking water and lost (as discussed in Chapter 16). Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) can be stored in the body, so they do not need to be eaten every day as long as the total amount eaten over time is sufficient. Consuming too much of a fat-soluble vitamin daily, as sometimes happens when people take too many vitamin supplements, can result in toxic levels of the vitamin stored in the tissues. More detail about individual vitamins, their functions, and their sources, can be found in Table 6.1. 128 CHAPTER 6 NUTRITION ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS Fats are made up of smaller compounds called fatty acids. Two of these are called essential fatty acids because they cannot be made by the body. The essential fatty acids are linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is a member of a group of compounds called omega-6 fatty acids (the term refers to its chemical structure). It is found in vegetable oils and is usually abundant in North American diets. Alpha-linoleic acid is a member of the group of omega-3 fatty acids. The body can change alpha-linoleic acid into other omega-3 fatty acids called DHA and EPA. These are all important nutrients that play vital roles in growth, in the immune system, in proper eyesight, and in cell structure. Alpha-linoleic acid is found in certain vegetable oils. DHA and EPA, in addition to being made by the body, are also found in some fatty fish, including salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. Unlike omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3 acids are not usually abundant in North American diets, so it is important to be aware of foods that supply them.
NUTRIENTS 129 Table 6.1 Major Nutrients Nutrient Major Dietary Sources Functions in the Body Carbohydrates Grains (including Potatoes Major source of energy (calories) for all body functions. breads and pasta) Corn Necessary for proper utilization of fats. Unrefined carbohydrates Dried beans Sugar supply fiber, important for proper waste elimination. Fats Meats, poultry, and fish Cooking fats and Supply food energy (calories). Supply essential fatty acids. Dairy products shortening Carry fat-soluble vitamins. Eggs Salad dressings Proteins Meats, poultry, and fish Dried beans and peas Major building material of all body tissues. Supply food energy Milk and cheese Nuts (calories). Help make up enzymes and hormones, which Eggs regulate body functions. Vitamin A Liver Green and yellow Helps skin and mucous membranes resist infection. Butter and cream vegetables and fruits Promotes healthy eyes and makes night vision possible. Egg yolks Thiamin Pork Nuts Needed for utilization of carbohydrates for energy. Promotes (vitamin B1) Whole grains and Legumes normal appetite and healthy nervous system. Prevents beriberi. fortified grains Green vegetables Riboflavin Organ meats Whole grains and Needed for utilization of carbohydrates and other nutrients. (vitamin B2) Milk products fortified grains Promotes healthy skin and eyes. Niacin Liver Legumes Needed for utilization of energy foods. Promotes healthy (a B vitamin) Meat, poultry, and fish nervous system, skin, and digestion. Prevents pellagra. Vitamin B12 Most animal and Promotes healthy blood and nervous system. dairy products Vitamin C Citrus fruits Peppers, cabbage, Strengthens body tissues. Promotes healing and resistance (ascorbic acid) Tomatoes and broccoli to infection. Prevents scurvy. Potatoes Cantaloupe Dark green leafy Berries vegetables Vitamin D Fortified milk products Formed in skin when Necessary for utilization of calcium and phosphorus to promote exposed to sunlight healthy bones, teeth, and muscle tissue. Vitamin E Unsaturated fats Protects other nutrients. (vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, etc.) Calcium Milk products Canned fish with bones Forms bones and teeth. Necessary for healthy Leafy vegetables muscles and nerves. Iron Liver and red meat Leafy vegetables Needed for formation of red blood cells. Raisins and prunes Dried beans Egg yolks Whole grains
130 CHAPTER 6 NUTRITION MORE CHEMISTRY: LIPOPROTEINS Lipoproteins are combinations of protein and fat that carry cholesterol and fat through the bloodstream. Two of these .compounds are of concern to us. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the most important carrier of cholesterol. Although it performs a needed function, if too much of it is present it deposits excess cholesterol inside arteries, blocking the flow of blood. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), on the other hand, helps remove cholesterol from the blood and eliminate it from the body. Consequently, HDL is seen as a major preventer of heart disease. Certain saturated fats called trans fats (see p. 127) are considered especially bad in the diet because they apparently interfere with the action of HDL and thus raise cholesterol levels in the blood. PHYTOCHEMICALS A phytochemical is any of several hundred compounds that are found in foods in tiny amounts and may help reduce the chance of cancer or heart disease. The list of phytochemicals includes flavonoids, isoflavonoids, phenols, lycopene, indoles, dithiolthiones, and sulforaphane. These chemicals are not yet well understood, and research is continuing. Phytochemicals are found most abundantly in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. MINERALS Minerals, like vitamins, are consumed in very small quantities and are essential for regulating certain body processes. Minerals that must be consumed in relatively large amounts—more than 100 milligrams daily—are called major minerals. These include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, and potassium. Minerals that must be present in smaller amounts are called trace minerals. These include chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. Less is known about the functions of some of the trace minerals. It is important to understand, however, that although small quantities are needed by the body, too much of any of them can be harmful. Sodium, a component of table salt, is well known as a health problem. Too much sodium is thought to contribute to high blood pressure. Health authorities try to convince people to reduce the sodium in their diets, primarily by salting foods less. WATER The adult human body is 50 to 60 percent water by weight. Water plays a role in all the body’s functions, including metabolism and other cell functions, digestion, delivery of nutrients, removal of waste, temperature regulation, and lubrication and cushioning of joints and tissues. Water forms a large part of most of the food we eat and all the beverages we drink. The body is good at regulating its own water content and tells us when we need more by making us feel thirsty. This signal should not be ignored. Even better is to drink enough fluids to prevent feeling thirsty. Required daily water intake varies greatly from person to person, depending on age, level of activity, and environmental factors such as heat. The common recommendation of 8 glasses of water a day is not enough for some people, such as athletes and others who exercise strenuously, and is too much for others, such as older, sedentary adults. The Balanced Diet In order to stay healthy, we must consume a varied diet that contains all the essential nutrients. In addition, we must limit our intake of foods that can be harmful in large quantities. Although researchers still have much to learn about nutrition and our knowledge is constantly changing, there is strong evidence about what good eating patterns are. According to government health agencies, the following guidelines are suggested for maintaining a healthful diet. It should be noted these are only general recommendations for people who are already healthy and want to stay that way. They are not necessarily for those who need special diets because of disease or other abnormal conditions. 1. Get adequate nutrients within calorie needs. The greater the variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups we consume, the more likely we are to get all the nutrients we need. Choosing nutrient-dense foods and avoiding empty calories is necessary in order for us to get adequate nutrition without consuming too many calories in the process. Choose foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol. KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • What foods are good sources of proteins? What functions do proteins have in the body? • What foods are good sources of carbohydrates? What functions do proteins have in the body? • What foods are especially high in fats? Of the three categories of fat compounds, which kind is the most healthful, and which is the least healthful? • What does the term calorie mean? What role to calories play in weight gain or loss?
2. Manage weight. To maintain a healthy body weight, balance the calories you consume with the calories you burn. People who are greatly overweight are more likely to develop certain chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. People who consume more calories than they burn off will gain weight. To prevent gradual weight gain, make small decreases in the calories you consume and increase your physical activity. Rather than depending on crash diets, it is usually better to lose weight slowly and gradually, to develop better habits of eating, and to increase physical activity. To get all the nutrients you need while cutting down on calories, decrease foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients, especially fat and fatty foods, sugar and sweets, and alcohol. 3. Engage in physical activity. Engaging in regular physical activity promotes health, psychological wellbeing, and a healthy body weight. For general health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, getting at least 30 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise every day is desirable, and more and longer vigorous exercise can be even more beneficial. In order to avoid gaining weight, adults should try to get 60 minutes of exercise most days while at the same time not consuming too many calories. People who wish to lose weight gradually should try to get 60 to 90 minutes of exercise most days, again while limiting calorie intake. 4. Select from the right food groups. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products are the foods with the highest nutrient density. These foods should be strongly emphasized in a healthy diet. In particular, someone who consumes 2,000 calories a day should try to eat the following daily: • 2 cups (4 servings) fruit, selecting from a variety of fruits • 21 ⁄2 cups (5 servings) vegetables, selected from as many of the basic vegetable groups as possible: dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, legumes, starchy vegetables, and others • 3 servings of whole grains • 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or its equivalent in other dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese In the United States, these food groups, along with others including meats, poultry, and fish, form what is known as the food guide pyramid. Figure 6.1(a) shows the standard pyramid developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Although it reflects the pyramid shape of earlier versions of the food guide, the current diagram is only a generalized symbol of healthful eating patterns, with a stick figure climbing stairs to represent physical exercise. Each colored stripe represents one of the five basic food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans. A thin yellow stripe between fruits and milk represents oils. The thickness of each stripe represents the relative proportion of each group to include in the diet. The image contains no information on portions and portion sizes. Instead, it is intended to refer consumers to resources such as the website www.mypyramid.gov, where pyramids can be customized based on age, sex, and level of activity. Canadian nutrition experts have devised the “Food Guide to Healthy Eating,” usually referred to as the food rainbow because of its format (Figure 6.1e). The number of daily servings of each group, as well as information about standard portion sizes, is indicated in the Canadian rainbow. THE BALANCED DIET 131 Figure 6.1a Food guide pyramid. Courtesy the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Figure 6.1b The traditional healthy Mediterranean diet pyramid. © 2000 Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust. www.oldwayspt.org.
132 CHAPTER 6 NUTRITION Figure 6.1c The traditional healthy Asian diet pyramid. © 2000 Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust. www.oldwayspt.org. Figure 6.1d The traditional healthy Latin American diet pyramid. © 2000 Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust. www.oldwayspt.org. Figure 6.1e The Canadian food rainbow.
5. Manage consumption of fats. Keep total fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. This means for a diet of 2,000 calories daily, calories from fat should be between 400 and 700. Why not lower than 20 percent? Remember that some fatty acids are essential nutrients, and fats also carry fat-soluble vitamins. Consuming less fat than 20 percent of daily calories could be unhealthy. Keep consumption of saturated fats, especially trans fats, as low as possible. Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids. Consume less than 300 milligrams cholesterol per day. When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Remember: High fat intake, especially of saturated fats and cholesterol, is associated with such conditions as heart disease and high blood pressure. Although other factors contribute to these diseases, such as heredity and smoking, following this dietary recommendation should increase the chances of staying healthy. 6. Manage consumption of carbohydrates. Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are the sources of the most healthful carbohydrates. Avoid prepared foods high in added sugars. Reducing refined sugars and starches in the diet has the added benefit of helping reduce tooth decay. 7. Manage consumption of sodium and potassium. Consume less than 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon or 5 milliliters salt) sodium per day. Sodium, as noted earlier, appears to contribute to high blood pressure. For people who already have high blood pressure, it is especially important to reduce sodium in the diet. The best ways to do this are to decrease the use of salt in the kitchen and at the table and to limit the intake of prepared foods that are high in salt, such as potato chips, salted nuts, pretzels, pickled foods, cured meats, and salty condiments like soy sauce. Reduce the harmful effects of sodium by eating potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables. 8. Manage consumption of alcoholic beverages. People who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation— defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories but provide few nutrients. Heavy drinking may cause a variety of serious diseases. Moderate drinking—one or two drinks a day— appears to do little harm and may, in fact, be of some benefit. Many people, including children and adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, people taking medications that interact with alcohol, and people with certain medical conditions, should avoid alcohol completely. In addition, alcoholic beverages should be avoided by people engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery. Cooking Healthful Meals Restaurateurs and chefs are becoming more and more attentive to people’s health and diet concerns. Many of them are reexamining their menus, modifying their cooking practices, and adding new, healthful items to their menus. Some have developed new menus intended to follow as closely as possible the eight recommendations listed above. An increased health consciousness has affected the way we think about food and the way we cook. Professional cooks are making their foods more healthful in several ways: COOKING HEALTHFUL MEALS 133
1. Using less fat in cooking. Cooking methods that require no added fat, such as simmering, poaching, baking, steaming, and grilling, can be considered the most healthful. For sautéing, nonstick pans are becoming more widely used because little or no fat is needed. With regular pans, one can be careful to use as little fat as possible. Grilling is popular because it can be done without first coating the food with fat. If this is done, however, one must be careful not to let the food dry out. Using less fat in cooking also means using ingredients with less fat. Excess external fat can be trimmed from meats and poultry. Low-fat sauces, such as salsas and vegetable purées, can often be used instead of high-fat sauces. Recipes can often be modified to reduce quantities of high-fat ingredients, such as butter, cheese, and bacon. 2. Using unsaturated fats. When you do use fats, try to substitute monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil or canola oil, for saturated fats when appropriate. 3. Emphasizing flavor. Taste is the most important factor in preparing nutritious food. The most vitaminpacked dish does no one any good if it is uneaten because it doesn’t taste good. Preparing flavorful foods requires knowledge of the principles of cooking. You can’t rely simply on nutritional information. Rely more on the natural flavors of foods and less on salt and other additives that should be decreased in the diet. 4. Using the freshest, highest-quality foods possible. In order to prepare delicious foods with little or no added salt and with less reliance on high-fat, high-sodium sauces and condiments, it is important to use high-quality natural ingredients at their peak of flavor. Healthful cooking means letting the true flavors of foods dominate. To enhance natural flavors without added salt, cooks are using more fresh herbs, hot seasonings such as chiles, ginger, and pepper, and flavorful ingredients like garlic, browned onions, and flavored vinegars. 5. Storing foods properly. Foods in storage lose nutrients as they age. The loss of nutrients can be slowed, however, by proper storage. This applies particularly to proper refrigeration. For each category of perishable food discussed in this book, pay close attention to how the foods should be stored. 6. Modifying portion sizes. It is not necessary to feature huge slabs of meat to serve satisfying meals. Smaller portions of well-trimmed meat, poultry, or fish, nicely balanced on the plate with an assortment of attractive fresh vegetables and complex carbohydrates, are likely to be more healthful. Sauces often get the blame for adding calories to a meal, but if a sauce is flavorful, you don’t need much. Make a better sauce and serve less of it. Also, if a sauce isn’t too thick, it won’t cling as heavily to the food, and a little will go farther. 7. Giving customers a healthful choice. Offer a menu with a variety of foods so customers can choose a well-balanced meal suited to their needs and desires. It’s not necessary to cook only “diet food,” but a menu that offers French fries as the only available starch is not well balanced. Place more emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Offer a menu with choices from all the groups in the USDA food pyramid or the Canadian rainbow, with a variety of choices from the bottom half of the pyramid or the outer rings of the rainbow. Be flexible in the kitchen. A good chef is willing to modify menu items to meet dietary requirements and to satisfy special requests from customers. 8. Training the dining room staff. Some restaurants offer special “spa menus” in addition to their regular menus, or they highlight “healthy” items with a special symbol. Unfortunately, this approach may suggest to some people that the highlighted menu items are boring “health food,” 134 CHAPTER 6 NUTRITION
while the other menu items are unhealthful because they aren’t flagged. Consequently, many chefs prefer to train their dining room personnel to answer customers’ questions about the menu and to offer suggestions when asked. 9. Using nutritional information. Study the nutritional content of foods in order to plan healthful menus. Many publications are available that list the nutritional content of common food items. Some restaurants have even hired registered dietitians to analyze their menus and give advice on how to make their food more healthful. Hiring a dietitian is, of course, not practical for every operation. On the other hand, a basic awareness of nutrition helps every professional minimize the fat, cholesterol, and sodium in and maximize the nutritional content and balance of the foods they serve. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 135 KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • In the eight guidelines for maintaining a healthy diet, what are the recommended food groups, and how many servings of each should the average person consume each day? • What two major categories of nutrients do most people eat too much of? What are the recommendations for managing these nutrients in the diet? • Which mineral is of special health concern because of excess consumption? Why? • What are eight ways chefs can help their customers eat a more healthful diet? TERMS FOR REVIEW calorie empty calorie nutrient density carbohydrate ketone body ketosis fiber soluble fiber insoluble fiber fat saturated fat monounsaturated fat polyunsaturated fat trans fat essential fatty acid omega-3 fatty acid lipid cholesterol protein complete protein complementary protein vitamin low-density lipoprotein (LDL) high-density lipoprotein (HDL) major mineral trace mineral QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Describe the difference between foods with empty calories and foods with high nutrient density. Give examples of foods in each category. 2. Why are unrefined carbohydrates more healthful than refined starches and sugars? 3. Why is it necessary to have some fat in the diet? 4. Which vitamins are water-soluble? Which are fat-soluble? Which of the two groups is more important to include in the diet every day? Why? 5. According to the recommendations of government health agencies, which food groups should we consume more of than we now do, on average? Which foods should we consume less of? 6. Discuss and compare the healthful or unhealthful qualities of saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Give examples of each type. 7. What are some ways you, as a cook, can reduce the fat and sodium content of your menu offerings? 8. How can you ensure a nutritionally balanced menu without actually calculating the nutrient content of every item?
OOD SERVICE INDUSTRY SANITATION AND SAFETY TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SCI NCE MENUS RECIPES COST MANAGEMENT NUTRITION MISE EN PLACE STOCKS AND SAUCES SOUPS UNDER TANDING MEATS COOKING MEATS AND GAME UNDERSTANDING POULTRY AND GAME BIRDS COOKING POUL RY AND GAME BIRDS UNDERSTANDING FISH AND SHELLFISH COOKING FISH AND SHELLFISH UNDERSTAND Chapter 7 Chopping mirepoix, page 146.
ING VEGETABLES COOKING VEGETABLES POTATOES LEGUMES GRAINS PASTA OTHER STARCHES COOKING FOVEGETARIAN DIETS SALADS AND SALAD DRESSINGS SANDWICHES HORS D’OERVES BREAKFAST PREPARATIODAIRY AND BEVERAGES SAUSAGES AND CURED FOODS PATES TERRINES AND COLD FOODS FOOD PRESENTTION AND GARNISH BAKESHOP PRODUCTION YEAST PRODUCTS QUICK BREADS CAKES AND ICINGS COOKIET o be successful in the food-service industry, cooks need more than the ability to prepare delicious, attractive, and nutritious foods. They also must have a talent for organization and efficiency. In every kitchen, a great many tasks must be completed over a given time and by a limited number of workers. No matter when these tasks are done, they all must come together at one crucial point: service time. Only if advance preparation is done thoroughly and systematically can service go smoothly. Good chefs take pride in the thoroughness and quality of their advance preparation, or mise en place (meez-on-plahss). This French term, meaning “everything put in place,” has become almost a professional password in North American kitchens because food-service professionals understand its importance to the success of the establishment. This chapter deals with the basic concepts of mise en place as well as specific operations that are normally part of the mise en place. Mise en Place 137 After reading this chapter, you should be able to 1. Define mise en place, and explain why care must be taken in its planning. 2. Describe five general steps used in planning mise en place. 3. Explain the difference in preparation requirements for set meal service and extended meal service. 4. List five guidelines to observe when sharpening a chef ’s knife. 5. Demonstrate major cutting techniques required in food preparation. 6. Describe basic precooking and marinating procedures. 7. Set up and use a standard breading station. 8. Define convenience foods in the context of mise en place, and list eight guidelines for their use.
Planning and Organizing Production Even on the simplest level, pre-preparation is necessary. If you prepare only one short recipe, you must first: • Assemble your tools. • Assemble your ingredients. • Wash, trim, cut, prepare, and measure your raw materials. • Prepare your equipment (preheat oven, line baking sheets, etc.). Only then can you begin the actual preparation. When many items are to be prepared in a commercial kitchen, the situation is much more complex. Dealing with this complexity is the basis of kitchen organization. The Problem Every food-service operation faces a basic conflict between two unavoidable facts: 1. There is far too much work to do in a kitchen to leave until the last minute, so some work must be done ahead. 2. Most foods are at their best quality immediately after preparation, and they deteriorate as they are held. The Solution To address this conflict, the chef must plan pre-preparation carefully. Planning generally follows these steps: 1. Break down each menu item into its stages of production. Turn to any recipe in this book. Note the procedures are divided into a sequence of steps that must be done in a certain order to make a finished product. 2. Determine which stages may be done in advance. • The first step of every recipe, written or not, is always part of advance preparation: assembling and preparing the ingredients. This includes cleaning and cutting produce, cutting and trimming meats, and preparing breadings and batters for frying. • Succeeding steps of a recipe may be done in advance if the foods can then be held without loss of quality. • Final cooking should be done as close as possible to service for maximum freshness. Frequently, separate parts of a recipe, such as a sauce or a stuffing, are prepared in advance, and the dish is assembled at the last minute. In general, items cooked by dry-heat methods, such as broiled steaks, sautéed fish, and French-fried potatoes, do not hold well. Large roasts are an important exception to this rule. Items cooked by moist heat, such as braised beef, soups, and stews, are usually better suited to reheating or holding in a steam table. Delicate items should always be freshly cooked. 3. Determine the best way to hold each item at its final stage of pre-preparation. Holding temperature is the temperature at which a product is kept for service or for storage. Holding temperatures for all potentially hazardous foods must be outside the Food Danger Zone. • Sauces and soups are frequently kept hot, above 135°F (57°C), for service in steam tables or other holding equipment. Foods such as vegetables, however, should be kept hot for short periods only because they quickly become overcooked. 138 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE
• Refrigerator temperatures, below 41°F (5°C), are best for preserving the quality of most foods, especially perishable meats, fish, and vegetables, before final cooking or reheating. 4. Determine how long it takes to prepare each stage of each recipe. Plan a production schedule beginning with the preparations that take the longest. Many operations can be carried on at once because they don’t all require your complete attention the full time. It may take 6 to 8 hours to make a stock, but you don’t have to stand and watch it all that time. 5. Examine recipes to see if they might be revised for better efficiency and quality as served. For example: • Instead of preparing a full batch of green peas and holding them for service in the steam table, you might blanch and chill them, then heat portions to order in a sauté pan, steamer, or microwave oven. • Instead of holding a large batch of veal scaloppine in mushroom sauce in the steam table, you might prepare and hold the sauce, sauté the veal to order, combine the meat with a portion of the sauce, and serve fresh from the pan. Caution: Unless you are in charge of the kitchen, do not change a recipe without authorization from your supervisor. The Goal The goal of pre-preparation is to do as much work in advance as possible without loss of quality. Then, at service time, all energy can be used for finishing each item immediately before serving, with the utmost attention to quality and freshness. Many preparation techniques in common use are designed for the convenience of the cooks at the expense of quality. Remember, quality should always take highest priority. Adapting Preparation to Style of Service The way you plan production and do your mise en place depends in large part on the style of meal service. The following discussion of set meal service and extended meal service illustrates the basic differences. SET MEAL SERVICE • All customers eat at one time. • Often called quantity cooking because large batches are prepared in advance. • Examples: school cafeterias, banquets, employee dining rooms. The traditional method of set meal preparation, still widely used, is to prepare the entire quantity of each item in a single large batch and to keep it hot for the duration of the meal service. This method has two major disadvantages: • Deterioration of quality due to long holding. • Large quantities of leftovers. Modern high-speed equipment, such as pressure steamers, convection ovens, infrared ovens, and microwave ovens, make possible a system called small-batch cooking. Required quantities are divided into smaller batches, placed in pans ready for final cooking or heating, and then cooked only as needed. The advantages of this system are • Fresher food, because it is not held as long. • Fewer leftovers, because servings not needed are not cooked. Small-batch cooking also accommodates items prepared in advance and frozen or chilled for storage. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING PRODUCTION 139
EXTENDED MEAL SERVICE • Customers eat at different times. • Often called à la carte cooking because customers usually select items from a written menu (carte in French). • Examples: restaurants, short-order counters. Individual items are cooked to order rather than cooked ahead, but pre-preparation is extensive, down to the final cooking stage. The short-order cook, for example, must have everything ready to go: cold meats, tomatoes and other sandwich ingredients sliced and arranged, spreads prepared and ready, hamburger patties shaped, garnishes prepared, and so on. If the cook has to stop during service to do any of these things, orders will back up and service will fall behind. A steak that takes 10 minutes to broil may be cut and trimmed in advance, but broiling should be started 10 minutes before it is to be served. Obviously, if the last step in a recipe is to braise the item for 11 ⁄2 hours, one cannot wait until an order comes in before beginning to braise. An experienced cook can estimate closely how many orders will be needed during the meal period and prepare a batch that, ideally, will finish braising just when service begins. Note the differences in these two methods for Chicken Chasseur. In both cases, the final product is chicken in a brown sauce with mushrooms, shallots, white wine, and tomatoes. 1. Quantity method—Chicken Chasseur: Brown chicken in fat; remove. Sauté shallots and mushrooms in same fat. Add flour to make a roux. Add white wine, tomatoes, brown stock, seasonings; simmer until thickened. Add chicken; braise until done. 2. À la carte method—Chicken Chasseur: Prepare Sauce Chasseur in advance; hold in bain-marie. For each order: Brown chicken in sauté pan; finish cooking in oven. Deglaze pan with white wine; reduce. Add one portion of sauce; add chicken and simmer briefly; serve. Mise en Place: The Required Tasks Up to this point, we have discussed planning the production schedule. Our planning helps us determine the tasks we must do before beginning the final cooking during the meal service period. Chefs refer to performing these preliminary tasks as “doing the mise en place.” In many restaurants, especially large ones, the mise en place is extensive. It includes the preparation of stocks, sauces, breadings, and batters as well as the cutting and trimming of all the meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables the chef expects will be needed during the meal service. A large part of a cook’s workday is spent doing mise en place. This means that a large part of learning how to cook is learning how to do mise en place. In fact, a large part of this book is devoted to these tasks of preparation. There are many more such tasks than can be included in a single chapter. The remainder of this chapter discusses the most basic and general skills required for a mise en place. The most basic of these are knife skills. Fundamentals such as how to hold the chef’s knife, how to maintain a sharp edge, and how to make basic cuts are illustrated. More specific techniques required for individual food products are explained in appropriate chapters later in the book. For example, vegetable trimming techniques are discussed in the first vegetable chapter, methods for cutting chicken in the first poultry chapter, and stock and sauce mise en place in Chapter 8. 140 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • What does mise en place mean? What kinds of tasks are included in this term? • What are the five steps in planning mise en place? • How does mise en place for à la carte service differ from mise en place for set meal service?
Using the Knife Many laborsaving tools are available for cutting, chopping, and slicing fresh foods. Chapter 3 lists the basic kinds. The chef’s knife or French knife, however, is still the cook’s most important and versatile cutting tool. The knife is more precise than a machine. Unless you are cutting a large quantity, the knife can even be faster. Cleaning a large machine takes time. To get the best use out of your knife, you must learn to keep it sharp and to handle it properly. Keeping a Sharp Edge THE SHARPENING STONE A stone is the traditional tool for sharpening a chef’s knife. The best electric sharpeners do an excellent job of sharpening chef’s knives, but many models wear away too much of your expensive knife without making a good edge. Modern professional knives are much harder than the old carbon steel knives, so they are more difficult to sharpen on a stone. Nevertheless, using a stone correctly is a valuable skill. Follow these guidelines: 1. Hold the blade at a constant 20-degree angle to the stone, as shown in Figure 7.1. 2. Make light, even strokes, the same number on each side of the blade. 3. Sharpen in one direction only to get a regular, uniform edge. 4. Do not oversharpen. 5. Finish with a few strokes on the steel (see next page), and then wipe the blade clean. Figure 7.2 illustrates one of several sharpening methods. There are other good ones, too, and your instructor may prefer a method not illustrated here. OTHER KNIFE SHARPENERS As mentioned previously, today’s professional knives are made of an especially hard material that is more difficult to sharpen by traditional methods. As a result, chefs often use other sharpeners to simplify the task. Such sharpeners typically have two stones set at the correct angle, so it is necessary only to draw the knife between them. Manual and power models of these sharpeners are available. Figure 7.3 shows a manual sharpener in use. THE STEEL This tool is used not to sharpen the edge but to true the edge (to perfect it, or to smooth out irregularities) and to maintain the edge (to keep it sharp as it is used). Observe these guidelines for using the steel: 1. Hold the blade at a constant 20-degree angle to the steel, just as when using the stone (Figure 7.2). A smaller angle will be ineffective. A larger one will dull the edge. 2. Make light strokes. Do not grind the knife against the steel. 3. Make even, regular strokes. Alternate each stroke, first on one side of the blade, then on the other. 4. Use no more than five or six strokes on each side of the blade. Too much steeling can actually dull the blade. 5. Use the steel often. Then you will rarely have to sharpen the knife on the stone. USING THE KNIFE 141 Figure 7.1 When sharpening a knife, hold the blade at a 20-degree angle to the stone. Figure 7.2 Using a sharpening stone. (a) Hold the knife firmly. Start with the tip of the knife against the stone as shown, and hold the edge against the stone at a 20-degree angle. Use the guiding hand to keep an even pressure on the blade. (b) Start to draw the knife over the stone. Press very gently on the blade. (c) Keep the motion smooth, using even, light pressure. (d) Draw the knife across the stone all the way to the heel of the blade. Figure 7.3 To use a manual sharpener, draw the blade through the sharpener from the heel to the tip of the knife. Do not press down hard, but make several light strokes.
Figure 7.4 illustrates one of several steeling methods. This one is popular, but several others are equally correct. Carefully observe your instructors’ demonstrations of their preferred methods. Handling the Knife THE GRIP A proper grip gives you maximum control over the knife, increases your cutting accuracy and speed, prevents slipping, and lessens the chance of an accident. The type of grip you use depends, in part, on the job you are doing and the size of the knife. The grip illustrated in Figure 7.5 is one of the most frequently used for general cutting and slicing. Many chefs feel that grasping the blade with the thumb and forefinger in this manner gives them greatest control. Holding the knife may feel awkward at first, but practice will make it seem natural. Watch your instructors demonstrate the grips they use, and then practice under their supervision. THE GUIDING HAND While one hand controls the knife, the other hand controls the product being cut. Proper positioning of the hand achieves three goals: 1. Hold the item being cut. In Figure 7.6, the item is held firmly so it will not slip. 2. Guide the knife. Note the knife blade slides against the fingers. The position of the hand controls the cut. 3. Protect the hand from cuts. Fingertips are curled under, out of the way of the blade. Basic Cuts and Shapes Cutting food products into uniform shapes and sizes is important for two reasons: 1. It ensures even cooking. 2. It enhances the appearance of the product. Figure 7.7 shows common shapes, with their names and dimensions. The following terms describe other cutting techniques: Chop: to cut into irregularly shaped pieces. Concasser (con-cass-say): to chop coarsely. Mince: to chop into very fine pieces. Emincer (em-man-say): to cut into very thin slices (does not mean “to mince”). Shred: to cut into thin strips, either with the coarse blade of a grater (manual or power) or with a chef’s knife. 142 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE Figure 7.4 Using a steel. (a) Hold the steel and the knife away from your body. With the knife in a vertical position and at a 20-degree angle to the steel, touch the steel with the heel of the blade. (b) Pass the knife lightly along the steel, bringing the blade down in a smooth arc. (c) Complete the movement. Do not strike the guard of the steel with the tip of the blade. (d, e, f ) Repeat the motion on the other side of the steel. Figure 7.5 Grasping the blade of the knife between the thumb and forefinger gives the worker good control over the blade. Figure 7.6 The position of the guiding hand, which holds the item being cut or sliced and also guides the blade, from two points of view.
Figure 7.7 Basic cuts and shapes. (a) Tourné: 2 inches long × 3 ⁄4 inches in diameter, with 7 sides, and flat-ended (5 cm × 2 cm). (b) Large dice: 3 ⁄4 × 3 ⁄4 × 3 ⁄4 inch (2 × 2 × 2 cm). (c) Medium dice: 1 ⁄2 × 1 ⁄2 × 1 ⁄2 inch (12 × 12 × 12 mm). (d) Small dice: 1 ⁄4 × 1 ⁄4 × 1 ⁄4 inch (6 × 6 × 6 mm). (e) Brunoise: 1 ⁄8 × 1 ⁄8 × 1 ⁄8 inch (3 × 3 × 3 mm). (f) Fine brunoise: 1 ⁄16 × 1 ⁄16 × 1 ⁄16 inch (1.5 × 1.5 × 1.5 mm). (g) Rondelle: round or bias-round cuts, varied diameter or thickness. (h) Paysanne: 1 ⁄2 × 1 ⁄2 × 1 ⁄2 inch (12 × 12 × 3 mm; round, square, or rectangular). (i) Lozenge: 1 ⁄2 × 1 ⁄2 × 1 ⁄8 inch (12 × 12 × 3 mm; diamond-shape). (j) Fermière: irregular shape, varied diameter; thickness as needed. (k) Bâtonnet: 1 ⁄4 × 1 ⁄4 × 2–21 ⁄2 inches (6 × 6 × 5–6 cm). (l) Julienne (or allumette potatoes): 1 ⁄8 × 1 ⁄8 × 1–2 inches (3 × 3 × 25–50 mm). (m) Fine julienne: 2 × 1 ⁄16 × 1–2 inches (1.5 × 1.5 × 25–50 mm). USING THE KNIFE 143
Cutting Techniques Different parts of the blade are appropriate for different purposes, as shown in Figure 7.8. (Note: Prying off bottle caps is not a function of any part of the knife.) 1. Slicing. Two basic slicing techniques are illustrated in Figures 7.9 and 7.10. When carrots and similar items are cut into round slices as shown, the cut is called rondelle. 2. Cutting dice, brunoise, bâtonnet, allumette, and julienne. Figure 7.11 shows the steps in dicing a product, using a potato to illustrate. Note in Figure 7.11c that the process of cutting dice first requires you to cut stick shapes, such as bâtonnet. Thus, this illustration demonstrates the method used to cut not only dice and brunoise (broon wahz) but also bâtonnet(bah toh nay), allumette (ah lyoo met), and julienne (zhoo lee enn). 144 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE Figure 7.8 Using different parts of the knife blade. (a) The tip of the knife, where the blade is thinnest and narrowest, is used for delicate work and small items. (b) The center of the blade is used for most general work. (c) The heel of the knife is used for heavy or coarse work, especially when greater force is required. Figure 7.9 Slicing technique 1. (a) Start the knife at a sharp angle, with the tip of the knife on the cutting board. (b) Move the knife forward and down to slice through the carrot. (c) Finish the cut with the knife against the board. For the second slice, raise the heel of the knife and pull it backward, but be sure the tip stays on the board. Figure 7.10 Slicing technique 2. (a) Start the blade at a 45-degree angle, with the tip on the cucumber against the fingers of the guiding hand. (b, c) Slice downward and forward through the item.
3. Cutting paysanne. Paysanne are thin square, or roughly square, cuts. The procedure begins the same as for cutting medium dice. However, in the last step, cut the 1 ⁄2-inch (12-mm) -thick sticks into thin slices rather than into dice. Figure 7.12 illustrates. 4. Cutting lozenges. This is a diamond-shape cut, as illustrated in Figure 7.13. 5. Cutting fermière. Fermière is an irregular slice. Shapes may vary, depending on the item, but the pieces should be of uniform size. Thickness must also be uniform, usually around 1 ⁄8 inch (3 mm). Cut the item lengthwise into pieces of roughly uniform size and shape, and then slice as shown in Figure 7.14. 6. Making oblique cuts. Also called the roll cut, this cut is for long, cylindrical vegetables such as carrots. As illustrated in Figure 7.15, hold the knife at an angle, cut, roll the vegetable one quarterturn, and make the next cut. For tapered vegetables, change the angle as you go to keep the pieces of approximately equal size. USING THE KNIFE 145 Figure 7.11 Slicing a potato. (a) Square off the peeled, eyed potato by cutting a slice from all sides. Use the trimmings for mashed potatoes or soup. (b) Cut the potato into even slices of the desired thickness. Here we are making 1 ⁄4-inch (6-mm) dice, so the slices are 1 ⁄4-inch (6-mm) thick. (d) Looking from this angle shows how the slices have been stacked up. (e) Pile the bâtonnets together and cut across in slices 1 ⁄4 inch (6 mm) apart. You now have perfect 1 ⁄4 inch (6 mm) dice. (c) Stack the slices and again slice across the stack in even 1 ⁄4-inch (6-mm) slices. You now have bâtonnet potatoes, slightly smaller than regular French fries. Slices 1 ⁄8 inch (3 mm) thick would give you allumette potatoes. Figure 7.12 Cut the vegetable into sticks 1 ⁄2 inch (12 mm) square. To cut the sticks into paysanne, cut them crosswise into thin slices. Figure 7.14 To cut fermière, cut the item lengthwise into roughly equal pieces, and then slice uniformly. Figure 7.15 To make oblique cuts, cut the vegetable at a sharp angle, roll one quarter-turn, and make another cut. Figure 7.13 To cut lozenges, first cut the vegetable into thin slices, and then cut these slices lengthwise into strips about 1 ⁄8 inch (3 mm) wide. Cut the strips at an angle to form diamond shapes.
7. Dicing an onion. Dicing an onion presents a special problem for cutting because its form is in layers, not a solid piece. This technique is illustrated in Figure 7.16. 8. Chopping mirepoix. Mirepoix is a mixture of coarsely chopped vegetables, primarily onions, carrots, and celery, used to flavor stocks, gravies, sauces, and other items, as explained in Chapter 8. Because mirepoix is not served—rather, it is almost always strained out of the product before finishing—neatness of cut is not important. The products are cut roughly into pieces of approximately uniform size—small pieces if cooking time will be short, larger pieces for longer cooking times. Figure 7.17 illustrates mirepoix ingredients being cut. 9. Chopping herbs. This chopping technique is used to cut a product when no specific shape is needed. Figure 7.18 illustrates chopping parsley. In the case of chives and scallions, a more regular cut is used, similar to the slicing cut used for larger items like carrots. Figure 7.19 illustrates this procedure. 146 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE Figure 7.16 Dicing an onion. (a) Cut the peeled onion in half lengthwise, through the root end. Place one half on the cutting board, cut side down. (b) With the root end away from you, make a series of vertical lengthwise cuts. Do not cut through the root end. The closer together you make the cuts, the smaller the dice will be. (d) Finally, slice across the onion to separate it into dice. Again, the closer together the cuts, the smaller the dice. (e) Continue making slices almost to the root end. The root end may be rough cut for mirepoix, to be used for stocks, sauces, and roasts. (c) Holding the onion carefully at the top, make a few horizontal cuts toward but not through the root end, which is holding the onion together. Figure 7.17 To chop mirepoix, cut onions, celery, and carrots roughly into pieces of approximately equal size. The exact size depends on what the mirepoix is to be used for. Figure 7.18 Chopping with a French knife. Holding the tip of the knife against the cutting board, rock the knife rapidly up and down. At the same time, gradually move the knife sideways across the product on the board so the cuts pass through all parts of the pile of food. After several cuts, redistribute the pile and begin again. Continue until the product is chopped as fine as you want. Figure 7.19 Stack chives and cut crosswise into very thin slices.
10. Cutting parisienne. Cuts made with a ball cutter are perhaps most often used for potatoes. Potatoes cut into large balls, about 11 ⁄3 inch (3 cm), are called parisienne (pah ree zee enn). When cut into smaller balls, about 7 ⁄8 inch (2.5 cm), they are called noisette (nwah zet). Of course, other solid vegetables, such as turnips, as well as many fruits, can be cut the same way. The procedure is illustrated in Figure 7.20. 11. Cutting tournéed vegetables. To tourné (toor nay) a vegetable is to cut it into a neat seven-sided oval shape, as illustrated in Figure 7.21. Many root vegetables, such as carrots and turnips, are cut this way. When potatoes are tournéed, they are named according to their size. Cocotte potatoes are about 11 ⁄2 inches (4 cm) long. Château potatoes are about 2 inches (5 cm) long. USING THE KNIFE 147 Figure 7.20 Cutting parisienne potatoes. (a) Place the ball cutter against the potato as shown. (b) With the thumb, press the cutter firmly into the potato as far as it will go. (c) Lift the handle of the cutter outward, twist the cutter around, and remove the ball. Figure 7.21 Tournéing potatoes and other root vegetables. (a) Cut the potatoes roughly into pieces slightly larger than the final size desired. Cut off the top and bottom of each piece so the top and bottom are flat and parallel. (b) Hold the potato between the thumb and forefinger. Place the paring knife against the top edge as shown and the thumb of the cutting hand firmly against the potato. Your hand should be far enough up on the blade to maintain steady control. (d) Turn the potato slightly (one-seventh of a full turn, to be exact) and repeat the motion. (e) The finished product. If perfectly done, the potato has seven sides (but customers rarely count them). (c) Cut down toward your thumb with a curving movement of the blade.
12. Peeling grapefruit. This technique, as shown in Figure 7.22, can also be used for peeling yellow turnips or other round vegetables and fruits with heavy peels. 13. Chiffonade. This term refers to cutting leaves into fine shreds. It is applied most often to lettuce and sorrel. To cut chiffonade, remove the heavy leaf ribs, roll the leaves into a tight cylinder, and then slice the cylinder crosswise into thin shreds, as shown in Figure 7.23. 148 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE Figure 7.22 Peeling a grapefruit. (a) Cut off the ends of the grapefruit and turn it on a flat end so it is stable. Slice off a section of the peel, following the contour of the grapefruit. (b) Make sure the cut is deep enough to remove the peel but not so deep as to waste the product. (c) Continue making slices around the grapefruit until all the peel is removed. (d) Slice or section the fruit. Squeeze the remaining pulp for juice. The membrane-free citrus section cut by this method are called suprêmes. Figure 7.23 Cutting a chiffonade of sorrel. (a) Roll the leaves into a cylinder. (b) Cut crosswise into thin strips or shreds.
14. Cutting citrus zest. With a paring knife, cut strips from the citrus peel, removing only the colored part, not the white part below it. Then, with a chef’s knife, cut the zest into thin strips or julienne, as shown in Figure 7.24b. An alternative method is to use a citrus zester, as shown in Figure 7.24c. Preliminary Cooking and Flavoring Advance preparation often requires precooking and flavoring of ingredients to make them ready for use in the finished recipe. On the most obvious level, if a recipe for chicken salad calls for cooked, diced chicken, you must first cook the chicken before you can proceed with the recipe. A complete cooking procedure, in such a case, is part of the mise en place, or pre-preparation. Blanching and Parcooking Partial cooking is a significant part of advance preparation. It requires a degree of culinary skill and judgment to determine when and how much cooking is necessary or desirable. Partial cooking may be done by any moist-heat or dry-heat method. Those commonly used are simmering or boiling (parboiling), steaming, and deep-frying (especially for potatoes). The term blanching may mean any of these methods, but it usually implies very brief cooking. There are four main reasons for blanching or parcooking: 1. To increase holding quality. Heating helps preserve foods by: • Destroying bacteria that cause spoilage. • Destroying enzymes that discolor foods (as when potatoes turn brown) and cause them to deteriorate. PRELIMINARY COOKING AND FLAVORING 149 Figure 7.24 Cutting citrus zest. (a) Use a paring knife to cut thin strips from the peel, being careful to cut only the outer colored part, not the inner white pith. (b) Cut the strips of peel into julienne. (c) Alternatively, draw a zesting tool over the fruit to cut thin strips of zest. KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • How do you sharpen a knife? • When performing most cutting techniques, what is the correct and safe position of the guiding hand—that is, the hand not holding the knife? • What are the dimensions of the following cuts: large dice, medium dice, small dice, brunoise, fine brunoise, bâtonnet, julienne, fine julienne, rondelle, paysanne, lozenge, tourné?
2. To save time. It takes less time to finish parboiled vegetables for service than it does to finish raw vegetables. Large batches of foods may be blanched and chilled, and individual portions then finished to order. Items, such as roast duck, that take too long to cook completely to order are often roasted half to three-quarters done and then finished as the orders are received. 3. To remove undesirable flavors. Some variety meats and certain strong-flavored vegetables, such as rutabaga, are sometimes blanched to make them milder and more acceptable to the customer. 4. To enable the product to be processed further. For example, vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes and peaches, as well as some nuts, are blanched to loosen the skins for peeling. Sweetbreads are blanched so they are firm enough for slicing and breading or other kinds of handling. Marinating To marinate means to soak a food product in a seasoned liquid in order to: 1. Flavor the product. 2. Tenderize the product. The tenderizing effect of the acids in the marinade is relatively small. It is still essential to match the proper cut of meat with the proper cooking techniques for greatest tenderness. The marinade can also serve as the cooking medium and become part of the sauce. Vegetable marinades, called vinaigrettes, are served cold with the vegetables as salads or hors d’oeuvres without further cooking or processing. Marinades have three categories of ingredients: 1. Oil. Oil helps preserve the meat’s moisture. Sometimes it is omitted, especially for long marinations, when the oil would only float on top, out of contact with the product being marinated. Tasteless vegetable oils are used when a neutral flavor is required. Specialty oils, such as olive oil, are used to add flavor to the item being marinated. 2. Acid from vinegar, lemon juice, wine. Acid helps tenderize protein foods. It carries flavors (its own and dissolved flavors from spices and herbs). Use caution when employing strong acids, such as vinegar and lemon juice. A marinade that is too acidic will partially coagulate the protein of the meat, making it seem partially cooked. When the meat is then cooked, its texture will not be as desirable. Strong acids can be used in marinades if they are used in small quantities or if the meat is marinated only a few hours. 3. Flavorings—spices, herbs, vegetables. A wide choice is available, depending on the purpose. Whole spices release flavors more slowly, so they are more suitable for long marination. KINDS OF MARINADE 1. Cooked. Used when long keeping quality is important. Modern refrigeration has made cooked marinades less widely used. An advantage of cooked marinades is that spices release more flavor into the marinade when it is cooked. 2. Raw. Most widely used for long marination under refrigeration. For example, see the recipe for Sauerbraten (p. 366). Figure 7.25 shows meat in a raw marinade. 150 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE Figure 7.25 Beef chuck in a raw marinade of red wine, wine vinegar, spices, and aromatic vegetables.
3. Instant. The range of flavors and purposes is wide. Used for marinating a few minutes up to several hours or overnight. For example, see the recipe for London Broil (p. 328). 4. Dry. A dry marinade, also called a dry rub or a spice rub, is a mixture of salt, spices, and herbs that is rubbed or patted onto the surface of a meat, poultry, or fish item. In some cases, a little oil or a moist ingredient, such as crushed garlic, is mixed with the spices to make a paste. The item is then refrigerated to allow it time to absorb the flavors. The rub may be left on the item or scraped off before cooking. This technique is widely used for barbecued meats. For an example of a dry marinade, see page 394. Figure 7.26 shows a dry rub being applied to a large cut of meat. Dry marinades are an effective way to flavor meats. Naturally, because they usually don’t contain an acid, you can’t expect dry marinades to produce the slight tenderizing effects of liquid marinades containing acids. PRELIMINARY COOKING AND FLAVORING 151 Guidelines for Marinating 1. Marinate under refrigeration (unless product is to be cooked only a few minutes). 2. Remember: The thicker the product, the longer it takes for the marinade to penetrate. 3. Use an acid-resistant container, such as stainless steel, glass, crockery, or some plastics. 4. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag (sachet) if easy removal is important. 5. Cover product completely with marinade. When marinating small items for a short time, you may use less liquid, but you must then turn the product frequently for even penetration. Figure 7.26 Applying a dry rub to a rack of spareribs. Procedure for Brining Meats and Poultry 1. Assemble the following ingredients: Water 1 gal 4 L Kosher salt 4 oz 125 g Sugar 3 oz 90 g Bay leaves 2 2 Dried thyme 2 tsp 10 mL Whole cloves 4 4 Peppercorns 1 tbsp 15 mL 2. Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a stockpot. Make a sachet by tying the herbs and spices in a piece of cheesecloth. Add the sachet to the pot. 3. Bring the water to a boil, stirring to make sure the salt and sugar are dissolved. 4. Let cool, then refrigerate until completely cold. Remove the sachet. 5. Put the meat or poultry into the brine. Poultry must be weighted to keep it submerged. Refrigerate. 6. For large cuts, marinate at least 6 hours or as long as 2 days. For small pieces, such as chops and cutlets, marinate 2 to 6 hours. 7. Remove the meat from the brine, dry it, and proceed with the recipe. Treat the brined meat like fresh meat. 8. Discard the used brine. BRINES A brine may be considered a special kind of marinade. The primary use of brines is in curing, as explained in Chapter 26 (see p. 856). However, many chefs also use them for roast poultry and pork because of their tenderizing and moisturizing effects (see sidebar, p. 152). Brines are rarely used for red meats.
A brine consists primarily of salt dissolved in water. Because of the harsh taste a high salt concentration can give to meats, chefs usually add sugar to the brine as well to counteract the strong salt flavor. In addition, herbs and aromatics may be added to the brine, although these have only a mild flavoring effect. Salt concentration in brines ranges from 3 to 6 percent. The formula given in the procedure makes a concentration of 3 percent, so you could double the salt (and sugar) if desired. Because of the salt and sugar concentration in the meat, pan drippings may not be usable for deglazing. Also, the sugar may burn to the bottom of the pan, so you may want to put a little water in the bottom of the roasting pan. Preparation for Frying Most foods to be deep-fried, with the major exception of potatoes, are first given a protective coating of breading or batter. This coating serves four purposes: 1. It helps retain moisture and flavor in the product. 2. It protects the fat against the moisture and salt in the food, which would speed the deterioration of the frying fat. 3. It protects the food from absorbing too much fat. 4. It gives crispness, flavor, and good appearance to the product. Breading Breading means coating a product with bread crumbs or other crumbs or meal before deepfrying, pan-frying, or sautéing. The most widely used method for applying these coatings is called the Standard Breading Procedure. THE THREE STAGES OF THE STANDARD BREADING PROCEDURE 1. Flour. Helps the breading stick to the product. 2. Egg wash. A mixture of eggs and a liquid, usually milk or water. More eggs give greater binding power but increase the cost. A small quantity of oil is occasionally added to the egg wash. 3. Crumbs. Combine with the egg wash to create a crisp, golden coating when fried. Fine, dry bread crumbs are most often used and give good results. Also popular are Japanese-style dry bread crumbs called panko (Japanese for “bread crumbs”). These coarser crumbs give a pleasing texture to fried items. Other products used are fresh bread crumbs, crushed corn flakes or other cereal, cracker meal, and cornmeal. For small items like scallops and oysters, breading may be done with the aid of a series of wire baskets placed in the flour, egg wash, and crumbs, instead of by hand. The procedure is the same except the baskets are used to lift and shake small quantities of the product and to transfer them to the next basket. To keep one hand dry during breading, use your right hand (if you are righthanded; if left-handed, reverse the procedure) only for handling the flour and crumbs. Use your other hand for handling the product when it is wet. In order to keep your dry hand dry, never handle a wet product with that hand. For example, to complete the breading of an item that has been dipped in egg wash, place it in the pan of crumbs and push more crumbs over the top of the item, as shown in Figure 7.27, and then pat them down, so all sides of the item are covered in dry crumbs before you pick it up. 152 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE HOW A BRINE WORKS Brines moisturize and tenderize roast meats. At first, salt draws moisture from meat tissues. But some of the brine is also absorbed into the meat. When the salt of the brine interacts with the proteins, it dissolves some of the protein structure, and this has a tenderizing effect on the meat. Also, because the salt interacts with the proteins, the capacity of the meat to hold moisture is increased. The weight of the raw brined meat is about 10 percent greater than the weight of the meat before brining. Figure 7.27 To keep your dry hand dry, push crumbs over the top of egg-washed items in the crumb pan before touching them.
Dredging with Flour PURPOSE The purpose of dredging is to give a thin, even coating of flour to a product. Meats to be sautéed or pan-fried are often dredged with flour to give them an even, brown color and to prevent sticking. Vegetables, such as sticks of zucchini, are sometimes coated only in flour before deepfrying to give them a light golden color and a very thin coating. PROCEDURE Follow steps 1 to 3 of the Standard Breading Procedure above. Batters Batters are semiliquid mixtures containing flour or other starch. They are used in deep-frying to give a crisp, flavorful, golden brown coating. There are many formulas and variations for batters. PREPARATION FOR FRYING 153 Procedure for Making Bread Crumbs 1. For fresh bread crumbs, use bread that is one or two days old. If the bread is fresh, its moisture content will make it difficult to process into crumbs without making gummy wads of bread. For dry bread crumbs, lightly toast the bread in a warm oven until the bread is dry but not browned. Do not use stale bread, which has an off flavor. 2. Trim off crusts to make crumbs of a uniform light color. 3. Cut or tear the bread into smaller pieces. 4. Depending on the quantity, place the pieces in a food processor or a vertical cutter/mixer. Process until the crumbs are of the desired fineness. 5. For dry bread crumbs of uniform size, pass the processed crumbs through a sieve (also called a tamis). See page 60. Procedure for Proper Breading Figure 7.28 illustrates a station setup for the Standard Breading Procedure. 1. Dry the product to get a thin, even coating of flour. 2. Season the product—or, for greater efficiency, season the flour (step 3). Do not season the crumbs. The presence of salt in contact with the frying fat breaks down the fat and shortens its life. 3. Dip the product in flour to coat evenly. Shake off excess. 4. Dip in egg wash to coat completely. Remove. Let excess drain off so the crumb coating will be even. 5. Dip in bread crumbs. Cover with crumbs and press them gently onto product. Make sure it is coated completely. Remove. Carefully shake off excess. 6. Fry immediately, or hold for service. 7. To hold for later service, place the breaded items in a single layer on a pan or rack and refrigerate. Do not hold very moist items, such as raw clams or oysters. The breading will quickly become soggy. 8. Strain the egg wash and sift the flour and crumbs as often as necessary to remove lumps. Figure 7.28 Setup of station for Standard Breading Procedure. Right-handed cooks work from left to right. Left-handed cooks work from right to left, with order of pans reversed, as well.
1. Many liquids are used, including milk, water, and beer. 2. Eggs may or may not be used. 3. Thicker batters make thicker coatings. Too thick a batter makes a heavy, unpalatable coating. 4. Leavenings are frequently used to give a lighter product. These may be: • Baking powder • Beaten egg whites • Carbonation from beer or seltzer used in the batter Two recipes for basic, typical batters are given in the recipe for deep-fried Onion Rings (p. 599), and the recipe for Fish and Chips (p. 495). These batters may be used on a wide variety of products. In addition, a recipe for tempura batter is on page 498. Handling Convenience Foods Convenience foods play an increasingly prominent role in the food-service industry. Their use has become so important that no student of professional cooking can afford to be without knowledge of them. 154 CHAPTER 7 MISE EN PLACE Guidelines for Handling Convenience Foods 1. Handle with the same care you give fresh, raw ingredients. Most loss of quality in convenience foods comes from assuming they are damageproof and can be treated haphazardly. 2. Examine as soon as received. Particularly, check frozen foods—with a thermometer—to make sure they did not thaw in transit. Put away at once. 3. Store properly. Frozen foods must be held at 0°F (–18°C) or lower. Check your freezer with a thermometer regularly. Refrigerated foods must stay chilled, below 41°F (5°C), to slow spoilage. Shelf-stable foods (dry products, canned goods, etc.) are shelf-stable only when stored properly in a cool, dry place, tightly sealed. 4. Know the shelf life of each product. Nothing keeps forever, not even convenience foods. (Some, like peeled potatoes, are even more perishable than unprocessed ingredients.) Rotate stock according to the first in, first out principle. Don’t stock more than necessary. 5. Defrost frozen foods properly. Ideally, defrost in a tempering box set at 28° to 30°F (–2° to –1°C) or, lacking that, in the refrigerator at 41°F (5°C) or lower. This takes planning and timing, because large items take several days to thaw. If you are short of time, the second-best way to defrost foods is under cold running water, in the original wrapper. Never defrost at room temperature or in warm water. The high temperatures encourage bacterial growth and spoilage. Do not refreeze thawed foods. Quality will greatly deteriorate. Certain foods, like frozen French fries and some individual-portion prepared entrées, are designed to be cooked without thawing. 6. Know how and to what extent the product has been prepared. Partially cooked foods need less heating in final preparation than do raw foods. Some cooks prepare frozen, cooked crab legs, for example, as though they were raw, but by the time the customer receives them, they are overcooked, dry, and tasteless. Frozen vegetables, for a second example, have been blanched and often need only to be heated briefly. Manufacturers are happy to give full directions and serving suggestions for their products. At least you should read the package directions. 7. Use proper cooking methods. Be flexible. Much modern equipment is designed especially for convenience foods. Don’t restrict yourself to conventional ranges and ovens if compartment steamers, convection ovens, or microwave ovens might do a better job more efficiently. 8. Treat convenience foods as though you, not the manufacturer, did the pre-preparation. Make the most of your opportunity to use creativity and to serve the best quality you can. Your final preparation, plating, and garnish should be as careful as though you made the dish from scratch.
A convenience food may be defined as “any product that has been partially or completely prepared or processed by a manufacturer.” In other words, when you buy a convenience product, you are having the manufacturer do some or all of your preparation for you. Of course, you must pay for this service, as reflected in the price of the product. Although buying the convenience product will likely cost you more than buying the raw materials, you save in increased kitchen efficiency. As you remember from Chapter 5, labor costs as well as food costs must be figured into your menu prices. Processed foods for restaurants and institutions range from partially prepared items that can be used as components in your recipes, such as frozen fish fillets, peeled potatoes, concentrated stock bases, and frozen puff pastry dough, to fully prepared items that need only be reconstituted or served as is, such as frozen prepared entrées and frozen pies and pastries. Some items, like frozen French fries, have wide acceptance, while other more fully prepared foods continue to be resisted by both customer and operator. In general, the more completely a product is prepared by the manufacturer, the less it reflects the individuality of the food-service operator—and the less opportunity the cooks have to give it their own character and quality. Is a stock made from scratch better than a product made from a convenience base? Most quality-conscious chefs would probably answer “Yes!” But the correct answer is, “Not if the homemade stock is poorly made.” No matter what products you use, there is no substitute for quality and care. The fresh product is potentially the best, but not if it is badly stored or handled. Of course, convenience foods also require proper handling to maintain their quality. The key to understanding and handling convenience foods is considering them as normal products with part of the pre-prep completed rather than as totally different kinds of products unlike your normal raw materials. Convenience products are not a substitute for culinary knowledge and skill. They should be a tool for the good cook rather than a crutch for the bad cook. It takes as much understanding of basic cooking principles to handle convenience products as it does fresh, raw ingredients, particularly if you want the convenience product to taste as much like the fresh as possible. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 155 KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • What is blanching? Why are foods blanched? • What are the basic types of marinades? • What are the three stages of the Standard Breading Procedure? Describe how to set up a breading station. • What are convenience foods? Describe eight guidelines for handling and using convenience foods. TERMS FOR REVIEW mise en place holding temperature set meal service extended meal service chop concasser mince emincer shred rondelle dice brunoise bâtonnet allumette julienne paysanne lozenge fermière oblique cut parisienne noisette tourné cocotte château chiffonade blanching marinate brine Standard Breading Procedure panko batter convenience food QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How does preparation differ for set meal service and extended meal service? 2. It has been said that à la carte cooking, or cooking to order, is nothing more than small-batch cooking carried to its extreme. Based on what you know about pre-preparation, what do you think this statement means? 3. Why is it important to learn to cut foods accurately and uniformly? 4. Name six basic vegetable cuts, and give their dimensions. 5. Give six examples of foods that might be blanched or parcooked during pre-preparation, and give a reason for each. 6. Describe in detail how to set up a breading station and how to use it to bread veal cutlets. 7. The manager of the restaurant in which you are a cook has decided to try using frozen, breaded shrimp instead of having you bread shrimp by hand, but she is worried about customer acceptance and asks for your help. How will you handle the new product?
OOD SERVICE INDUSTRY SANITATION AND SAFETY TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SCI NCE MENUS RECIPES COST MANAGEMENT NUTRITION MISE EN PLACE STOCKS AND SAUCES SOUPS UNDER TANDING MEATS COOKING MEATS AND GAME UNDERSTANDING POULTRY AND GAME BIRDS COOKING POUL RY AND GAME BIRDS UNDERSTANDING FISH AND SHELLFISH COOKING FISH AND SHELLFISH UNDERSTAND Chapter 8 From the procedure for adding a liaison to a sauce, page 177.
ING VEGETABLES COOKING VEGETABLES POTATOES LEGUMES GRAINS PASTA OTHER STARCHES COOKING FOVEGETARIAN DIETS SALADS AND SALAD DRESSINGS SANDWICHES HORS D’OERVES BREAKFAST PREPARATIODAIRY AND BEVERAGES SAUSAGES AND CURED FOODS PATES TERRINES AND COLD FOODS FOOD PRESENTTION AND GARNISH BAKESHOP PRODUCTION YEAST PRODUCTS QUICK BREADS CAKES AND ICINGS COOKIET he importance of stocks in the kitchen is indicated by the French word for stock: fond, meaning “foundation” or “base.” In classical cuisine, the ability to prepare good stocks is the most basic of all skills because so much of the work of the entire kitchen depends on them. A good stock is the foundation of soups, sauces, and most braised foods and stews. In modern kitchens, stocks have lost much of the importance they once had. In the first place, increased reliance on portion-controlled meats has made bones for stock a rarity in most establishments. Second, making stocks requires extra labor, which most restaurants today aren’t able to provide. Finally, more food today is served without sauces, so stocks aren’t seen to be quite as necessary. Nevertheless, the finest cuisine still depends on soups and sauces based on high-quality stocks, so stock-making remains an essential skill you should learn early in your training. Stocks and sauces are almost never served by themselves but are components of many other preparations. You will need to refer to this chapter in connection with many other subjects. Stocks and Sauces 157 After reading this chapter, you should be able to 1. Prepare basic mirepoix. 2. Flavor liquids using a sachet d’épices, or spice bag. 3. Prepare white veal or beef stock, chicken stock, fish stock, and brown stock. 4. Cool and store stocks correctly. 5. Prepare meat, chicken, and fish glazes. 6. Evaluate the quality of convenience bases, and use convenience bases. 7. Explain the functions of sauces, and list five qualities a sauce adds to food. 8. Prepare white, blond, and brown roux, and use them to thicken liquids. 9. Prepare and use beurre manié. 10. Thicken liquids with cornstarch and other starches. 11. Prepare and use egg yolk and cream liaison. 12. Finish a sauce with raw butter (monter au beurre). 13. Prepare the five leading sauces: béchamel, velouté, brown sauce or espagnole, tomato, and hollandaise. 14. Prepare small sauces from leading sauces. 15. Identify and prepare five simple butter sauces. 16. Prepare compound butters and list their uses. 17. Prepare pan gravies. 18. Prepare miscellaneous hot and cold sauces.
Stocks The preparation of stocks has been simplified in many ways since the days of Escoffier, although this does not mean it demands less care or skill. Few chefs today bother to tie vegetables for a stock into a bundle, for example. They’re going to be strained out anyway. The number and variety of ingredients is usually not as great as it once was. Nor is it common to cook stocks for as many hours as was once thought necessary. All these details are taken up one by one in this section. A stock may be defined as a clear, thin—that is, unthickened—liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish, and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings. Our objective in preparing stocks is to select the proper ingredients and then to extract the flavors we want—in other words, to combine the correct ingredients with the correct procedure. Ingredients Bones Bones are the major ingredient of stocks (except water, of course). Most of the flavor and body of stocks are derived from the bones of beef, veal, chicken, fish, and, occasionally, lamb, pork, ham, and game. (Vegetable stocks, an exception, draw their flavor entirely from vegetables; see p. 161.) The kinds of bones used determine the kind of stock. Chicken stock, of course, is made from chicken bones. White stock is made from beef or veal bones, or a combination of the two. Chicken bones or even pork bones are sometimes added in small quantity. Brown stock is made from beef or veal bones that have been browned in an oven. Fish stock is made from fish bones and trimmings left over after filleting. Bones from lean white fish give the best stock. Fat fish are not normally used. The term fumet is often used for a flavorful fish stock, especially one made with wine. See the note at the beginning of the recipe for Fish Fumet (p. 167). Lamb, game, turkey, and other stocks have specialized uses. In Chapter 4, we discussed a group of proteins called connective tissue. Remember that some of these proteins are dissolved when cooked with slow, moist heat. Chapter 10, “Understanding Meats,” offers more information about these substances. You should learn and understand these two basic facts: 1. When certain connective tissues (called collagen) break down, they form gelatin. This gives body to a stock, an important feature of its quality. A well-made stock thickens or even solidifies when chilled. 2. Cartilage is the best source of gelatin in bones. Younger animals have lots of cartilage in their skeletons. As they become older, this hardens into solid bone, which is harder to dissolve into stocks. Knuckle bones, on the joints of major bones, have a lot of cartilage and are valued in stock-making. Neck bones and shankbones are also used a great deal. Cut large bones into pieces about 3 inches (8 cm) long. This exposes more surface area and aids extraction. Also, the bones are easier to handle. 158 CHAPTER 8 STOCKS AND SAUCES
Meat Because of its cost, meat is rarely used in stock-making anymore. (Exception: Chicken hearts and gizzards are often used in chicken stock.) Occasionally, a broth is produced as a result of simmering meat or poultry, as when fowl is cooked for dishes like creamed chicken. This broth can then be used like a stock. However, the chicken is considered the object of the game in this case. The broth is just a byproduct. In this book, we use the word broth to mean a flavorful liquid obtained from the simmering of meats and/or vegetables. Mirepoix Aromatic vegetables are the second most important contributors of flavor to stocks. (In the case of vegetable stocks, they are the most important.) Mirepoix (meer-pwah) is a combination of onions, carrots, and celery. It is a basic flavoring preparation used in all areas of cooking—not only for flavoring stocks but also for sauces, soups, meats, poultry, fish, and vegetables. (The classical mirepoix of decades ago contained a wider variety of ingredients, sometimes including ham or bacon, leeks and other vegetables, and one or more fresh herbs. The modern version is considerably simplified.) Learn the proportions in Table 8.1 well. Mirepoix is a basic preparation you will need throughout your career. A white mirepoix, in which parsnips are substituted for carrots, is used when it is necessary to keep the stock as colorless as possible, usually for white beef or veal stock and fish stock. Celery root can be substituted for the stalk celery for an even whiter mirepoix. Mushroom trimmings may also be added. When cost permits, it is a good idea to include leeks in the mirepoix in place of part of the onions in a white mirepoix. They give an excellent flavor. (Note: Many chefs prefer to use a standard mirepoix rather than white mirepoix for all stocks.) In vegetable stocks, a variety of vegetables is used in addition to or in place of the traditional mirepoix; see page 161 for a brief discussion. CUTTING MIREPOIX Chop the vegetables coarsely into pieces of relatively uniform size. As mirepoix is rarely served, it is not usually necessary to cut it neatly. The size depends on how long the mirepoix will cook. If it will cook a long time, as for beef stock, cut the vegetables into large pieces (1 to 2 inches [3 to 5 cm]). Cutting into small pieces is necessary for releasing flavors in a short time, as when the mirepoix will be used for fish stock. Acid Products Acids, as noted in Chapter 4 (p. 65), help dissolve connective tissues. Thus, they are sometimes used in stock-making to extract flavor and body from bones. Tomato products contribute flavor and some acid to brown stocks. They are not used for white stocks because they would give an undesirable color. Similarly, when making brown stocks, be careful not to add too much tomato, which can make the stock cloudy. Wine is occasionally used, especially for fish stocks. Its flavor contribution is probably more important than its acidity. Scraps and Leftovers In some kitchens, a stockpot is kept going all day, and scraps are constantly being thrown in. This may or may not be a good idea. STOCKS 159 Standard mirepoix (left) and white mirepoix (right) Table 8.1 Mirepoix To Make: 1 Pound 400 Grams Onions 8 oz 200 g Celery 4 oz 100 g Carrots 4 oz 100 g
Scraps may be used in stocks if they are clean, wholesome, and appropriate to the stock being made. If done correctly, stock-making is a good way of utilizing trimmings that would otherwise be thrown out. It is better to save trimmings and use them in a planned way than to throw them into the stock randomly. A stockpot is not a garbage disposal. The final product is only as good as the ingredients and the care that go into it. Seasonings and Spices Salt is usually not added when making stocks. Stocks are never used as is but are reduced, concentrated, and combined with other ingredients. If salt were added, it might become too concentrated. Some chefs salt stocks very lightly because they feel it aids in extracting flavor. Herbs and spices should be used only lightly. They should never dominate a stock or have a pronounced flavor. Herbs and spices are usually tied in a cheesecloth bag called a sachet d’épices (sa-shay day peace; French for “spice bag”), often called simply sachet for short. The sachet (Figure 8.1) is tied by a string to the handle of the stockpot so it can be removed easily at any time. A bouquet garni is an assortment of fresh herbs and other aromatic ingredients tied in a bundle with string. A basic bouquet garni contains pieces of leek and celery, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and parsley stems (see Figure 8.2). The ingredients can be changed to suit different recipes. Escoffier includes only parsley, thyme, and bay leaf in the classic bouquet garni. The following seasonings, in varying quantities, are commonly used for stocks: Thyme Parsley stems Bay leaves Cloves, whole Peppercorns Garlic (optional) ONIONS FOR FLAVORING In addition to the onions in the mirepoix, an oignon brûlé (awn yohn broo lay; French for “burnt onion”) is sometimes added to brown stock to give it color as well as flavor. To prepare, cut a large onion in half crosswise and place it, cut side down, on a flattop range or in a heavy skillet. Cook until the cut surface is dark brown. Add to the stock. Another form of onion for flavoring is the oignon piqué (pee kay). This is used not so much for stocks but for soups and sauces. To prepare, stick a bay leaf to a whole, peeled onion with a whole clove. Adding the bay leaf and clove attached to the onion makes removing them easier when cooking is finished. Ingredient Proportions The proportions in Tables 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 are basic, effective, and widely used, but using them is not an ironclad rule. Nearly every chef uses some variations. Many cooks use ratios to help them remember the basic proportions, as follows: Bones—80 percent Mirepoix—10 percent Water—100 percent 160 CHAPTER 8 STOCKS AND SAUCES Figure 8.1 To make a sachet, place the spices and herbs in the center of a square of clean cheesecloth. Draw the corners together and tie with a length of twine. For making stock, use a piece of twine long enough to be tied to the handle of the stockpot for easy removal. Figure 8.2 Tie the herbs and aromatic vegetables for a bouquet garni in a bundle. To tie small herbs securely, enclose them between the two halves of leek. Oignon piqué (left) and oignon brûlé (right)
Ingredients for Vegetable Stocks Vegetable stocks, made without any animal products, play an important role in vegetarian cooking and are also used in more traditional kitchens in response to customers’ requests for light, healthful dishes. The basic ingredients for vegetable stocks are vegetables, herbs and spices, water, and, sometimes, wine (see Figure 8.3). Ingredients and proportions can vary greatly. If you want a particular flavor to predominate, use a larger quantity of that vegetable. For example, if you want a broth tasting primarily of asparagus, use a large quantity of asparagus to make it, with smaller quantities of more neutral vegetables (like onion and celery) to round out the flavor. For a more neutral, allpurpose vegetable stock, avoid strong-flavored vegetables and use more balanced proportions of ingredients. Here are a few additional guidelines for making vegetable stocks or broths: 1. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash, make a stock cloudy. Use them only if clarity is not important. 2. Some vegetables, especially strong-flavored ones, are best avoided. Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and artichokes can overwhelm a stock with a strong flavor or odor. Dark green leafy vegetables, especially spinach, develop an unpleasant flavor when cooked a long time. Beets turn a stock red. 3. Cook long enough to extract flavors but not so long that flavors are lost. Best cooking time is 30 to 45 minutes. 4. Sweating the vegetables in a small amount of oil before adding water gives them a mellower flavor, but this step can be omitted. Butter can be used if it is not necessary to avoid all animal products. 5. Ratios of vegetables to water may vary considerably, but the following proportions are a good starting point: Vegetables: 4 lb 2 kg Water: 1 gal 4 L Sachet: 1 1 STOCKS 161 Table 8.2 White Stock (Chicken) To Make: 1 Gallon 4 Liters Bones 8 lb 4 kg Mirepoix 1 lb 500 g Water 5–6 qt 5–6 L Sachet 1 1 KEY POINTS TO REVIEW • What is mirepoix? How is it prepared? • What is a sachet d’épices? How is it prepared? • What are the basic proportions of bones, mirepoix, and water to make a standard white stock or brown stock? Figure 8.3 Ingredients for vegetable stock Table 8.3 White Stock (Beef and Veal) To Make: 1 Gallon 4 Liters Bones 8 lb 4 kg Mirepoix, white 1 lb 500 g Water 5–6 qt 5–6 L Sachet 1 1 Table 8.4 Brown Stock To Make: 1 Gallon 4 Liters Bones 8 lb 4 kg Mirepoix 1 lb 500 g Tomato product 8 oz 250 g Water 5–6 qt 5–6 L Sachet 1 1 Table 8.5 Fish Stock To Make: 1 Gallon 4 Liters Bones 10–12 lb 5–6 kg Mirepoix, white 1 lb 500 g Water 1 gal 4 L White wine 24 fl oz 750 mL Sachet 1 1
Procedures Making stock may seem, at first glance, a simple procedure. However, many steps are involved, each with a rather complicated set of reasons. If you are to be successful at making consistently good stocks, you must understand not only what to do but also why you are doing it. The following outlines give procedures for making basic stocks as well as the reasons for every step. After learning these procedures and checking with your instructors for any modifications or variations they may have, you will be able to turn to the individual recipes, where the steps are given again, but without explanations. Blanching Bones In Chapter 4, we discussed proteins coagulating when heated. Many proteins dissolve in cold water but solidify into small particles or into froth or scum when heated. It is these particles that make a stock cloudy. Much of the technique of stock-making involves avoiding cloudiness to produce a clear stock. The purpose of blanching bones is to rid them of some of the impurities that cause cloudiness. The bones of young animals, especially veal and chicken, are highest in blood and other impurities that cloud and discolor stocks. Chefs disagree on the importance of blanching. Many feel it is needed to produce clear white stocks. Others feel blanching causes valuable flavors to be lost. Fish bones, at any rate, are not blanched because of their short cooking time. 162 CHAPTER 8 STOCKS AND SAUCES Procedure for Blanching Bones 1. Rinse the bones in cold water. This washes off blood and other impurities from the surface. It is especially important if the bones are not strictly fresh. 2. Place the bones in a stockpot or steam-jacketed kettle and cover with cold water. Impurities dissolve more readily in cold water. Hot water retards extraction. 3. Bring the water to a boil. As the water heats, impurities solidify (coagulate) and rise to the surface as scum. 4. Drain the bones and rinse them well. The bones are now ready for the stockpot. Preparing White Stocks A good white stock has rich, full flavor, good body, clarity, and little or no color. Chicken stocks may have a light yellow color.
STOCKS 163 Figure 8.4 Preparing white stock Procedure for Preparing White Stocks 1. Cut the bones into pieces, 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) long. This exposes more surface area and helps extraction. A meat saw is used to cut heavy veal and beef bones. Fish and chicken bones don’t need to be cut, but whole carcasses should be chopped for more convenient handling. 2. Rinse the bones in cold water. (If desired, chicken, veal, or beef bones may be blanched.) This removes some impurities that cloud the stock or, if the bones are old, give an off taste. 3. Place the bones in a stockpot or steam-jacketed kettle and add cold water to cover. Starting in cold water speeds extraction. Starting in hot water delays it because many proteins are soluble in cold water but not in hot. 4. Bring water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Skim the scum that comes to the surface, using a skimmer or perforated spoon. Skimming is important for a clear stock because the scum (which is fat and coagulated protein) will cloud the stock if it is broken up and mixed back into the liquid. 5. Add the chopped mirepoix and the herbs and spices. Remember, the size to which you cut mirepoix depends on how long it is to be cooked. 6. Do not let the stock boil. Keep it at a low simmer. Boiling makes the stock cloudy because it breaks solids into tiny particles that get mixed into the liquid. 7. Skim the surface as often as necessary during cooking. 8. Keep the water level above the bones.Add more water if the stock reduces below this level. Bones cooked while exposed to air will turn dark and thus darken or discolor the stock. Also, they do not release flavor into the water if the water doesn’t touch them. 9. Simmer for the recommended length of time: Beef bones—8 to 10 hours Chicken bones—3 to 4 hours Veal bones—6 to 8 hours Fish bones—30 to 45 minutes Most modern chefs do not simmer stocks as long as earlier generations of chefs did. It is true that longer cooking extracts more gelatin, but gelatin isn’t the only factor in a good stock. Flavors begin to break down or degenerate over time. The above times are felt to be the best for obtaining full flavor while still getting a good portion of gelatin into the stock. 10. Skim the surface and strain off the stock through a china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Adding a little cold water to the stock before skimming stops the cooking and brings more fat and impurities to the surface. 11. Cool the stock as quickly as possible, as follows: • Set the pot in a sink with blocks, a rack, or some other object under it. This is called venting. It allows cold water to flow under the pot as well as around it. • Run cold water into the sink, but not higher than the level of the stock, or the pot will become unsteady. An overflow pipe keeps the water level right and allows for constant circulation of cold water (see image on p. 164). • Stir the pot occasionally so all the stock cools evenly. Hang a ladle in the pot so you can give it a quick stir whenever you pass the sink without actually taking extra time to do it. Cooling stock quickly and properly is important. Improperly cooled stock can spoil in 6 to 8 hours because it is a good breeding ground for bacteria that cause food-borne disease and spoilage. Do not set the hot stock in the walk-in or, worse yet, the reach-in. All that heat and steam will overload the refrigerator and may damage other perishables as well as the equipment. Refer to food safety guidelines for cooling on page 30. 12. When cool, refrigerate the stock in covered containers. Stock will keep 2 to 3 days if properly refrigerated. Stock can also be frozen and will keep for several months. (a) Place the bones in a stock pot and cover with cold water. (b) Skim the scum from the surface regularly. (c) Add white mirepoix to the pot. (d) Add a sachet d’épices. Tying the sachet to the pot handle enables it to be retrieved whenever necessary.
Preparing Brown Stocks The difference between brown stocks and white stocks is that the bones and mirepoix are browned for the brown stock. This causes a few complications, as you will see. Otherwise, the procedure is essentially the same. A second method for browning the mirepoix is given in the alternative procedure. 164 CHAPTER 8 STOCKS AND SAUCES Basic White Stock (Beef or Veal) YIELD: 2 GAL (8 L) U.S. METRIC INGREDIENTS PROCEDURE 16 lb 8 kg Beef or veal bones 10–12 qt 10–12 L Water, cold Mirepoix, white (see Note): 1 lb 500 g Onion, chopped 8 oz 250 g Parsnip, chopped 8 oz 250 g Celery, chopped Sachet: 1 1 Dried bay leaf 1 ⁄4 tsp 1 mL Dried thyme 1 ⁄4 tsp 1 mL Peppercorns 6–8 6–8 Parsley stems 2 2 Whole cloves Per 1 fl oz (29.57 mL): Calories, 5; Protein, .6 g; Fat, .1 g (12% cal.); Cholesterol, 0 mg; Carbohydrates, 1 g; Fiber, 0 g; Sodium, 10 mg. Note: If desired, use a standard mirepoix (with carrots) instead of white mirepoix. The stock will have slightly more color. VARIATIONS Chicken Stock Chicken stock is usually made with a standard mirepoix, substituting carrots for parsnips, although white mirepoix may also be used. Follow procedure in basic recipe, but reduce cooking time to 3–4 hours. White Lamb Stock, Turkey Stock, Ham Stock Prepare according to basic procedure, substituting appropriate bones. 1. Review instructions for stock preparation (pp. 162–163). 2. If beef or veal bones are whole, cut into pieces 3–4 in. (8–10 cm) long with a meat saw. Rinse bones in cold water. 3. Blanch the bones: Place in a stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Drain and rinse. 4. Place the bones in the stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and skim the scum carefully. 5. Add mirepoix and sachet ingredients (tied in cheesecloth). 6. Simmer for required length of time, skimming the surface as often as necessary. Veal: 6–8 hours Beef: 8–10 hours Add water if necessary to keep bones covered. 7. Strain through a china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth. 8. Cool the stock, vented, in a cold-water bath (see image below), and refrigerate. Setup for cooling stocks in a cold water bath.
STOCKS 165 Procedure for Preparing Brown Stocks 1. Cut the bones into pieces, 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) long, as for white stock. Veal and/or beef bones are used for brown stock. 2. Do not wash or blanch the bones. The moisture would hinder browning. 3. Place the bones in a roasting pan in one layer and brown in a hot oven at 375°F (190°C) or higher. The bones must be well browned to color the stock sufficiently. This takes over 1 hour. Some chefs prefer to oil the bones lightly before browning. 4. When the bones are well browned, remove them from the pan and place them in a stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. 5. Drain and reserve the fat from the roasting pan. Deglaze the pan by adding water and stirring over heat until all the brown drippings are dissolved or loosened. Add to the stockpot. 6. While the stock is getting started, place the mirepoix in the roasting pan with some of the reserved fat and brown the vegetables well in the oven. 7. Add the tomato product to the mirepoix. Continue to brown until the tomato product turns a rusty brown color. (See alternative procedure below.) 8. When the water in the stockpot comes to a simmer, skim and continue as for white stock. 9. Add the browned vegetables and the tomato product to the stockpot. If desired, they may be held out until 2 to 3 hours before the end of the cooking time. 10. Continue as for white stock. Figure 8.5 Preparing brown stock. (a) Roast the bones in a moderately hot oven until well browned. (b) Place the bones in a stockpot and add the appropriate amount of water. (c) While the bones are beginning to simmer, brown the mirepoix, using the same roasting pan set on top of the stove or in the oven. Add the browned mirepoix to the stockpot. (d) Deglaze the roasting pan with water. Add the liquid to the stockpot. (e) This stock has simmered slowly for 8 hours. Note the sachet is tied to the handle of the pot with twine for easy removal. (f) Strain the stock through a china cap lined with cheesecloth. Alternative Procedure The mirepoix may be browned with the bones. When the bones are half browned, add the mirepoix to the pan and continue roasting until bones and vegetables are browned. Some chefs use this method because it eliminates some steps. Others prefer to brown the mirepoix separately so it can be added to the stock later in the cooking time. Tomato paste is the best choice of tomato product if it is browned with the mirepoix, as it contains less water. Tomato purée or canned tomatoes may also be used, but they are more likely to be added directly to the stockpot.
166 CHAPTER 8 STOCKS AND SAUCES Basic Brown Stock YIELD: 2 GAL (8 L) U.S. METRIC INGREDIENTS PROCEDURE 16 lb 8 kg Bones: veal or beef 10–12 qt 10–12 L Water, cold Mirepoix: 1 lb 500 g Onion, chopped 8 oz 250 g Carrot, chopped 8 oz 250 g Celery, chopped 4 oz 125 g Tomato paste (See Note) Sachet: 1 1 Bay leaf 1 ⁄4 tsp 1 mL Dried thyme 1 ⁄4 tsp 1 mL Peppercorns 6–8 6–8 Parsley stems 2 2 Whole cloves Per 1 fl oz (29.57 mL): Calories, 6; Protein, .5 g; Fat, .1 g (18% cal.); Cholesterol, 0 mg; Carbohydrates, .5 g; Fiber, 0 g; Sodium, 15 mg. Note: If desired, use 1 lb (500 g) tomato purée or canned tomatoes in place of the tomato paste. Add it to the browned mirepoix and continue to brown, or add it directly to the stockpot without browning. VARIATIONS Brown Lamb Stock, Game Stock Prepare according to basic procedure, substituting appropriate bones. 1. Review instructions for stock preparation (p. 165). 2. If bones are whole, cut into pieces 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) long with a meat saw. Do not wash. 3. Place bones in a roasting pan in a hot oven (400°F/200°C) and brown them well. 4. Remove bones from pan and place in a stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Skim and let stock continue to simmer. 5. Drain and reserve the fat from the roasting pan. Deglaze the pan with water and add to stockpot. 6. Toss the mirepoix with some of the reserved fat and brown well in oven. 7. Add tomato paste to mirepoix. Continue to brown until tomato paste turns a rusty brown color. 8. Add browned mirepoix, tomato product, and sachet to the stockpot. 9. Continue to simmer for required length of time, skimming surface as necessary. Veal: 6–8 hours Beef: 8–10 hours Add water as needed to keep bones covered. 10. Strain through a china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth. 11. Cool the stock, vented, in a cold-water bath, and refrigerate. Preparing Fish Stocks A standard fish stock is made the same way as a white stock, using the proportions given in the table on page 161. This type of stock is useful for soups and similar seafood preparations. For sauces, chefs usually prefer a more flavorful fish stock called a fumet. A fish fumet is made by first sweating the bones and mirepoix in fat. White wine is then added to deglaze, and finally water is added and the fumet finished in the normal manner. Recipes for a standard fish stock and a fish fumet are given below.