Food Skills Flashcards
Colours of chopping boards
Red = raw meat
Blue = raw fish
Yellow = cooked meat
Brown = vegetables
Green = salad/fruit
Portioning a chicken
- Remove the wings
- Remove the legs and tough from the carcass
- Remove the feet from the end of the leg
- Cut between the thigh and the leg joint to separate the thigh and leg
- Remove the breast by cutting away from the main carcass
- Cut the wing away from the breast
Filleting fish
- Remove head and fins
- Start at the head and cut down the spine of the fish, lift the fillet as you work down the fish
- Turn the fish over and remove the second fillet
- Trim the fish and remove any bones
Moist methods of cooking
- boiling
- simmering
- poaching
- blanching
- steaming
Boiling
Large amounts of rapidly bubbling liquid to cook foods
- quick, not likely to burn, simple
- food may disintegrate, some flavour is lost, water soluble vitamins may be lost
Simmering
Foods are cooked in hot liquid
- used for foods which require gentler treatment than boiling
- some flavour lost, water soluble vitamins may be lost
Poaching
The temperature of the liquid is just below simmering
- quick, water soluble vitamins may be lost
Blanching
Food is cooked and is then cooked quickly to stop the cooking process
- stops enzymic action in vegetables to be frozen
- not all foods can be successfully blanched
Steaming
Food doesn’t come into contact with water, cooked by the steam
- light texture and so easy to digest
- can take a long time to do
Dry heat methods
- frying
- grilling
- microwaving
Frying
Dry frying: no fat is added
Shallow frying: fat comes halfway to food
Stir frying: very little fat is used
- quick
- food attractive in colour
- soluble vitamins not lost
- more difficult to digest
- heat sensitive vitamins destroyed
Grilling
- quick
- possible to trim excess fat off some meats before grilling
- reduces amount of fat in some foods
- not suitable for tough cuts of meat
- careful timing is needed
Microwaving
- food cooked quickly
- bright colour of veg is retained
- less loss and destruction of water soluble and heat sensitive vitamins
- can be easily overcooked
- flavours may not develop in the food
Steam as a raising agent
- steam is produced from the liquid in a mixture and is used as a raising agent in some recipes
- as the mixture is heated the steam is formed from the liquid which causes the mixture to rise
- a protein in the mixture (gluten or egg) will then set the mixture in its risen state
Function of the ingredients in cakes mixture
Flour
- forms the main structure of a product
- raising agent if self raising flour is used
Fat
- adds colour
- traps air bubbles during mixing which helps with rising and creates a light texture
- shortens when rubbed into flour to make a crumbly texture
a provides moisture
Eggs
- hold air when whisked
- adds colour and flavour
Sugar
- sweetens
- helps to trap air when creamed with fat
Liquid
- acts as a raising agent when converted to steam
- binds ingredients together
Baking powder
- aerates -> makes a cake rise
