SALADS

Salad- a combination of raw and/or cooked ingredients, usually served cold with a dressing.

TYPES OF SALADS Protein salad: small pieces of meat or egg-chef’s

salad

Pasta salad: cooked pasta, veggies, dressing, sometimes meat

Vegetable salad: raw or cooked veggies-coleslaw

Fruit salad: canned, frozen, or fresh fruits served on greens

Gelatin salad: mix fruit and vegetable juices with gelatin.

PREPARING SALAD INGREDIENTS Most fruits and veggies used in salads are

very perishable and will not last long. Discard outer leaves of salad greens. Wash all fresh fruits and veggies by running

under water. Do not soak, or you will lose the nutrients into

the water. Do not wash veggies too far in advance, or more

nutrients will be lost. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces-do not cut

with a knife because it will cause bruising.

PREPARING SALAD DRESSINGS Salad dressing is an example of an emulsion-

which are combinations of two liquids that ordinarily will not stay mixed.

There are three basic types of salad dressings: French mayonnaise, cooked.

French dressing is a temporary emulsion because you must shake/stir it to mix it each time you use it.

Mayonnaise is a permanent emulsion, because it will not separate. Mayonnaise contains egg yolk.

Cooked dressing is thickened with cornstarch or flour.

ASSEMBLING A SALAD Most salads have 3 parts: a base, a body, and a

dressing.

Base: leafy greens

Body: main part of the salad, on top of the base.

Dressing: sauce that adds flavor to a salad.

Some salads have a 4th part: the garnish. Grape tomatoes, toasted nuts, or orange slices are common garnishes.

CASSEROLES

Casseroles- a combination of foods prepared in a single dish. Quick and easy to prepare Most freeze well-so you can made them ahead of

time for a fast meal Great way to include plant foods because they

often include a variety of vegetables and grains and sometimes a small amounts of meat

CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS Most casseroles are a combination of a

protein food, a vegetable, a starch, and a sauce. Many are topped with crumbs, cheese, or nuts.

This helps casserole from drying out, adds color, flavor, and texture.

Casseroles can easily be made healthier by using reduced-fat mayonnaise or low-sodium condensed soup in place of traditional ingredients.

ASSEMBLING A CASSEROLE Combine ingredients that complement each

other. Cleanup is easier if you use a greased dish. Cooking time will depend on the size of the

dish and starting temperature of casserole. Some casseroles can be prepared on top of

the range. Placing a piece of aluminum foil over

casserole will help keep it from getting too dark.

Casseroles improve when they sit for a few minutes once taken out of oven because the flavors have a chance to blend.

MICROWAVE CASSEROLES Dinners can be ready in minutes when you

assemble casseroles from leftovers and heat them in a microwave oven.

The microwave is also great for reheating and defrosting casseroles.

Make casseroles for the microwave with precooked ingredients. They can be prepared and served in the same

dish which makes cleanup easier.

STOCK SOUPS

Soups can be hot or cold, hearty or light. It can be an appetizers or a main dish. You can eat it alone or serve it with other foods.

Stock soups: rich-flavored broth in which meat, poultry, or fish; vegetables; and seasonings have been cooked.

Cream soups: Made with milk instead of broth

STOCKS SOUPS Stocks obtain their flavor from the flavors of

their ingredients. Meat and vegetables release their flavors slowly.

To make stocks rich and flavorful, cook them over low heat for a long time.

To make stock more flavorful, increase the amount of surface area exposed to the cooking area-cut the meat and vegetables into small pieces. Also, crack any large bones that are put into the stockpot.

Brown stocks-meat must be browned before adding it to stockpot.

Light stock-use poultry, fish, or unbrowned meat.

PREPARING STOCKS Place all ingredients in a large pan w/ a tightly fitted

lid. Cover w/ cold water, & simmer for several hours. The liquid should never boil.

During the 1st stage, foam will rise to the surface. Skim it from the top with a wooden spoon.

During the final stages, fat will rise to the surface of the stock if you have used fatty meats. Skim it from top with a basting spoon when hot, or wait

until it cools are hardens on the top. After cooking, strain the stock. This separates the

broth from the solid materials. You can serve the meat separately or add it back to

make soup. You can also add vegetables, rice, noodles, potatoes, etc.

PREPARING BOUILLON AND CONSOMMÉ Bouillon: Clear broth made from stock

Most commonly made from beef stock Consommé: A clear, rich-flavored soup made

from stock. Both are low in calories. They make great

appetizers and snacks. For both bouillon and consommé, you must first clarify the stock. You can clarify strained stock by adding a slightly beaten egg white and a few pieces of eggshell to the boiling broth. As the egg protein coagulates, it traps any solid materials. Strain the clarified stick to remove the egg, solid materials, and egg shell.

To prepare bouillon, reduce the strained and clarified stock in volume by further cooking. This additional cooking concentrates the stock, making it richer and more flavorful.

Reducing: To prepare bouillon, reduce the strained and clarified stock in volume by further cooking. This additional cooking concentrates the stock, making it richer and more flavorful.

Prepare consommé by simmering the strained and clarified stock still longer. It has a richer flavor than bouillon.

MICROWAVING SOUPS Stocks are best when prepared on a range

top. Once stocks are made into soups, they can be

heated in a microwave in a matter of minutes. Soups should be microwaved at a low power

to allow the ingredients to simmer. Make sure the container is of ample size to

avoid boil-overs. Over soups and stir them during the

microwaving period to promote more even cooking.

CREAM SOUPS

Cream soups: Milk-based soups. Thickened cream soups : Made from a thick white

sauce. They contain vegetables and meat that have been cut up into small pieces. Examples: Cream of mushroom and cream of tomato

Bisques: rich, thickened cream soups. Contain shellfish that is cut into small pieces. Example: lobster bisque

Chowders: made from unthickened milk. Contain vegetables and meat, often times potatoes. Example: Manhattan clam chowder, New England clam

chowder

PREPARING THICKENED CREAM SOUPS Cook the added ingredients-meat and

vegetables, using only a small amount of liquid. This prevents the loss of water-soluable vitamins. Many cream soups require you to puree the

vegetables and meat. Use a blender to puree foods as smooth as possible.

Add the prepared ingredients to a thin white sauce. Season the soup to taste.

Be sure to use low heat when reheating a cream soup to prevent scorching.

PREPARING UNTHICKENED CREAM SOUPS Usually pieces of vegetables and meat are

fairly large, and they are cooked in a stock. When they are tender, add the milk to the

stock and stir gently until blended. Add milk slowly and heat the soup at a low

temperature to prevent curdling.