Y1.U5.2Getting Ready to Cook

What is• Mise en Place

• Proper knife use

• Difference between seasoning and flavoring

• Basic pre-preparation technique

Mise En Place• French for “put in place”

• Refers to the preparation and assembly of ingredients, pans, utensils, equipment, or serving pieces needed for a particular dish or service.

• Requires planning

• Needed because• Too much to do at last minute• Food is best immediately after preparation

Mise- step by step

1. Identify each ingredient and piece of equipment needed to prepare, finish and hold each item for service. Preferably the night before. (Read recipe).

2. Prepare a timeline: what needs to be done (steps), what order (prioritize), how much time for each step. Attention to detail.

3. Assemble workstation (cutting board, containers/sanitation), tools, ingredients,

4. Preform advance preparation consistent with providing the best possible product. Store to prevent time-temperature abuse, nutrient/moisture loss.

5. During service balance need to work quickly and the need to provide safe, high quality food.

6. After service, clean station, store leftovers appropriately.

7. Review. What went well, what could be improved.

Knife Grip

Knife Grip, Claw

Knife Cuts

Knife Cuts

Knife Cuts

Knife Cuts

Knife Cuts • [

• [skill demo]

Seasoning & FlavorSeasoning

• Enhances the flavor of an item without changing the primary flavor of a dish• Salt• Pepper

• Sugars• Acids

Flavor

• The way a food tastes

• Flavoring can enhance or bring another flavor to the product- (change the flavor)• Herbs• Spices• Extracts• Fruits/Vegetables• Aromatic liquids• Cured foods

Herb/Spice

Herb• Herb: aromatic plants whose leaves, stems or flowers are

used to add flavors to other foods

Basil• Flavor: Fragrant and spicy —

almost pepperyGreat with: Tomatoes, vegetables, poultry, grilled pizzas, saladsNotes: It's best used as whole leaves or torn. Smaller leaves at top of bunch are the sweetest.

Bay• Flavor: fragrance is herbal,

slightly floral, and somewhat similar to oregano and thyme Great with: soups, stews, meat, seafood and vegetable dishes

• Notes: The leaves are most often used whole (sometimes in a bouquet garni) and removed before serving (they can be abrasive in the digestive tract)

Chives• Flavor: Subtle onion with

grass-like leavesGreat with: Egg dishes, soups, sauces, baked potatoes, fishNotes: Snip with scissors for best results. Chive flowers make a pretty garnish.

Cilantro• Flavor: A lively flavor; soapy,

some say; looks similar to flat-leaf parsleyGreat with: Asian, Mexican and Indian dishes; mix in salsas and chutneysNotes: Leaves become bitter after plant flowers. Dried seeds are the spice coriander.

Dill• Flavor: Fresh and grassy;

feathery leaves used in pickle brineGreat with: Tuna salad, omelets, vegetables, seafood dishes, yogurt dressing for cucumbers, herb vinegarsNotes: Use dill fresh or add to hot food just before serving.

Mint• Flavor: Cool; brightens up

both savory and sweet dishesGreat with: Beverages, jellies, sauces, marinades for meat and vegetables; often tossed with buttered peasNotes: The most popular variety is spearmint. To dry, hang in a dark place with low humidity.

Oregano• Flavor: Earthy; balances acidic

tomatoes — hence common on pizzaGreat with: Lamb, beef, eggs, beans, eggplantNotes: It's closely related to marjoram (but more pungent), so they aren't classified separately.

Parsley• Flavor: Peppery and fresh;

curly parsley is milder than flat-leaf ItalianGreat with: Salads, vegetables (especially potatoes), pastaNotes: Either variety is a breath freshener.

Rosemary• Flavor: Pungent aroma and

pine flavorGreat with: Mediterranean dishes, lamb, poultry, fish, breads; add sprigs or finely chopped leaves to long-cooking stewsNotes: When grilling, sturdier stems make good skewers; branches can be a basting brush.

Sage• Flavor: Very aromatic and

woodsy.Great with: Fresh sausage, holiday stuffing for turkey, rich meats like pork, goose and duck.Notes: Soft Downy leaves. Deep-fried sage is a lovely garnish.

Tarragon• Flavor: Reminiscent of licorice

Great with: Poultry, fish, shellfish, vegetables, vinegar and eggs; indispensable in the French béarnaise sauceNotes: Two types; French is preferred over the more bitter Russian.

Thyme• Flavor: Minty and citrusy

Great with: Mediterranean dishes, stews, eggs, seafood, poultry; toss sprigs into boiling water to flavor steamed riceNotes: Strip leaves from stems by pulling through fork tines.

Herb Blends

Fines Herbes

• French

• Chervil: chive: parsley: tarragon

Herb Blends

Herbs de Provence

• French

• Dried savory, basil, fennel, thyme, oregano, (lavender)

Spice•  The bark, roots, seeds, buds, or berries of an

aromatic plant.

Allspice• Flavor: Cinnamon, nutmeg and

clove.Great with: Braises, forcemeat, fish, pickles, dessert.

• Notes: Columbus thought it was pepper.

Annatto (Achiote)• Flavor: Light citrus flavor.

Great with: Soup, stew, sauce

• Notes: imparts yellowish/orange color.

Anise (star)• Flavor: Sweet, spicy licorice.

Great with: Southeast Asian, savory dishes, desserts, baked goods, liquor.

• Notes: Similar to fennel.

Caraway• Flavor: Delicate, similar to, but

sweeter than anise seeds.

• Great with: Austrian, German, Hungarian, rye bread, soup, stew, cheese, liqueur.

• Notes: Parsley family.

Cardamom• Flavor: Strong aroma, sweet

spicy flavor.

• Great with: Curries, baked goods, pickles.

• Notes: Chai tea.

Celery Seed• Flavor: Strong celery flavor.

• Great with: Salad, coleslaw, salad dressing, soup, stew, tomatoes, baked goods.

• Notes: Seed of wild celery (lovage).

Cinnamon• Flavor: Sweet, warm.

• Great with: Baked goods, dessert, curry, stew, beverage.

• Notes: Bark. Sri Lanka/Ceylon: true. Others: Cassia. (Korintje, Pandang).

Cloves• Flavor: Sweet, pungent,

peppery aroma.

• Great with: Saline foods, stock, sauce, curry, pickle, baked goods..

• Notes: Flower of unopened tropical evergreen.

Coriander• Flavor: Citrus-like (seed).

• Great with: Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, curry, forcemeat, pickles, baked goods.

• Notes: Flavor very different from herb.

Cumin• Flavor: Spicy, lemon, nutty,

with a bite.

• Great with: India, Mexican, Middle Eastern, curries, chili.

• Notes: Similar chemical irritants to capsaicin.

Dill Seed• Flavor: Strong, slightly bitter,

notes of anise, oregano and cedar.

• Great with: Northern and eastern European, pickle, sauerkraut, bread, salad dressing.

• Notes: Parsley family.

Fennel Seed• Flavor: Sweet Licorice.

• Great with:  Italian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Scandinavian, sausage fish, shellfish, tomatoes, baked goods.

• Notes: Not directly related to Anise.

Fenugreek• Flavor: Bitter/pungent; hay

like aroma.

• Great with:  Indian cuisine, curry, meat marinade, poultry, chutney.

• Notes: Not directly related to Anise.

Mace• Flavor: Strong nutmeg.

• Great with:  Forcemeat, pork, fish, spinach, baked goods, desserts.

• Notes: Membrane of nutmeg.

Nutmeg

• Flavor: Sweet, peppery. Fragrance clove, mint, lavender, pine

• Great with: Dairy, sauce, soup, baked goods, desserts.

• Notes: More delicate than mace.

Saffron• Flavor: bitter, spicy, slight

citrus; sweet floral bouquet

• Great with: Paella, Bouillabaisse, Risotto Milanese, pilaf, sauce, soup, baked goods.

• Notes: Most expensive spice in the world.

Turmeric• Flavor: Mildly bitter spicy.

• Great with: Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, curry.

• Notes: Often used for color.

Spice BlendsChili Powder

• Southwest/Mexican

• Dried chili as base, cumin, clove, coriander, garlic, oregano

• Chili, soup, stew, sauce

Spice BlendsFive Spice

• Chinese

• Szechwan pepper corns: star anise: cinnamon: cloves: fennel

• Meat, fish, vegetable, sauce

Spice BlendsCurry

• Indian

• Cardamom, chiles, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, saffron, tamarind, turmeric

• Meat, seafood, vegetable, rice, sauce, soup

Spice BlendsGaram Masala

• Indian

• Black pepper, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom, mace, nutmeg, dried chilies

• Fish, lamb, pork, poultry, cauliflower, potatoes

Spice BlendsQuatre èpices

• French

• Pepper, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

• Stew, soup, vegetable

Storing Spice and Herbs• Heat, light and air speed loss of flavor• Tightly lidded glass jar.• Avoid storing close to stoves, dishwashers, sinks, air-ducts,

direct sunlight

• Replace at least yearly, check expiration date.

Spice/Herb Notes• 3 parts fresh = 1 part dried leaf = ½ part dried ground

• Amount/Rule of Thumb: 1% ground by weight or ¼ tsp. per lb.

• Hot peppers: Consider using half the General Rule of Thumb amount to start. When scaling up recipes, consider increasing by 1.5 instead of 2.

• Add volatile spice/herb (vanilla, cilantro, cardamom) at the end of cooking

• Garlic and onion are oil-soluble, add to the dish with oil to distribute flavors

• [demo: egg separate/whip, bain-marie]