1. Food Preparation Skills

Cards (32)

  • A bridge and claw method should be used when using a knife.
  • Knives should be kept sharp and clean, or they will cause a cut.
  • Different types of knives:
    • Boning knife
    • Bread knife
    • Cook's knife
    • Carving knife
    • Filleting knife
    • Paring knife
    • Palette knife
  • Three main classifications of fish:
    • White fish - e.g. cod, haddock
    • Flat fish - e.g. sole, halibut
    • Oily fish - e.g. salmon, tuna
  • Two main classifications of shellfish:
    • Crustaceans (hard backbone) - e.g. crabs, lobsters, shrimp.
    • Molluscs - e.g. oysters, mussels, scallops.
  • Nutrients found in fish are:
    • Protein
    • Minerals - e.g. iron, zinc, iodine
    • Vitamins A & D
  • Oily fish contain Omega 3 fatty acids for brain development, healthy bones, and joints.
  • Preservation of fish:
    • Canning - heating cans to 121 degrees Celsius to kill bacteria.
    • Freezing - sea fish are frozen within 90 minutes of capture to at least -18 degrees Celsius, which makes the bacteria dormant.
    • Smoking - to 76 degrees Celsius to remove moisture.
    • Salting - adding salt to remove moisture, bacteria can't survive.
  • Fish is often enrobed in breadcrumbs/batter to protect it when at a high heat.
  • Meat contains:
    • Protein - e.g. collagen, elastin, and myoglobin
    • Fat (saturated)
    • Minerals - e.g. iron, calcium, phosphorus
    • Vitamins B6 & B12
    • Cholesterol
  • Four classifications of meat:
    • Animals: Pork, beef, lamb
    • Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck, goose
    • Game: Rabbit, pheasant
    • Offal: Liver, tongue, tripe, kidney, heart, brain, trotters
  • Meat is a muscle made of cells, which consist of fibres held together by connective tissue. The older the animal is, the tougher the meat is.
  • Marinades are added to meat before cooking to add flavour, and the acid content of the marinade (e.g. lemon juice) breaks down the protein in the meat.
  • Meat is tenderised (made softer) by using a marinade, being minced, or using a steak hammer on it.
  • The Maillard Reaction - when natural sugars react with proteins to produce a dark colour (makes meat go brown).
    Also called non-enzymic browning.
  • As meat cooks, the proteins coagulate due to heat.
    Collagen breaks down into gelatine, making the meat tender.
  • A temperature probe should be used to see if meat is safe to eat.
  • Raw meat should be kept separate from cooked meat to avoid cross contamination. Should also be kept at the bottom of the fridge.
  • Cooked meat should be chilled and covered as it is a high-risk food.
  • Chilled meat - stored between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius.
    Frozen meat - stored between -18 and -22 degrees Celsius.
    • Blanching - placing the ingredient into boiling water for a few minutes to quickly cook, soften, and inhibit enzyme activity.
  • Whisking - combining ingredients & incorporating air into the mixture.
    Stirring - gently mixing with a spoon.
    Folding - gently incorporating mixtures together.
    Creaming - mixing two ingredients together.
    Rubbing in - incorporating fat into flour.
  • Binding - holding ingredients together:
    • Egg acts as a binding agent
    • Water binds flour and fat in pastry to form a dough
  • Coating - adding an outer layer to a food:
    • Breadcrumbs and batters are used
    • Chocolate can be used as a coating to hold food together
  • Glazing - a liquid applied to the outside of food:
    • Egg wash glaze
    • Egg white
    • Egg yolk
    • Milk
    • Jam
  • Flour contains proteins called gliadin and glutenin.
  • Gluten is produced when water is added to the flour, enabling a strong elastic dough to be formed. Kneading develops the gluten within the dough.
  • In a bread: elasticity of the dough helps to trap CO2 that is released from yeast, making the dough rise when baked.
  • Different types of pastries:
    • Shortcrust
    • Choux
    • Flaky/rough puff
  • Shortcrust pastry:
    • Uses the rubbing in method
    • Used in making pies and tarts
    • Fat to flour ratio is 1:2
    • Plain flour is used since it has less gluten
    • Fat coats the flour and restricts the amount of gluten formed
  • Choux pastry:
    • Used for eclairs, profiteroles, and choux buns
    • Strong flour is used for a stronger structure
    • Water and fat is brought to a rolling boil, then the flour is added in one go until a roux (soft ball) has been formed
    • Paste is cooled, beaten eggs are added, to a heavy dropping consistency
    • In the oven, water turns into steam, and raises the dough
    • The egg protein coagulates to set the structure
  • Pasta:
    • Made from strong wheat flour called Durum wheat - has a high gluten content, labelled 'type 00'
    • Liquid can be olive oil or egg
    • Flour and liquid are mixed then kneaded to develop the gluten
    • Dough should be left to rest
    • Rolled using a machine until thin, then air dried