1. Food Preparation Skills

• 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