Chapter 7 Mise en Place

Mise en Place The French term, mise en place literally means “to put in place” or “everything in its place” In culinary context, it refers to elementary preparation steps of food preparation. This means gathering and prepping the ingredients to be cooked and assembling the tools and equipment necessary to cook them.

Mise en Place A simple but extremely important concept: A chef should have everything he or she needs to prepare and serve in an organized and efficient manner at the beginning of the process or meal period ginning

Planning and Organizing Production Selecting Tools and Equipment All equipment should be clean and sanitary Knives should be sharpened Measuring devices checked for safety Assembling ingredients Wash, trim, cut, and prepare raw materials Ovens and cooking surfaces preheated, if necessary

The Solution Break each menu item down into stages of production Determine which stages may be done in advance Determine which way to hold each item after pre-preparation Determine how long it takes to prepare each stage of the recipe Check recipe to see if there is a more efficient way to prepare the item

Adapting Preparation to Style of Service Mise en Place depends in large part on the style of meal service. 1. Do the customers come at one time? School , industry, and banquets If so then you have to watch quality to avoid deterioration Could there be leftovers - plan for utilization 2. Do customer come over an extended time period? Restaurants, short-order counters 3. Extended meal service

Preparing Ingredients Some ingredients that are used frequently should be stored throughout the kitchen and accessible to everyone, when needed. Consider these tasks as part of Mise en Place: Clarifying butter Toasting nuts and spices Making bread crumbs Bouquet garni and sachet bag Marinades Rubs and Pastes Blanching foods

Using the Knife Knife Safety – Extremely important Use the correct knife for the appropriate task Always cut away from yourself Always use a cutting board. Do not cut on glass, marble, or metal Keep your knives sharp Always carry a knife with the point down Never try to catch a falling knife Never leave a knife in a sink

Knife Sharpening Gripping Your knife: A whetstone is used to keep put a an edge on a knife. The knife is held at a 20-degree angle on the whetstone A steel does not sharpen a knife, it is used to keep the edge sharp on a knife Gripping Your knife: Make sure your grip is comfortable, remember you have to use a knife extensively, so a firm, comfortable grip is essential

Basic Cuts and Shapes Chiffonade Rondelles or rounds Paysanne finely sliced or shredded Rondelles or rounds Disk-shaped slices Paysanne 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch x 1/8 inch

Basic Cuts and Shapes (cont’d) Fine Julienne 1/16 inch x 1/16 inch x 2 inches Julienne 1/8 inch x 1/8 inch x 2 inches Batonnet 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch x 2 1/2 - 3 inches

Basic Cuts and Shapes (cont’d) Fine Brunoise 1/16 inch x 1/16 inch x 1/16 inch Brunoise 1/8 inch x 1/8 inch x 1/8 inch Small dice 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch Medium dice 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch Large dice 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch

Basic Cuts and Shapes (cont’d) Tourner- In French, it means “to turn”, a cutting technique that produces a 2-inch long x ¾ inch diameter long football shape with 7 equal sides Parisiennes - With a melon ball cutter that allows you to cut fruits or vegetable in uniform spheres or balls A Mandoline - A mechanical cutting tool

The Skill of the Knife Although many slicing and dicing machines are available, none can match the skill of a chef with a sharp knife. Possessing good knife skills is an essential part of becoming a chef.

Preliminary Cooking and Flavoring Blanching To increase holding qualities To save time To remove undesired flavors To enable the product to be processed further Marinating Flavor the product Tenderize the product Control bacteria growth

Marinades have three categories of ingredients Oil Acid from vinegar, lemon juice, wine Flavoring - spices, herbs, vegetables

Kinds of Marinades Cooked Raw Instant Dry

Preparation for Frying Breading The standard Flour Egg wash Crumbs Standard breading procedure Bread Crumbs Finished Breaded Product Flour Egg wash Product to be breaded

Handling Convenience Foods Any product that has been partially or fully prepared by the manufacturer Remember convenience foods are not a substitute for well prepared foods They provide a way to extend menu offerings with out increasing labor You should make sure they are the quality you want for your customer base.

Guidelines for Handling Convenience Foods Handle the same way you would fresh, raw ingredients Examine as soon as received Store properly Know the shelf life of the product Defrost the foods properly Know how and to what extent the product has been prepared Use proper cooking methods Treat the foods as though you did the preparation