1. Soups, Salads, & Casseroles

2. Soups

3. Base Liquids
Broth: flavorful liquid made by simmering meat, poultry, fish, animal bones, or vegetables in water
Stock: similar to broth, but is made with vegetables and sometime with animal bones but not meat

4. Tips for Preparing a Stock
Rich and flavorful- cook low heat for long time
Increase surface area by cutting pieces small
Cracking the bones
Brown stock – begin by browning meat (beef)
Light stock – use un-browned meat (chicken)
Cold water – cook slowly for several hours at a simmer

5. Preparing Stock Cut meat and vegetables to be used Brown meat
In a large pot place ingredients in and cover with water
Cover with tightly fitted lid and simmer for several hours
Skim off any foam
Remove fat from surface
Stain to separate the solid materials from the broth
Clarify the stock
Stock strained to remove an egg, solid materials, and eggshell
Reduce the volume by further cooking

6. Preparing bouillon and consommé
Bouillon: beef or chicken stock
Consommé clear: rich-flavored soup made from stock
Clarify – strained stock by adding a slightly beaten egg white and few pieces of egg shell to boiling broth
Traps solid material into the egg then strain stock

7. Thickening Methods
Reduction: process of simmering an uncovered mixture until some of the liquid evaporates
Legumes and vegetables
Thicken in the same way that grains
Examples: beans, split peas
Less starch vegetables will add more color and flavor – mash or puree them
Examples: broccoli, squash, and carrots
Eggs
Less effective than starch at thicken liquids, but they add richness and flavor

8. Thickening Methods cont.
Grains products
Prepared grain products
Thicken by absorbing water and releasing starch as they cook
Examples: rice, barley, and oats
Flour and cornstarch
Flour - all-purpose flour works best because it has more starch than other types
Cornstarch: white powder of pure starch made from the endosperm of the corn kernel
Twice the thickening power of flour

9. Thickening Methods cont.
Grains products cont.
Flour and cornstarch cont.
Avoid lumps
Mix starch and cold water
1 part cornstarch and 2 parts water
Called slurry
Pour slowly and stir
Simmer and stir
Simmer for several minute to get rid of the raw flour taste
Gelatinization: chemical process that takes place as starch thickens liquid

10. Thickening Methods cont.
Grains products cont.
Making a Roux
Roux: mixture of equal amounts of flour and fat
Butter, margarine, or fat drippings
Add flour until the mixture thickens
Keep stirring until the fat coasts the starch granule and a smooth paste forms
Cook and stir the roux into the liquid that you want to thicken
Stirring constantly, continue to cook it over low heat until the mixture is smooth and thick

11. Kinds of soups Clear soups Cream soup
Soup: dish made by cooking solid foods in liquid
Clear soups
Rich-flavored broth in which meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and seasonings have been cooked
Consommé: clarified broth, completely strained of all particles and sediments
Cream soup
Milk instead of stock
Bisque: is a rich cream soup that uses shellfish as the base
Usually made with starchy foods

12. Kinds of soups cont. Chunky soups Fruit soups
Chowder – made with fish, meat, or vegetables and thickened with potatoes or cream
Minestrone – hearty Italian soups made with vegetables, beans, and pasta and topped with grated Parmesan cheese
Fruit soups
Fruits are pureed and flavored with spices and grated peels

13. Microwaving soups
Stock is best when cooked slow – not good for microwaving
Great for re-heating
Cover container with lid to prevent spills

14. Salads

15. Salad
Salad: mixture of raw or cooked vegetable and other read-to-eat foods, usually served with a dressing
Appetizers
Entrees
Side dishes
Desserts
Sweet or savory
Something from all food groups

16. Kinds of salads
Protein salad - small pieces of protein food combined with a dressing
Protein needs to be main ingredient
Examples – egg salad, chicken salad

17. Kinds of salads cont.
Pasta salad - cooked pasta, vegetables, possibly a protein food, and a dressing
Examples – macaroni salad, pizza salad

18. Kinds of salads cont. Vegetable salad - salad greens raw/cold/cooked
Examples – coleslaw, potato salad, Caesar, & tossed salad
Tossed salad: when greens, chopped or sliced vegetables and dressing are mixed together – mixing different kinds of greens

19. Kinds of salads cont.
Fruit salad - canned, frozen, or fresh fruit served on a bed of greens or in a hallowed fruit shell
Examples – ambrosia, waldrof

20. Kinds of salad cont.
Gelatin salad - commercial fruit-flavored gelatin or mix fruit and vegetable juices with unflavored gelatin
Molded

21. Kinds of salads cont.
Combination salad – puts together several different foods
Leftovers are great for this type
Examples – chicken Cesar salad

22. Salad Greens Selecting greens Cleaning greens
Color is key to nutrition
Darker the green = more vitamin A
Avoid
Brown spotting called rust
Spoilage
Cleaning greens
Most greens
Pull leaves away from brunch
Rinse in cold water
Restore: soak leaves for 10 minutes to rehydrate the cells
Pat them dry
Iceberg - see notes under cooking tips at the end of the packet

23. Salad Greens cont. Storing greens
Thoroughly remove all liquids, otherwise the leaves will wilt faster
Salad spinner
Store in air tight container or plastic bag

24. Preparing salad ingredients
Preserve freshness
Trim all bruises and inedible portions on fresh salad ingredients
Wash all fresh ingredients - avoid soaking
Lose water soluble vitamins
Cause wilting
Pieces should be bite-size
Leafy greens need to tear
Apples, peaches, bananas with lemon juice
Enzymatic browning
Drain excess liquid
Vary shapes and sized - will add interest

25. Preparing salad dressing
Salad dressing: seasoned mixture, often consisting of oil and vinegar, used to flavor a salad
Acts as a binder, holding the salad together
Emulsions - combination of 2 liquids that ordinarily will not stay mixed - oil and vinegar
Temporary emulsion: must shake or stir before every use
Permanent emulsion: will not separate

26. Kinds of salad dressings
Vinaigrette: mixture of oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and seasoning
Also called French dressing
3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar
Whisk together
Mayonnaise - vinegar/lemon juice, oil, seasoning, and egg yolk
Emulsifying agent - egg yolk, surrounds the droplets of oil and keep them suspended in the liquid
Some recipes call for cooking or tempering the egg mixture

27. Preparing salad dressing cont.
Cooked salad dressing - looks like mayonnaise, thicken it with a starch
Cooking fat and water with starch paste, which serves as an emulsifier
Commercially called salad dressing
Dairy dressing: made with buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese and seasoning
Ranch dressing

28. Assembling a salad Close to serving time
Base - foundation on which you place the main salad ingredients
Contrast color
Eye appealing
Salad greens
Body - main part, on top of base

29. Assembling a salad cont.
Dressing - sauce served on or with a salad to add flavor
Pour over just before serving
Avoid too much
Some may need to be added several hours before to combine and mellow the flavors
Garnish - add eye appeal, simple
Croutons: small pieces of bread made crisp by baking at a low temp

30. When assembly look out for over doing the dressing.

31. Styles of assembling a salad
Tossed salad – mixture of greens and dressing, often mixed with other vegetables
Arranged salad – salad ingredients placed in an attractive pattern

32. Styles of assembling a salad cont.
Layered salad – similar to arranged salad, except that ingredients are place in layers one on top of the other, rather than in a flat pattern on the plate
Bound salad – held together tightly by a thick usually creamy dressing

33. Molding a Salad Dissolve the gelatin Add extra ingredients
Fruit, vegetables, and nuts
Pour into mold
Lightly oil or rinse with cold water – help from sticking
Chill
Refrigerate until it is set – several hours
Remove from the mold
Dip mold into warm water (not hot) for 10 seconds
Invert onto a plate for serving

34. Casseroles

35. Casseroles
Casseroles: flavorful combination of precooked or quick-cooking food sin one-dish meal
Quick and easy to prepare
Can make one dish to feed the whole family

36. Casserole ingredients
Protein food - meat, cheese, egg
Vegetables - Canned, frozen, or cooked vegetables
Starch - potatoes, rice, and pasta, casserole filling
Binder - condensed soup, cheese sauce, white sauce
Binder: liquid that helps hold a mixture together
Seasonings – help add flavor
Toppings - crumbs, cheese, or chopped nuts
Can help from drying out

37. Putting it together
For starters- pick one item out of each group, little seasonings
Grease the bottom of the dish
Aluminum foil can stop the top from browning too quickly
But can also prevent it from fully cooking in the middle, so read the recipe
Can be made on the stove top – may have to be stirred more often

38. Casserole Tips Watch for fat or sodium content
Any precooking can help speed up the baking process
Cut meat into bite size pieces – cook faster
Many casseroles and be prepared the day before and made the following day
Many will freeze well

39. Microwaving casseroles
Cooking, reheating, and defrosting
Do not cook with the toppings on – it will just get soggy
Precooked ingredients

40. Herbs & Spices

41. Herbs and Spices
Herbs – leaves of plants usually grown in temperate climates
Basil, bay leaf, mint
Fresh or dried
Spices – dried roots, stems, and seeds of plants grown mainly in the tropics
Cinnamon, allspice, pepper
Whole or ground form
Blend – combination of ground herbs and spices
Poultry seasoning

42. Herbs Pictures

43. Herbs used for Food Prep

44. Spices

45. Spices…Spices&Herbs

46. Using herbs and spices Fresh – great for garnishes
Dried – concentrated flavor
Use 1/3 of the fresh amount
Always use dried unless recipe calls for fresh
Ground spices release flavor immediately so add them at the end
Bouquet garni – cheese cloth bag with whole spices and herbs in it, can be easily removed
Often used in soups

47. Storing herbs and spices
Cool dry place away from light
Buy in small amounts
Will keep their flavor and aroma for about a year when properly stored
Whole spices will last longer
Test – rub a small amount between your hands to see if they smell strong or not

48. Gourmet cooking
Gourmets – people who enjoy being able to distinguish the complex combinations of flavors that make up foods
Gourmet food – food that is expertly seasoned
Takes time to know what goes together
When learning they start with small amounts
Eating just spices until they understand what parts of the mouth is awakened by the flavor

49. Cooking Tips

50. Ground hamburger Thaw in the microwave using defrost button
Do not put frozen hamburger into the pan to cook
You will burn parts while some is still frozen
When the hamburger is all cooked you will need to drain off all excess grease
Do not drain this down the sink – it will harden and clog the sink
You can use a colander/strainer over the top of a can and allow the grease to harden and then place in the garbage - messy
You can use a paper towel to soak up the grease while it is still in the pan
Tilt the pan to one side to allow all of the grease to run to one side then place the paper towel in the pan to soak up the grease
Toss the paper towels into the garbage can
You can stir the paper towel around in the meat as well

51. Bacon
Bacon can be difficult to cut with a knife so it is easier to cut the bacon with scissors
If the bacon needs to be in small pieces for the recipe – it will be easier to cook it in small pieces to begin with
Cut bacon into 1 inch strips and place it all into the big pot and cook it all at one time
Bacon grease needs to be placed into a can to cool and harden before being placed into the garbage can
Cook on medium to high heat
Always have one person that is watching the bacon – it can burn easy

52. Chicken Thaw in the microwave using defrost button
Always cut chicken into bite size pieces before cooking – this will speed up the cooking process
Chicken is easy to cut while it is somewhat frozen
To check the chicken to see if it is done, cut open one of the larger pieces and check to see if it is still pink
Usually people prefer the chick to have a small amount of brownness to the outside of the chicken

53. Garlic
There is a small piece of skin on the outside of the garlic clove
Easiest way to remove this is by laying the garlic on the cutting board and placing a large knife on it side on top of the garlic and hitting the knife with the heal of your hand
This will break off the outside skins and you will be able to pick it off in just a couple of pieces
Always mince your garlic – no one wants to bite into a large piece of garlic

54. Lettuce Cleaning a head of lettuce
Hit the bottom of the head of lettuce on the counter top – this will loosen the stem of the lettuce
With your hands pull out the stem
Run cold water into the whole in the lettuce for about 30 seconds
Hold the head of lettuce upside down over the sink allowing all of the water to run out
May need to squeeze the lettuce to help get all of the water out

55. Lettuce cont. Cutting a head of lettuce
Place on the cutting board and try and cut the lettuce into about ½ inch strips
Once all cut then cut in the opposite direction into about ½ inch sections again
Prevent enzymatic browning, tear green or cut with plastic lettuce knife rather than metal knife
Place into the bowl, the lettuce might still be wet
Use a salad spinner if available
If no salad spinner then you may want to use paper towels to tray and soak up some of the liquid so the salad is not runny or soggy

56. Cooked Pasta
Run cold water over top of cooked pasta to stop the cooking process and cool off the noodles
Toss the noodles around in the cold water
If you over cook the noodles they will be come mushy