Section D: Skills requirements

Preparation and cooking techniques

What are the 6 different types of knives?

Cook’s knife, filleting, palette, serrated edge carving knives, table knife and vegetable knife

What is a cook’s knife used for?

Cutting food, e.g. meat

What is a filleting knife used for?

They have a flexible blade so it is easier to remove the flesh from the bones of fish and meat

What is a palette knife used for?

Lifting foods from trays, turning food over and mixing liquid into mixtures, such as for pastry and scones

What is a serrated edge carving knife used for?

Used for slicing foods, e.g. bread

What is a table knife used for?

Spreading ingredients, e.g. butter and mixing liquid into dry mixtures

What is a vegetable knife used for?

Cutting, slicing and shredding vegetables and fruit

What is a corer?

Used to remove the core from fruit e.g. apples

What is a food processor?

Come with a range of blades which allow you to grate, slide, purée and mix. Food processors can sometimes prepare foods more quickly than doing it by hand

What do you cut on a red cutting boarding?

Raw meat

What do you cut on a blue cutting board?

Raw fish

What do you cut on a yellow cutting board?

Cooked meat

What do you cut on a brown cutting board?

Vegetables

What do you cut on a green cutting board?

Salad/fruit

How do you portion a chicken?

1. Use a cook’s knife and work on a red chopping board

2. Remove the wings

3. Remove the legs and thigh from the carcass

4. Remove the feet from the end of the leg

5. Cut between the thigh and the leg join to separate the thigh and leg

6. Remove the breast by cutting away from the main carcass

7. Cut the wing away from the breast

How do you fillet a chicken breast?

1. Use a filleting knife

2. Carefully remove the chicken flesh away from the chicken carcass - keep the knife blade as close to the carcass as possible

How do you fillet a fish?

1. On a blue board

2. Remove the head and fins

3. Start at the head and cut down the spine of the fish - lift the fillet as you work down the fish

4. Turn the fish over and remove the second fillet

5. Trim the fish and remove any bones

How do you slice other protein alternatives?

Tofu and halloumi, these foods are often sliced or cut into small pieces

What should be used when peeling fruits and vegetables and why?

A potato peeler, to reduce food waste

What should you do when cutting fruits and vegetables

The bridge hold and claw grip

When fruits and vegetables are being cooked, what should you ensure?

That they should be cut into same-size pieces so that they cook evenly

What does marinating meat, meat alternatives, fish and vegetables do?

1. Add additional flavour

2. Marinating in acid (vinegar or lemon juice) denatures the proteins in the foods, changing the structure, therefore tenderizing it

3. Adds moisture

What are high-risk foods?

Foods that must be stored, handled and cooked correctly so that they are safe to eat, e.g. meat and fish. They also contain proteins and are moist

What techniques could you use for meat?

1. Rolling

2. Putting on a skewer

3. Coat e.g. with breadcrumbs

4. Shaping it e.g. meatballs

How can you prepare meat and fish in a way that prevents cross-contamination and handling high-risk foods correctly?

1. Wash your hands before and after touching

2. Keep separate from other foods

3. Store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge

4. Store at temperatures below 5C

5. Clean surfaces and equipment thoroughly after preparing meat and fish

How can you check if meat is cooked?

1. Use a food probe or meat thermometer

2. Food probe should be inserted into the centre of the food to a depth of about 2 centimeters

3. If the temperature is at 75C or over, the meat is cooked

   Make sure you clean the probe throughly after each use

How do you choose fresh fish?

1. It should have a sea-fresh smell

2. The flesh of the fish should be moist and firm

3. The scales on the fish should be shiny

What is the additional step needed when preparing fish compared to meat?

Fish should be wrapped so that the smell does not pass to other foods

What is enzymic browning?

When fruits and vegetables go brown when peeled and cut

Give examples of fruits and vegetables affected by enzymic browning

Apples, pears and potatoes

How can enzymic browning be reduced?

1. Blanching vegetables in boiling water

2. Dipping fruit into lemon juice

3. Cooking the foods as soon as they have been prepared

How do you prepare fruits and vegetables?

1. Wash to remove dirt

2. Remove any blemishes or outer leaves

3. Peel if necessary

Why do you not need to peel the skin of fruits or vegetables sometimes?

1. Many fruits can be eaten with their skin on

2. Peeling them will reduce the nutrient content, as many of the nutrients are stored just below the surface of the skin

Why do you prepare vegetables just before cooking them?

To prevent loss of vitamins

Why should you not soak vegetables in water?

Result in loss of water-soluble vitamins (Vitamins B and C)

What equipment is used to blend foods, the uses for fruits and vegetables and why is it used when preparing other ingredients ?

1. Electric hand blender

2. To blend ingredients for a soup

3. Removes lumps for a sauce and can be used to make smoothies

What equipment is used to crush foods and the uses for fruits and vegetables?

1. Garlic crusher

2. Used to crush garlic or the back of a knife can be used

What equipment is used to grate foods, it uses for fruits and vegetables and other ingredients

1. Box grater

2. Used to remove rind from citrus fruits and grate fruits and vegetables

3. To grate other products such as cheese

What equipment is used to juice foods and how is it used for fruits and vegetables?

1. Lemon squeezer

2. Remove juice from citrus fruit

What equipment is used to mash foods and its uses for fruits and vegetables?

1. Potato masher

2. To achieve smooth mashed potatoes or other vegetables

What equipment is used to peel vegetables and uses for fruits and vegetables?

1. Vegetable peeler

2. Peeling vegetables and fruit

What equipment is used to pipe foods and how is it used for vegetables and fruits?

1. Piping bag and nozzle

2. Piping potatoes

3. Piping cream and icing

What equipment is used to scissor-snip and its uses?

1. Scissors

2. Used to snip herbs

3. Can also be used to remove rind from bacon and gills from fish

What equipment can be used to scoop food and its uses?

1. Ice cream scoop

2. Scooping ice cream

What are the moist methods of cooking?

Boiling, simmering, poaching, blanching and steaming

What are the advantages of boiling?

1. Quick method of cooking

2. Food is not likely to burn

3. Simple method of cooking

What are the disadvantages of boiling?

1. Food may disintegrate

2. Some flavour is lost (applies for simmering too)

3. Water-soluble vitamins may be lost (applies for simmering and poaching)

What are the advantages of simmering?

Used for foods which require gentler treatment than boiling

What are the advantages of poaching?

These foods do not need a long cooking time

What is blanching?

Food is cooked and is then cooled quickly to stop the cooking process

What are the advantages of blanching?

Stops enzymic action in vegetables to be frozen

What are the disadvantages of blanching?

Not all foods can be successfully blanched

What are the advantages of steaming?

1. Food cooked is usually light in texture and therefore easy to digest

2. Different foods can be cooked in the different tiers of a steamer

What are the disadvantages of steaming?

1. Depending on the product being cooked, it can take a long time

2. Care with timings must be taken so that delicate foods are not overcooked

What are the different ways steaming can be carried out?

1. Plate method

2. Saucepan method

3. Tiered steamer

4. Electric steamer

What are the dry methods of cooking using the oven?

Baking and roasting

What is baking?

1. Mainly uses dry heat

2. The temperature used varies depending on the type of food being cooked

3. Moisture may be added to help develop certain textures in a food

What is roasting?

A small amount of fat is also used to prevent the food from drying out and to develop the flavour

What are moist methods of cooking using the oven?

Braising and casserole

What is braising?

1. Used to cook meat and some vegetables

2. The food is browned in a small amount of fat and then put in a container with some liquid and covered with a lid

What is a casserole?

The casserole is cooked in a container with a tight-fitting lid, so the liquid does not evaporate

What are the 3 dry heat cooking methods?

Frying, grilling and microwaving

What are the 3 types of frying?

Dry frying - no fat is added

Shallow frying - fat comes halfway up the food

Stir frying - very little fat is used

What are the advantages of frying?

1. Quick method of cooking food

2. Food is usually attractive in colour

3. Soluble vitamins are not lost

What are the disadvantages of frying?

1. Fried food is more difficult to digest

2. Heat sensitive vitamins are destroyed

3. As we are encouraged to eat less fat - this doesn’t support it

What are the advantages of grilling?

1. Quick method of cooking food

2. It is possible to trim excess fat off some meats before grilling

3. Reduces the amount of fat in some foods e.g. sausages

What are the disadvantages of grilling?

1. Not suitable for tough cuts of meat

2. Careful timing of cooking is needed so that foods are not overcooked or undercooked

How does the microwaving method of cooking work?

Microwaves ovens work by microwaves penetrating into the food and causing the molecules in the food to vibrate. The molecules vibrate against each other and this causes friction, which produces heat

What are the advantages of microwaving?

1. Food is cooked very quickly

2. Useful for people who have busy lifestyles

3. The bright color of vegetables is retained

4. Useful for defrosting frozen foods

5. Less destruction of heat-sensitive vitamins

6. Less loss of water-soluble vitamins

What are the disadvantages of microwaving?

1. Food can easily be overcooked

2. Flavors may not develop in the food

3. Color of the food may be pale if it is cooked in a standard microwave

What starches are often used to thicken sauces?

Flour, cornflour and arrowroot

What determines the thickness of the sauce?

The ratio of starch to liquid

What are the types of sauces?

1. Pouring - pours freely (e.g. custard)

2. Coating - coats the back of a spoon (e.g. cauliflower cheese)

3. Binding - very thick sauce that can bind ingredients (e.g fishcakes)

What is a roux sauce?

1. Traditional method of making a sauce

2. Fat is melted and the flour is stirred in and cooked on a medium heat

3. Liquid is added gradually

4. The sauce is returned to the heat and brought back to the boil, stirring all the time

What is a blended sauce?

1. Often used for cornflour and arrowroot sauces

2. A little of the liquid is blended with the cornflour

3. The remaining liquid is heated

4. The hot liquid is poured onto the cornflour mixture, stirring carefully

5. The sauce is returned to the pan and brought back to the boil, stirring all the time

What is a all-in-one sauce?

1. Quickest method of making a sauce

2. All the ingredients are placed in the pan and brought to the boil

3. Stirring or whisking is required all the time to prevent the sauce from going lumpy

What is a bechamel sauce?

1. Milk is heated with onion, peppercorns and bay leaf, then left to cool so the flavors develop

2. Sauce is then made using the roux method

What are infused sauces?

The liquid is infused with a flavorings, e.g. herbs or vegetables before it is made into a sauce

What is a velouté?

1. Made from chicken or fish stock and cream

2. Thickened with either butter or flour

Why might a roux sauce be lumpy?

1. Fat too hot when the flour was added

2. The roux was not cooked enough

3. Liquid added too quickly and not stirred sufficiently

4. Not stirred during cooking

Why might a blended sauce be lumpy?

1. Cornflour and liquid not blended sufficiently

2. Not stirred during cooking (applies for all-in-one sauces too)

What are the other faults in sauce making and why has this happened?

Raw flavour - not cooked for long enough

Too thick or thin - incorrect weighing and measuring of ingredients

Greasy - too much fat added

What are some examples of reduction sauces?

Gravy, pasta, curry and meat sauces

How is a reduction sauce made?

1. Ingredients are sweated in fat and liquid is added and cooked until the ingredients are soft

2. Flavour develops through the cooking process

3. Some of the liquid evaporates during cooking. This causes thickening and the flavour to intensify

4. Sometimes a sauce is then blended to make it smooth

How do you make emulsion sauces?

1. When making mayonnaise and hollandaise sauces it is the egg yolk which stabilizes the mixture and prevents it separating

2. Lecithin in the egg yolk acts as an emulsifier

3. The emulsifier atttracts water and oil to each other so they do not separate

Why do salad dressings separate quickly?

They don’t contain egg yolk or an emulsifier, therefore they are not stable and will separate quickly

How do you make mayonnaise?

1. Egg yolk, lemon juice, salt and mustard are mixed together

2. Oil is very gradually whisked in - if done too quickly the mayonnaise will split

How do you make hollandaise?

1. Peppercorns are cooked in vinegar until it has reduced

2. Cold water and the egg yolks are added and the mixture is whisked till thickened over a pan of water

3. Melted butter is then gradually whisked in and the mixture seasoned

What is the process called where starch sets a mixture?

Gelatinisation

What is often used as the thickening agent when using starch to set a mixture?

Cornflour

Example of dishes that go through gelatinisation

Custard or cheesecake

What else is used to set a mixture?

An egg custard mixture is used to set a variety of sweet and savory products

What do you have to ensure when using eggs to set a mixture?

You must be careful not to use too high a temperature, as the egg will easily overcook and you can be left with scrambled eggs

What is the main protein in egg that sets the mixture?

Albumin

What temp does egg white and yolk start to coagulate?

Egg white at 60C and egg yolk at 70C

What savory dishes is egg custard used in?

Quiches, tarts and savoury bread

What sweet dishes is egg custard used in?

Baked egg custard, bread and butter pudding

What does the term colloidal structure mean?

What is formed when at least 2 ingredients are mixed together

How are eggs used as a raising agent?

When eggs are whisked they trap air

What is an example of a chemical raising agent?

Self-raising flour contains baking powder (chemical agents). It can both be added to plain flour or other mixtures to produce carbon dioxide when liquid is added