Banquets and Catering Study Guide

What makes up a salad?

1. Base (leafy greens)

2. Body (main ingredient; gives identity - usually protein)

3. Dressing (sauce and seasoning)

4. Topping (adds visual appeal and flavor)

Garde Manger

• “keeper food to be eaten”

• cool storage (fridge)

• chef/station responsible for preparing cold dishes (salads, hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie, etc:.)

Ratio for vinaigrettes and mayo

3 parts oil to 1 part acid

3:1

Steps of Smoking

1. Selecting the Meat

2. Preparing the Meat

3. Choosing the Wood and Fuel

4. Setting Up the Smoker

5. Smoking the Meat

6. Monitoring the Temperature

7. Resting the Meat

The Purpose of Smoking

Flavor Enhancement – Smoke from wood adds complex, deep flavors to the meat.

1.     Tenderization – Low-and-slow cooking breaks down connective tissues for a tender texture.

2.     Preservation – Historically, smoking helped preserve meat by reducing moisture and inhibiting bacterial growth.

3.     Aesthetic Appeal – Creates a desirable bark (crust) and smoke ring, enhancing presentation.

Smoking requires patience, but the result is a richly flavored, tender dish that highlights the natural qualities of the meat.

Charcutier

makes all the sausage and smoked items

Buffetier

maintains the buffet

Boucher

butchers all meats and poultry except those that are preserved

Poissonnier

responsible for cleaning, prepping, and storing fish and shellfish and creating fish sauces

hors d’oeuvre

creates and prepares all hors d’oeuvres (appetizers)

Canapes vs Hors D’oeuvres

Served as open faced sandwiches (typically cold) vs a general appetizer, like salad boards, or any other items and that may be served hot or cold.

Forcemeat

ground meats that include poultry, fish, shellfish, and sometimes fruits or vegetables

Charcuterie

display of the forcemeats that are smoked, cured, brined, or aged which are made into different shapes and items such as pates, terrines, galantines, and sausages

components of a forcemeat

1. binder

2. seasoning

3. fat

4. nourishing element

Examples of random garnish

• nuts

• vegetables (such as truffles)

• olives

• mushrooms

• herbs

• random/scattered

What can be an inlay?

• Layers of different meats, herbs, or truffles embedded within a terrine for artistic presentation

• intent behind it

Pate

• smooth or coarse forcemeat (french for paste)

• baked, in a mold or in pastry (if in pastry, = pate en croute)

• 325 degrees for 2-3 hours

• use a bain-maire for even cooking (final temp depends on protein)

• served cold, sliced, with bread/pickles

Terrine

• smooth or coarse forcemeat

• baked in a mold, water bath, bain-marie

• 325 degrees for 2-3 hours

• Check internal temp (160-170)

• served cold, sliced, with mustard/garnishes

Galantine

• made from poultry or fish that has been ground and stuffed. Wrapped in its own SKIN.

• stuffed, rolled, and POACHED gently

• 180 degrees for 2-3 hours

• chill after poaching for slicing

• served COLD, sliced with aspic

Aspic

a savory jelly made with meat stock, set in a mold and used to contain pieces of meat, seafood, or eggs

Ballotine

• originally a meat item but can also be made form poultry or fish. Tied with butchers TWINE.

• stuffed, ROASTED, BRAISED, or STEAMED

• 350 degrees for 1-1.5 hours

• Check internal temp (160-180 degrees)

• served HOT OR COLD, sliced

Mousseline

• blended with cream, poached or baked

• 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes

• gentle cooking to retain light texture

• served warm or chilled, with sauce

sausages

• stuffed, poached, then grilled, smoked or dried

• 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes

• poach first, then grill or smoke

• served hot (grilled) or cold (cured)

Roulade

• rolled and roasted, braised, or poached

• 350 degrees for 1 hour

• secure tightly with twine

• served sliced, hot or cold

Quenelles

• poached, made from mousseline

• 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes

• form and chill before cooking

• served hot with sauce

Foie Gras

• a delicacy made from the fatty liver of ducks or geese, typically obtained through a process of force-feeding (gavage) to enlarge the liver and increase its fat content

• available raw, fresh, semi-cooked pasteurized or preserved

How many canapes per person for an event?

8-10 per hour per guest

fats in forcemeats

• gras: fatty with meat

• maigre: lean or low fat

• 25% fat to 75% lean

• contribures: flavor, moisture, and smooth texture

Binders

• hold protein mixture together by giving it more structure

• gives smoother consistency

• increases overall yield

• ex: egg/eggwhites, panada, aspic, gelatin, blood

Panada

• a starch and liquid used to

  • bind

  • tenderize

  • produce

  • add smooth texture

  • add moisture

  • should be neutral in color and flavor

• Five Types

1. **Pain de Mie or Pullman Loaf (bread) - slices of bread soaked in liquid

2. **Flour - flour, cream, and egg whipped together

3. Potato - mashed potatoes

4. Rice - overcooked white rice which is high in sugar and break down easily

5. Frangipane - flour panada with a small amount of egg yolk

**most often used; react the same**

Dry Cure  (salting) - preservation

•Salt is rubbed onto the food product, then the food product is packed in more salt.

•To retard spoilage & inhibit bacterial growth.

• reduces amount of water in food

Example:

•Prosciutto (18 months), can be up to (60 months)

•Gravlax - Scandinavian  for salmon, salted and sugared, to counteract the salt, a technique the Vikings used

•Salt has played a pivotal role in Human Civilization. Romans for example, were paid with salt, not with coins, which proved a way for survival.

Wet Cures - preservation

• Wet cures (brines) A wet cure, or brine, is a dry cure dissolved in water. Brines usually contain sea salt, a sweetener, spices, and herbs.

• After brining, rinse the food product, and either cook by boiling, poaching, or baking, or allow the item to mature by drying or smoking.

Pickling - preservation

• Pickling is food that has been preserved in a seasoned brine of vinegar mixture.

smoking - NOT preservation (alone)

• Smoking alone is not enough to preserve food. Pretreat products to be smoked with a dry cure or brine. Curing will ensure a longer shelf life. (Curing is not necessary for certain processed food products, such as cheese.)

Air Drying - preservation (w/careful monitoring)

• may be an important step before and after smoking. It may also replace smoking as a stage in preserving food items. Certain foods take weeks or months to air-dry. Careful monitoring of temperature and humidity is essential to successful and safe air-drying. Mechanical drying, an alternative to natural air drying, offers more precise temperature and humidity control. This is common for fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, figs and tomatoes.

Freezing - preservation

• slows the growth of miccroorganisms and enzymatic activities

• keeps food safe, extends shelf life, and helps maintain nutritional value and flavor

canning - preservation

• uses heat to process food in airtight containers, killing microorganism and preventing spoilage

fermentation - preservation

• relies on microorganisms like bacteria and yeast to convert carbs into acids, gases, or alcohol, which inhibit the growth of spoilage organisms and extend products shelf life

• beer, wine, sauerkraut, kimchi, cheese

sugaring - preservation

• high concentration of sugar draws water out of microbial cells (osmosis), which dehydrates and kills them. inhospitable for microorganisms to spoil food, extends shelf life for foods like fruits, preserves or candied items

BEO

• banquet event order

• outlines the specifics of an event

• master plan/contract between the client and the venue

• serves as a communication tool to all departments involved in event (kitchen, service staff, set up crew)

• operation guideline (checklist and timeline for staff)

• legal/contractural record (binding agreement for what is being delivered and billed

• should include:

  • event details

  • client info

  • schedule/timeline

  • room setup

  • menu/food and beverage

  • audio-visual requirements

  • staffing

  • additional services (valet, coat check)

  • pricing and billing

  • special notes and instructions

  • approvals (signatures, dates)

Foie Gras Preparation Techniques

• Bring the lobes to room temp to make more pliable

• separate the two lobes

• take the large, Y-shaped vein system using fingers, paper towel or spoon

• put in marinade and fridge

• SERVING:

  • Searing

  • Roasting

  • In a terrine or mousse