Friday, April 1, 2011

How tO MaKe MuShRooM SouP ? ? ?

MUSHROOM SOUP . . .

Image:Mushroom soup 2809.jpg


Mushroom soup is easy and quick to make. If you're too lazy you can buy a tin of instant mushroom soup but homemade mushroom soup is always nicer. This recipe will serve 2-3 people.



Ingredients

  • 20 mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 3 tablespoons of flour
  • Some herbs (parsley, chives, mint, sage, etc.)
  • Oil

 Steps

  1. Slice the mushrooms.
  2. Chop up the onion into small pieces.
  3. Chop up herbs.
  4. Pour about a teaspoon oil into a big pot or pan.
  5. Sauté. the mushrooms and the onion until the onion has become translucent and the mushrooms have shrunk and darkened
  6. Mix the milk and the flour together until they are well mixed (the mixture should not be lumpy).
  7. Pour the milk and flour mixture into the big pot or pan.
  8. Stir the soup until it thickens.
  9. Add salt and pepper to taste as mushroom soup can sometimes be quite bland.
  10. Serve the soup into bowls and sprinkle with herbs.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Moist Banana Bread Recipe

Easy Banana Bread Recipe - Quick Bread Recipes - How to Make Banana Bread 


This moist banana bread recipe helps put overripe bananas, that would otherwise be destined for the garbage, to good use, making it a great recipe for anyone who likes to be frugal. The key to good quick breads is not overmixing the batter. Once the liquid ingredients are added to the dry, mix the batter by hand just until the flour is moistened, for no more than about ten seconds. Too much mixing can cause the final product to be dry, tough or misshapen. For a slightly more decadent banana bread recipe, try this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 large, very ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup butter or shortening
Preparation:
  1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  2. Spread the walnuts out on a flat baking pan or sheet pan and roast them in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Midway through, toss them around on the pan so that the tops and bottoms brown evenly. When they're done, remove the pan from the oven and then remove the toasted nuts from the hot pan and set them aside to cool.
  3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon. IMPORTANT: Make sure the walnuts are thoroughly cooled before adding them to the dry ingredients, as the heat would activate the baking powder too early.
  4. Unwrap the butter and heat it in the microwave, in a microwave-safe bowl, for about a minute, until it's thoroughly melted. Set it aside at room temperature to cool, but don't let it solidify again.
  5. Peel the bananas. Using a potato masher, mash the bananas in a separate mixing bowl.
  6. Add the vanilla extract to the mashed bananas.
  7. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then add the beaten egg to the banana-vanilla mixture.
  8. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9" × 5" × 3" baking pan (or use a nonstick baking pan or a flexible silicone pan).
  9. Pour a tiny bit of the melted butter into the egg-banana-vanilla mixture and stir it in. Repeat 3-4 more times, adding a slightly larger amount of the liquid butter each time until it is all incorporated. IMPORTANT: Don't add hot melted butter to the egg-banana mixture as the heat from the butter would cook the egg, and that's not what you want to do!
  10. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix no more than ten seconds. The batter will be visibly lumpy. That's OK! It's extremely important not to overmix the batter, or the resulting bread will be too hard.
  11. Once the liquid and dry ingredients have been combined, gently pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake immediately. TIP: The dry and wet ingredients, respectively, can be mixed in advance, but as soon as the wet and dry ingredients have been combined with each other, the liquid will activate the baking powder and the batter must be baked right away.
  12. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and the edge of the bread starts to separate from the pan.
  13. Once the pan is cool enough to touch, carefully invert the pan — the loaf should drop right out, so make sure you support it with your other hand. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack at room temperature.
Makes one 9" × 5" × 3" loaf. For a real treat, serve this banana bread drizzled with a delicious vanilla custard sauce called crème anglaise.
 

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

How tO MaKe eSpAGnOLe sAuCes ? ? ?

 

Espagnole (Brown) Sauce

Ingredients
  • ¾ pint (420 ml) of brown meat stock
  • 1 oz (30 g) of butter
  • 1 oz (30 g) chopped streaky bacon
  • 1 chopped carrot
  • 1 chopped shallot
  • 4 tbsp of chopped mushrooms
  • 3 tbsp of flour
  • 2 tbsp of tomato purée
  • 1 bouquet garni
  • salt and pepper
Method
  1. Place the butter in a large saucepan and heat gently until it melts.
  2. Add the chopped bacon and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the chopped vegetables and continue to gently fry all the ingredients until the vegetables have softened.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour.
  5. Return the pan to the heat and cook the flour mixture (roux) until it turns a dark brown colour. Do not allow it to burn.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the meat stock a little at a time.
  7. Continue to stir the sauce continuously until it thickens and then add the tomato purée, the bouquet garni and season with salt and pepper.
  8. Reduce the heat and simmer very gently for about an hour.
  9. Skim the top of the sauce from time to time.
  10. When the sauce is ready, you should have a thick brown strong-tasting sauce. Strain the sauce into a new pan through a sieve so that only the liquid passes through.
  11. Serve as you wish or freeze the sauce in individual batches for later use.
sourCes : http://www.helpwithcooking.com/sauces/espagnole-sauce.html

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

How tO MaKe VeLouTe sAuCes ? ? ?



Ingredients
  • 2 cups of chicken (fish or veal stock)
  • 4 tbsp of flour
  • 4 tbsp of butter
  • salt and pepper
Method
  1. In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter.
  2. Remove the pan from the stove and quickly stir in the flour.
  3. Return the pan to the heat and cook the paste mixture, stirring frequently until it turns pale and straw-like in colour. This should take several minutes.
  4. Take the pan off the heat again and whisk or stir in half of the stock. Make sure that the paste has dissolved and a liquid has formed without any lumps.
  5. Return the pan to the heat and stir in the remaining stock. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
  6. Reduce the heat but continue to simmer the sauce for about 25 minutes, stirring from time to time and skimming off any skin that forms on the top.
  7. Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, season with salt and pepper and strain the sauce through a sieve.
  8. Serve warm with your prepared dish.

sources : http://www.helpwithcooking.com/sauces/veloute-sauce.html

How tO MaKe hOlLaNdaiSe sAuCe ? ? ?

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 8: Serve Hollandaise Sauce Right Away

 

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce

Here's what you'll need for this Hollandaise sauce recipe:
  • 1 cup clarified butter (about 2½ sticks before clarifying). The butter should be warm but not hot.
  • 4 egg yolks (see tutorial on how to separate eggs).
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice (the juice from 1 small lemon)
  • 1 Tbsp cold water
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper (or a dash of Tabasco sauce), to taste
METHOD :

Combine Egg Yolks and Cold Water

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 1: Combine Egg Yolks and Cold Water
 

Whisk the Egg Yolks and Water Until Light and Foamy

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 2: Whisk the Egg Yolks and Water Until Light and Foamy

Whisk the Egg Yolks and Water Until Light and Foamy

Whisk for a minute or two, until the mixture is light and foamy. Whisk in a couple of drops of lemon juice, too.
 

Set the Bowl Over the Simmering Water

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 3: Set the Bowl Over the Simmering Water
Set the Bowl Over the Simmering Water

Set the Bowl Over the Simmering Water

Set the bowl directly atop the saucepan of simmering water, thus creating a sort of double-boiler effect. Note that the water itself should not come in contact with the bottom of the bowl. It's the steam, not the water, that should be doing the heating, so don't overfill the saucepan.

Whisk the Yolks Until Slightly Thickened

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 4: Whisk the Yolks Until Slightly Thickened
Whisk the Yolks Until Slightly Thickened

Whisk the Yolks Until Slightly Thickened

By gently heating the egg yolks, we're altering the proteins in a way that makes them bond more effectively with the fat droplets in the clarified butter we're going to be adding. This creates a more stable emulsion, meaning your hollandaise is less likely to curdle.

At the same time, though, we don't want to get the yolks too hot, either. Egg yolks lose their emulsifying powers when cooked, which is why we use this gentler, less direct method of warming them.

Remove From Heat and Begin Slowly Adding Butter

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 5: Remove From Heat and Begin Slowly Adding Butter
Remove From Heat and Begin Slowly Adding Butter

Remove From Heat and Begin Slowly Adding Butter

Add the melted butter slowly at first, a few drops at a time, while whisking constantly. If you add it too quickly, the emulsion will break.

The Sauce Will Thicken As The Butter Is Added

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 6: The Sauce Will Thicken As The Butter Is Added
The Sauce Will Thicken As The Butter is Added

The Sauce Will Thicken As The Butter Is Added

As the sauce thickens, you can gradually increase the rate at which you add the butter. As you can see here, the sauce has thickened quite a bit.
 

Whisk In Lemon Juice and Season To Taste

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 7: Whisk In Lemon Juice and Season To Taste
Whisk In Lemon Juice and Season To Taste

Whisk In Lemon Juice and Season To Taste

Whisk in the remaining lemon juice and season to taste with Kosher salt and cayenne pepper (or a dash of Tabasco sauce). The finished hollandaise sauce will have a smooth, firm consistency. If it's too thick, you can adjust the consistency by whisking in a few drops of warm water.
 

Serve Hollandaise Sauce Right Away

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce - Tutorial With Photos - Step 8: Serve Hollandaise Sauce Right Away
Serve Hollandaise Sauce Right Away

Serve Hollandaise Sauce Right Away

Hollandaise is a wonderfully rich, lemony and buttery sauce that goes beautifully with eggs, vegetables and poached fish.

You can hold a hollandaise for about an hour or so, provided you keep it warm. One way to do this is to set the bowl atop the saucepan of warm water you used earlier. Letting it cool can cause it to break, although it can be rescued by whisking in some hot water. Likewise, it can break if it gets too hot (hollandaise is a bit like Goldilocks), in which case whisking in some cold water can sometimes save it.

In no case, though, should you keep it longer than a couple of hours; after that, you should just toss it.
 

HoW tO maKE bechAmeL saucES ? ? ?

White Sauce Recipe - Bechamel Sauce Recipe - Basic White Sauce

Béchamel Sauce Recipe

Béchamel is a standard white sauce and one of the five "leading sauces" of classical cuisine. It's the starting point for other classic sauces such as the Crème sauce and the Mornay sauce. Béchamel is a simple, versatile sauce that you'll find yourself making again and again. Also see these 7 Béchamel Sauce Variations.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 6 Tbsp clarified butter (or ¾ stick unsalted butter)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ onion, peeled
  • 1 whole clove
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Ground white pepper, to taste
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Preparation:

  1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring occasionally and taking care not to let it boil.
  2. Meanwhile, in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the clarified butter over a medium heat until it becomes frothy. Don't let it turn brown, though — that'll affect the flavor.
  3. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the melted butter a little bit at a time, until it is fully incorporated into the butter, giving you a pale-yellow-colored paste. This paste is called a roux. Heat the roux for another minute or so to cook off the taste of raw flour.
  4. Using a wire whisk, slowly add the hot milk to the roux, whisking vigorously to make sure it's free of lumps.
  5. Now stick the pointy end of the clove into the onion and drop them into the sauce. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the total volume has reduced by about 20 percent, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce doesn't scorch at the bottom of the pan.
  6. The resulting sauce should be smooth and velvety. If it's too thick, whisk in a bit more milk until it's just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Remove the sauce from the heat. You can retrieve the clove-stuck onion and discard it now. For an extra smooth consistency, carefully pour the sauce through a wire mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth.
  8. Season the sauce very lightly with salt and white pepper. Be particularly careful with the white pepper — and the nutmeg, if you're using it. A little bit goes a long way! Keep the béchamel covered until you're ready to use it.
Makes about 1 quart of béchamel sauce.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

BaSic bRowN sTOcK . . , .

Basic Procedure for Making Brown Stock 

How To Make Brown Stock

The procedure for making brown stock differs from that of white stock mainly in that instead of blanching the bones beforehand, they are roasted instead. Roasting brings out more color and flavor. The mirepoix is roasted too, for the same reason. Also, some sort of tomato product is used with brown stocks, again for adding color and flavor, but also because the acid in the tomato helps dissolve the connective tissues in the bones, thus aiding in the formation of gelatin. For more details, check out this illustrated step-by-step guide to making brown stock.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 5-7 hours

Here's How:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Place beef or veal bones in a heavy bottomed roasting pan. Drizzle them with a bit of vegetable oil if you like.
  3. Roast bones for about half an hour.
  4. Add mirepoix to the roasting pan and continue roasting for another half an hour. Toward the end of the roasting, add the tomato product.
  5. When the bones are thoroughly browned, remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the bones to a heavy-bottomed stockpot.
  6. Add enough cold water to the pot to completely cover the bones. Figure about a quart of water for each pound of bones.
  7. Bring pot to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a simmer.
  8. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.
  9. Add the roasted mirepoix to the pot along with a sachet d'epices; tie the sachet string to the stockpot handle for easy retrieval later.
  10. Continue to simmer the stock and skim the impurities that rise to the surface. Liquid will evaporate, so make sure there's always enough water to cover the bones.
  11. After anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, once the stock has developed a rich, brown color, remove the pot from the heat.
  12. Strain the stock through a sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth. Cool the stock quickly, using an ice bath if necessary.

Tips:

  1. The best bones to use for making stock are ones with a lot of cartilage, such as the so-called "knuckle" bones in the various leg joints. The bones of younger animals also have more cartilage, which is why veal bones are so desirable.
  2. Always start with cold water when making stock. It will help extract more collagen from the bones, which will produce a stock with more body.
  3. Don't let the stock boil, but rather, keep it at a gentle simmer. Also, don't stir the stock while it simmers. Just let it do its thing. All you need to worry about is skimming the scum off the top, and possibly adding more water if the liquid level drops too low.

What You Need:

  • Beef or veal bones
  • Heavy-bottomed roasting pan
  • Heavy-bottomed stockpot
  • Tomato product such as puree or paste
  • Mirepoix
  • Sachet
  • Mesh strainer
  • Cheesecloth
SouRceS : http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/stocks/ht/brownstock.htm

Friday, March 18, 2011

Mayonnaise Recipe . . .

Easy Mayonnaise Recipe 

Mayonnaise Recipe

This basic mayonnaise makes a great sandwich spread, and it can also form the base for salad dressings such as Blue Cheese, Thousand Island and Ranch. A light, neutral-flavored oil like safflower, canola or soybean oil will give the best results, but any blended oil labeled "vegetable oil" or "salad oil" will do the trick. Finally, it can't be said too often: For safety reasons, use pasteurized eggs for this and any other preparation that contains raw eggs.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
  • 3 egg yolks (for safety reasons, use pasteurized eggs)
  • 1 pint vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2-3 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt, or to taste
  • Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Preparation:
  1. Let all your ingredients come to room temperature before you begin.
  2. Using an electric hand mixer, stand mixer or a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks for a minute or two, until they're thoroughly beaten.
  3. Add the 2 tsp vinegar and whisk for about half a minute. Then add the salt, and the cayenne if you're using it, and beat for another 30 seconds or so.
  4. Now, with the mixer going full speed (or with your arm whisking as hard as it can) add the oil very slowly, as little as a drop at a time.
  5. When the emulsion starts to form, you can add the oil more quickly, but keep it at a fairly moderate stream. Adding the oil too fast will break your mayonnaise.
  6. When the emulsion thickens, add a teaspoon or so of vinegar to thin it out. Continue adding oil, stopping occasionally to add more vinegar if the mixture gets too thick.
  7. Finish with the lemon juice, both to add a bit of tang as well as to achieve the right consistency.
  8. Store unused portion in the refrigerator, where it should keep for a day or two.
http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/saladdressings/r/mayonnaise.htm

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

BaSic wHitE sToCk....

How To Make White Stock - Basic Procedure for Making White Stock  

How To Make White Stock

The procedure for making white stock differs from that of brown stock mainly in that rather than roasting the bones beforehand, they are blanched instead. Blanching helps get rid of the impurities in the bones that can cloud the stock. Note that a white stock can be made using chicken bones, veal bones or beef bones.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 4-6 hours

Here's How:

  1. Rinse bones in cold water.
  2. Transfer the bones to a heavy-bottomed stockpot.
  3. Add enough cold water to the pot to completely cover the bones. Figure about a quart of water for each pound of bones.
  4. Bring pot to a boil.
  5. Drain and rinse bones.
  6. Return the blanched bones to the pot and again cover with fresh, cold water.
  7. Bring pot to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a simmer.
  8. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.
  9. Add chopped carrots, celery and onion, (also called mirepoix) to the pot along with a sachet d'epices; tie the sachet string to the stockpot handle for easy retrieval later.
  10. Continue to simmer the stock and skim the impurities that rise to the surface. Liquid will evaporate, so make sure there's always enough water to cover the bones.
  11. After 4 to 6 hours, remove the pot from the heat.
  12. Strain the stock through a sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth. Cool the stock quickly, using an ice bath if necessary.

Tips:

  1. The best bones to use for making stock are ones with a lot of cartilage, such as the so-called "knuckle" bones in the various leg joints. The bones of younger animals also have more cartilage, which is why veal bones are so desirable.
  2. Always start with cold water when making stock. It will help extract more collagen from the bones, which will produce a stock with more body.
  3. Don't let the stock boil, but rather, keep it at a gentle simmer. Also, don't stir the stock while it simmers. Just let it do its thing. All you need to worry about is skimming the scum off the top, and possibly adding more water if the liquid level drops too low.

What You Need:

  • Beef, veal or chicken bones
  • Heavy-bottomed stockpot
  • Carrots, celery and onion
  • Sachet
  • Mesh strainer
  • Cheesecloth
SourCes :http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/stocks/ht/whitestock.htm

Sunday, March 13, 2011

HoW tO TrUsSinG ChicKen???????

Trussing a chicken is a simple procedure that can enhance its quality and presentation. Some cooks believe it's the most complicated part of roasting and preparing a chicken, but that is hardly the case.

Truss the Chicken

  1. Place the middle of the string underneath the tail.
  2. Bring the ends of the string up and cross them over the tail.
  3. Cross the string over the ends of the drumsticks (from the inside), then loop around once, pulling the strings tight.
  4. Flip the chicken over.
  5. Cross the strings across the back of the chicken, centering one string over each wing.
  6. Turn the chicken breast side up.
  7. Pull the strings tight, securing the wings against the body.
  8. Tie the strings in a knot.
  9. Trim the excess string close to the knot.
  10. Check to make sure everything is securely tied.
SourCes : http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-truss-a-chicken/

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Food Poisoning and Food Spoilage >>>>>

Food Poisoning and Food Spoilage

What is Food Spoilage?

Food spoilage is caused by tiny invisible organisms called bacteria. Bacteria live everywhere we live, and most of them don't do us any harm.

What Do Bacteria Like?

As living organisms go, bacteria lead fairly simple lives. They don't walk or crawl, so the only time they go anywhere is when someone moves them. Otherwise, they pretty much stay put, content to spend their time eating and making more of themselves. Unfortunately, what they're eating is our food — especially foods that are high in protein, like meats, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. To be sure, some of them will go for low-protein foods like fruits and vegetables, but those ones are a lot slower. Which is why an onion or a peach left on your kitchen counter for a couple of days would still be safe to eat, while a steak clearly would not.

Spoiled Food Vs. Hazardous Food

It's important to note that spoiled food isn't necessarily dangerous food. For one thing, most people won't eat food that smells bad, looks slimy or whatever. And you can't get food poisoning from something you didn't eat. Moreover, the microorganisms that cause ordinary food spoilage aren't necessarily harmful to us. In fact, centuries before refrigerators, the earliest sauces and seasonings were used to mask the "off" tastes and smells of food that had begun to spoil. This continues to be true in parts of the world where people don't have home refrigeration units (which, interestingly enough, includes most people alive on the planet today).

Pathogens: Harmful Bacteria

The bacteria we're concerned with from a food safety standpoint are the so-called "pathogens" that cause food poisoning. And these pathogens, like salmonella or E. coli, don't produce any smells, off-tastes or changes in the food's appearance — a slimy surface, for instance, or some sort of discoloration.

Microbe Management

So how do we control these nasties? One way would be to starve them out. As noted above, bacteria need food to survive. Get rid of the food, and your bacteria problem disappears. Unfortunately, though, without food, the field of culinary arts has very little to offer. So we'll assume that food is part of the equation. Bacteria still have several other, quite specific, requirements, each of which can be controlled to some extent. Armed with this knowledge, we can effectively minimize the chances of food-borne illness. The factors we need to keep in mind include:
  • Temperature
  • Time
  • Moisture
  • pH Level (Acidity)
http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/safetysanitation/a/bacteria.htm

The Food Temperature Danger Zone . . . ! ! ! !

Food Temperature Danger Zone - Food Safety and Sanitation - Food Danger Zone 

The Food Temperature Danger Zone

It's pretty easy to avoid eating spoiled food. If the funky smell doesn't warn you off, the weird color probably will. Harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli are a different story, though. When these baddies contaminate food, they do so without any physical signs, smells or tastes whatsoever. We need to rely on other methods to avoid getting sick. Like killing the little beasties — which is really not that hard to do. Temperatures hotter than 165°F kill most bacteria within a few seconds. But to do the job, it's a food's internal temperature that has to reach 165°F, not just the outside. And with the exception of poultry, cooking meats or vegetables to that degree renders them all but inedible.

Battling Bacteria

Fortunately, we have size on our side. Bacteria are really small, and it takes quite a lot of them to make us sick. So rather than killing them, and ruining our food in the process, we merely have to stop them from multiplying — or at least slow them down — so that there's never enough of them to do us any harm. We do that by controlling the food's temperature during every stage of storage and preparation.

Keep Cold Food Cold, Keep Hot Food Hot

Bacteria won't multiply in the colder temperatures of a refrigerator or freezer, or at temperatures hotter than 141°F. Where they thrive is between 41°F and 140°F, a region known as the "Food Temperature Danger Zone." To substantially reduce your chances of contracting, or passing along, a food-borne illness, make sure that your perishable foods never spend more than an hour in the Food Temperature Danger Zone. Here are some basic food handling techniques to help you do just that. And here's a table showing the key temperatures of the Food Temperature Danger Zone.
 

Cross Contamination

Definition: Cross contamination is what happens when bacteria from one food item are transferred to another food item, often by way of unwashed cutting boards or countertops, as well as knives and other kitchen tools, or even unwashed hands. Cross contamination can in turn lead to food poisoning.

Since
dangerous bacteria are killed by cooking, the risk of cross contamination is highest where bacteria from a food item that needs to be cooked contaminates a food that doesn't need to be cooked. An example of this type of cross contamination is if a cook were to cut raw chicken on a cutting board and then later slice fresh tomatoes on the same board without washing it first.

Raw eggs (which like uncooked poultry are a source of the
salmonella virus) are another common cause of cross contamination.
 food safety habits such as frequent washing of hands, utensils, cutting boards and work surfaces. In professional kitchens, different colored cutting boards are used for different foods, such as raw poultry or fresh vegetables, so that cross contamination is less likely to occur.


Preventing cross contamination requires good

http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/glossary/g/Cross-Contamination.htm

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Three methods of heat transfer..........

Conduction
Heat moving from one item to something that touching it
Heat moving within an item
Convection
Heat is spread by the movement of air, steam or liquid
Natural convection
Mechanical convection
Radiation
Energy is transferred by waves from the source to the food
Infrared cooking
Microwave cooking

Monday, February 21, 2011

Why do we cook food? ? ?

To make the food taste good
 

To destroy undesirable microorganisms
 
To make the food easy to digest

Sunday, February 20, 2011

WhAt iS COOKinG ? ? ?


Cooking is defined as the transfer of energy from a heat source to the food and alter the foods molecular structure by:
 
Changing its texture
 
Flavor
 
Aroma
 
Appearances

Sunday, December 19, 2010

My wish for the New Year



The New Year is the day that marks the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. In many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner.

Usually when it comes to New Year, all of people will make a new wish and well of course it is something good to have a better life in the new year. A new year wish or we can say, it is as our target. A target that must be fulfil by ourself. It can be various of wish depends on the person. They can wish anything but this wish won’t come true without efforts. So thats why it is much better to say it as a targets.

My wish for the New Year is,

First, I will stop procrastinating for all the assignment that have given to me. This will make my learning more organized and I won’t face the chaos situation to submit the assignments. I’ll make my own learning timetable so my learning progress won’t be disordered.

Second, I’ll study hard and get the best results in my examinations. It doesn’t mean have to be so hard, but in a smart way. For example, study group, search notes in the internet, library and maybe from friends that know better. Not to forget, never scared to ask the lecturers on things that we don’t understand.


New year wish or targets is very important for all of us. It will be the indicator of our achievement. So, once we make a wish, we should make sure that can achieve it no matter what. It is not for other people, but for ourself. Who can make our life better if it wasn’t us? So, give full of efforts for the wish. Make sure it comes true. Make our family, friends and our lecturers proud of us.

Friday, December 10, 2010

CARROT SALAD

HOW TO MAKE A CARROT SALAD ????????




This video is about the procedure in making carrot salad. Things that will be need is

1. 10 Carrots
2. Half an onion
3. Vinegar 70%
4. Red pepper
5. Oil
6. Korean salt(gluconate)
7. Regular salt
8. Spices
9. Grater
10. sugar

First, take the carrots and peel all of it using the knife then using slice it all using the grater. Once you have done, put it all in a bowl.

Second, add some regular salt into the carrots and the juice must come out. Next, you need to cut the onion. Pour some oil into the frying pan and heat it and then fry the onion until it becomes brown. 

Third, add 2 teaspoon of 70% vinegar into the carrot salad meanwhile take the spices and grind it using the grinder and then put it in the carrot salad and mix it well.

Then , try to make sure the onion is ready or not. Stir it until it becomes brown. It will take a few minutes for the browning process. Add a little bit red pepper into the onion and we don’t have to worry because it is not so spicy. Once the onion is done, turn off the gas and pour the fried onion into the carrot salad. Mix it well with the salad.

After that, add some Korean salt (gluconate) into the salad. Actually, Korean salt is not salty. It is just have interesting taste. Then, some sugar into the carrot salad and mix it well again and it is finish and ready for serve.


Sunday, December 5, 2010

DESSERT DISH

Vanilla Cupcake Cake




Ingredients:

For Cupcakes

2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
2 2/3 cups sugar
12 x large eggs at room temperature
2 tbsp vanilla extract
6 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup 2 % milk

For Frosting

3 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups 2 % milk at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract
6 lb. icing sugar
To Assemble

Fresh roses, for garnish
1 qt fresh strawberries
Method:

To Assemble


1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and line muffin tins with paper cups. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool and store wrapped at room temperature until ready to frost.


2. For frosting, beat all ingredients together (starting on low speed and working to high once icing sugar is incorporated) until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed by adding more milk or icing sugar (warm weather days may require more sugar to hold frosting).


3. To assemble, pipe frosting onto cupcake with a large star tip. Top each cupcake with a rose or rose petals and whole strawberries. Arrange cupcakes on a tiered stand, which can be purchased at a cake supply store. Alternately, you can stack cake bases on wine glasses for an elegant effect.








Chilled fruit soup





Ingredients:

2 pounds frozen blueberries
2 pounds frozen raspberries
2 pounds frozen strawberries
¼ cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Method:

Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a double boiler set over lightly simmering water and cover. Slowly cook the fruit until all the juices are released and the fruit has cooked down to a syrup-like consistency, about 2 hours. Pour the fruit into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Place the strainer and bowl in the refrigerator and let the fruit drain overnight. Spoon the remaining fruit solids into a square of cheesecloth and squeeze out any remaining liquid into the bowl. Discard the solids.




Divide the chilled fruit soup between four serving bowls, garnish each bowl with fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, mint leaves and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.





Saturday, December 4, 2010

KITCHEN BRIGADE

BRIGADE DE CUISINE

Brigade de cuisine is a system of hierarchy found in restaurants and hotels in France that employ extensive staff and are commonly referred to as kitchen staff in English speaking countries.
The concept was developed by Georges Auguste Escoffier. This structured team system delegates responsibilities to different individuals who specialize in certain tasks.

List of positions



This is an exhaustive list of the different members of the kitchen brigade system. Only the largest of establishments would have an extensive staff of this size. As noted under some titles, certain positions are combined into other positions when such a large staff is unnecessary. Note: Despite the use of "chef" in English as the title for a cook, the word actually means "chief" or "head" in French.

  • Chef de cuisine (kitchen chef; literally "chief of kitchen") – is responsible for overall management of kitchen; supervises staff, creates menus and new recipes with the assistance of the restaurant manager, makes purchases of raw food items, trains apprentices, and maintains a sanitary and hygienic environment for the preparation of food.
  • Sous-chef de cuisine (deputy kitchen chef; literally "sub-chief") – receives orders directly from the chef de cuisine for the management of the kitchen, and often serves as the representative when the chef de cuisine is not present.
  • Chef de partie (senior chef; literally "chief of party"—party used here as a group or military detail) – is responsible for managing a given station in the kitchen, specializing in preparing particular dishes there. Those who work in a lesser station are commonly referred to as ademi-chef.
  • Cuisinier (cook) – is an independent position, usually preparing specific dishes in a station; may also be referred to as a cuisinier de partie.
  • Commis (junior cook) – also works in a specific station, but reports directly to the chef de partie and takes care of the tools for the station.
  • Apprenti(e) (apprentice) – are often students gaining theoretical and practical training in school and work experience in the kitchen. They perform preparatory work and/or cleaning work.
  • Plongeur (dishwasher) – cleans dishes and utensils, and may be entrusted with basic preparatory jobs.
    •  Marmiton (pot and pan washer) – in larger restaurants, takes care of all the pots and pans instead of the plongeur.
  • Saucier (saucemaker/sauté cook) – prepares sauces and warm hors d'oeuvres, completes meat dishes, and in smaller restaurants, may work on fish dishes and prepare sautéed items. This is one of the most respected positions in the kitchen brigade, usually ranking just below the chef and sous-chef.
  • Rôtisseur (roast cook) – manages a team of cooks that roasts, broils, and deep fries dishes.
    • Grillardin (grill cook) – in larger kitchens, prepares grilled foods instead of the rôtisseur.
    • Friturier (fry cook) – in larger kitchens, prepares fried foods instead of the rôtisseur.
  • Poissonnier (fish cook) – prepares fish and seafood dishes.
  • Entremetier (entrée preparer) – prepares soups and other dishes not involving meat or fish, including vegetable dishes and egg dishes.
    • Potager (soup cook) – in larger kitchens, reports to the entremetier and prepares the soups.
    • Legumier (vegetable cook) – in larger kitchen, also reports to the entremetier and prepares the vegetable dishes.
  • Garde manger (pantry supervisor; literally "food keeper") – is responsible for preparation of cold hors d'oeuvres, prepares salads, organizes large buffet displays, and prepares charcuterie items.
  • Tournant (spare hand/roundsman) – moves throughout the kitchen, assisting other positions in kitchen.
  • Pâtissier (pastry cook) – prepares desserts and other meal-end sweets, and for locations without a boulanger, also prepares breads and other baked items; may also prepare pasta for the restaurant.
    • Confiseur – in larger restaurants, prepares candies and petits fours instead of the pâtissier.
    • Glacier – in larger restaurants, prepares frozen and cold desserts instead of the pâtissier.
    • Décorateur – in larger restaurants, prepares show pieces and specialty cakes instead of the pâtissier.
    • Boulanger (baker) – in larger restaurants, prepares bread, cakes, and breakfast pastries instead of the pâtissier.
  • Boucher (butcher) – butchers meats, poultry, and sometimes fish; may also be in charge of breading meat and fish items.
  • Aboyeur (announcer/expediter) – takes orders from the dining room and distributes them to the various stations; may also be performed by the sous-chef de partie.
  • Communard – prepares the meal served to the restaurant staff.
  • Garçon de cuisine (literally "kitchen boy") – in larger restaurants, performs preparatory and auxiliary work for support