Cookery basics

Cookery Methods

It is generally believed that cookery methods can be divided into two categories. They are: Moist heat and Dry Heat. I like to think that Frying is a third category while Baking is a borderline fourth sitting comfortably alongside Dry Heat. Each of those groups can be further broken down into number different sub-categories.

For instance poaching and boiling are both moist cooking methods but work at different temperatures and identify with different ingredients, i.e. poached eggs at 70c-80c or boiled rice or pasta at 100c; pan-fried fish is shallow fried while deep fried chips are immersed in oil.

Some dishes employ the use of two or more methods.

Moist heat:

Poaching – poaching liquid is kept at between 70c and 80c. Usually water but also stock or milk. The poaching liquid should show no movement or bubbles. Used for delicate foods requiring less cooking such as Poached Eggs.

Simmering – Simmering  Liquid is kept between  85c and 90c. Small bubbles should rise to the surface. Readily used for prolonged cooking such as stews.

Boiling –  a temperature of 100c or a fraction more if the water is salted. The water is agitated becoming more vigorous when the heat is turned up. Also used for Pasta, vegetables and some rice dishes and to reduce the amount of liquid a little quicker.

Steaming – Food is suspended and enclosed in a pot or basket above boiling water. Great for Vegetables, Fish and dumplings.

Dry heat:

Grilling – Food is placed on a metal plate or grid while heat is applied to the opposite surface. It is commonly called a barbeque in Australia.

Barbeque – A generic term encompassing the broad range international interpretations of this style of cookery.

Broiling – An American term similar to grilling where heat is applied to one surface of the food before turning. In Australia the “grill” compartment/setting of the oven is used. Also, in commercial kitchens in Europe and Australia, this appliance is referred to as a “Salemander.”

Contact Grill. Heat is applied to both sides of the food at once. A sandwich toaster is probably the most common example.

Sautéing – Using a shallow pan oil or fat is heat and the food is gently browned through occasional stirring. Used for tender cuts of meat and also vegetables.

Searing – High temperatures are applied quickly in a pan or on a grill plate to form a crust on the food which may be served immediately as in “Seared Tuna” or cooked further as in “Osso Buco”.

Sweating – Similar to sautéing but at a lower heat and hence without the browning. A lid can be used to prevent evaporation.

Roasting – Meat and vegetables are surrounded by Dry Heat within an enclosed space such as an oven or a Barbeque fitted with a dome. Air-fryers can be used for smaller portions.

Frying:

Pan Frying – using a minimum amount of oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Cooking sausages is a good example.

Shallow Frying – A little more oil is used to not quite immerse the food you are cooking. Crumbed Fish or Schnitzels achieve best results this way.

Deep Frying – Food is immersed and surrounded by hot oil. Battered fish, chips (potato) and crispy noodles are common dishes. Not generally used in a domestic situation due to expense and the perception that this style of food is unhealthy.

Baking:

Similar to roasting where Dry Heat surrounds the food while it is encompassed in an oven. It is a cooking method for bread, cakes and pastries. Often specialist moulds are used to attain specific shapes, while cooking residues, as in the case of Roasting are not present.

Combinations:

Braising – A process of cooking large cuts of meat, often with the bone in. Normally the meat is seared along with vegetables and then placed in a pot with minimum liquid, covered and simmered for a prescribed time. Osso Buco and Chicken Marengo are good examples of this method.

Stewing – A process similar to braising but the meat is boneless and generally diced. More liquid can be used compared to Braising.

Sous vide – a method of cooking tender cuts of meat at the low temp (55c- 71c). The individual food item is occasionally seasoned before being vacuum sealed and placed in a heated water bath.

Cookery Techniques:

Blanching – “above ground” vegetables are partially cooked by immersing in boiling water for 1-2 minutes before being refreshed in cold water to retain their colour. Care should be taken with leafy vegetables.

It can also be used to remove the skin of certain fruits such as peach and tomatoes.

Par boiling – “below ground” vegetables undergo a similar process to blanching but for a longer time and with no refreshing. This method is popular when the vegetables will be later roasted. Occasionally beef bones are blanched before making stock.

Bain Marie – Most commonly food is placed in a container and then in a water bath and then finally a slow oven. Crème Brulee and crème caramel are good examples. It can also apply to applications of keeping food hot or for tempering chocolate.

En-papilotte – Tender cuts of meat or fish are wrapped and sealed in greaseproof paper or foil  before being cooked in an oven or on top of a grill.

Basting – Regularly spooning over the juices and fat over the top of a roast in an oven. It effectively replaces the self-basting effect of a rotisserie.

Spit-roasting – A large style rotisserie generally used for large cuts of meat to feed groups of people.

Baking blind – An uncooked flan base is lined with baking paper or foil and filled with weights before baking. When the pastry edges are golden brown the paper and weights are removed and the pastry is cooked a little more, before being taken out of the oven. This technique is used when making a lemon meringue pie.

“Slow” cooking: – A modern twist on a century old form of cooking and nothing to do with the “slow food movement”. Effectively a Braise, most ingredients are placed in a ceramic pot, lidded and heated slowly, gradually increasing over a couple of hours to a lazy simmer. At a prescribed time the food is deemed ready and switches over to a “keep warm “mode.

Flavouring Techniques:

Dry rubs – a mixture of herbs, spices and oil are applied to the surface of various meats to impart flavour. Restaurant menus occasionally use the term “herb crusted.”

Wet rubs – Similar to a dry rub but with the addition of a little stock or minced vegetables or juices such as citrus. Think pork spare ribs or chicken wings.

Macerate – this is a process whereby food is soaked in a particular liquid or liquids and the liquid is not only absorbed by the food, but also it flavours the food and partially breaks down the food. A Christmas Pudding Recipe is a good example as is the Tahitian Fish dish, “Poisson Cru.”

Marinades – liquids made of herbs, spices and an acid (usually citric or vinegar) or alcohol) to add flavour and tenderize meat.  The marinade is usually used while the meat is soaked in the marinade and during the cooking process when the meat is basted with the marinade. The length of time the meat is marinated can vary.

Seasoning – Often salt and pepper but could include herbs and spices. It is sprinkled onto food just prior to cooking. In Australia “seasoning” also refers to a breadcrumb base mix used to stuff poultry.

Glossary:

Other kitchen terms used in my recipes include:

Al dente – generally applying to vegetables or pasta where the food still has a texture which would be regarded as tender – not crisp, not mushy but somewhere in-between.

Au Gratin – food that has been topped with cheese or breadcrumbs or a mixture of both. The mixture could include a chopped herb such as parsley. The food would then be placed under the grill (salamander). Potatoes “Au Gratin” would be one such dish.

Breading – A process where breadcrumbs are applied to the surface of meat of fish and sometimes vegetables to provide a crisp coating to the food when cooked. It is generally a three stage process where the food in firstly dredged in seasoned flour, then dipped in egg wash and finally in breadcrumbs before being pan fried. Common dishes include Schnitzels and Crumbed Fish.

Caramelize – generally refers to the heating of sugar to turn it into caramel. It can also be a colloquial term used when various foods are “browned” in the cooking process. “Caramelizing” meat juices to make gravy are an example.

Clarify – When you clarify butter you are removing the milk solids. Indian cuisine refers to this product as Ghee. You can also clarify stocks by straining out fine particles.

Concasse – this generally refers to tomatoes that have had the skin removed by blanching and also the seeds removed. The tomato is then chopped to a size suitable for the recipe. It can also refer to other vegetables prepared in a similar way as in a cucumber side dish for a curry.

Creaming or creamed – various interpretations with a common denominator of a light colour. Butter and sugar is beaten together to make a smooth pale yellow paste. Creamed vanilla Rice is an off-white colour.

Deglaze – roast or seared meat residue in a pan can be removed with a little water, stock or wine and added back into the recipe, as in gravy, stew, soup or braise. You would also use a similar method with some vegetable dishes such as caramelized onions.

Egg wash – a mixture of raw egg and milk, sometimes water which is used in the breading process. It can also be used to brush on the top of pastry before baking.

Emulsify – when you combine to liquids that have a natural tendency to separate, it is a process of emulsification. White wine vinegar and Olive oil dressing is an example. Mayonnaise is a good example of a Cold Emulsion Sauce.

Fold – when aerated ingredients such as whipped cream or whipped egg whites are incorporated into a heavier mixture, you gently “fold “in the whipped ingredients to preserve the overall lightness of a cold dessert or to improve the raising qualities of a batter used for a cake.

Garnish – a generally edible decorative addition used to present a dish or the process of doing the same.

Glazing – the usually glossy, sweet coating applied to cakes and pastries such as Donuts and Danish Pastries. The Austrian dessert Sachertorte is a good example of the use of a Chocolate glaze. Alternatively baked ham is generally glazed while a rich beef stock when greatly reduced forms thick syrup can be used sparingly on cooked vegetables and meat.

Julienne – an often used technique of cutting vegetables such as Carrots into long thin strips. Also a term used for other foods which can be cut into similar strips such as ham or crepes.

Mother Sauce – the  five sauces that were identified  as the foundation sauces of  French cuisine. They are Espagnole, Veloute, Bechamel, Tomate and Hollandaise.

Puree – the blending and sieving of fruits, vegetables and legumes is called a puree. A fruit puree with the addition of sugar is called a Coulis. A puree of spiced and cooked Chick peas is called Hommus.

Reduction – this is the process of evaporating liquid (water) by simmering or boiling a stock or sauce to concentrate the flavour.

Roux – a combination of fat and flour, which is cooked and used to thicken sauces, stews and soups.

Skimming – As stews, stocks and sauces simmer or boil, impurities and fats may rise to the surface. These can be removed with a shallow spoon or ladle.

Baking –General notes

Many years ago, when I was an apprentice chef, I naturally had exposure to all types cookery methods. I ended up specialising in sauces, which in large establishments was regarded as core part of the kitchen. Two other sections were of equal importance. One was the cold kitchen or “garde manger” the other was the pastry kitchen. Enjoying the fruits of the pastry chefs labour (unfortunately) was a favourite pastime of mine, but it was generally a reciprocal relationship.

While working with a number of excellent pastry chefs, over the years, I learnt a number of very important lessons in the preparation of cakes and pastries, including:

• Assemble all your ingredients before you start
• Take the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator early enough for the butter to soften and the eggs to lose their chill.
• Weighing cake and pastry ingredients is really important. Cakes and pastries are subject to chemical reactions and subsequently a recipe will suffer if you are not accurate in your measurements – cakes won’t rise, biscuits might spread.
• The ingredients for cake and pastry type recipes (as with most recipes) are generally written in the order you will use them.

Morning and afternoon teas.

Biscuits or cookies.

The line is blurred a little between the two terms and these days interchangeable. Biscuits had their origins in Great Britain and can refer to many different separate recipes. Generally they are flat, crisp and with minimal raising agents. Sweet favourites include Ginger nuts, ANZAC’s, shortbread and of course chocolate biscuits. Also included are savoury types that you might serve with cheese or pate.

This Almond Shortbread recipe is a good example of a biscuit, even though its title implies otherwise. The egg yolk makes it more durable and it has excellent keeping qualities.

The term ‘cookie’, on the other hand had its origins in Europe, before migrating to North America. Cookies are generally “chewier” and softer. Often the base dough is enhanced with more sweet additions. Chocolate chip cookies are a good example. “Crackers” are often associated with North America and are generally savoury. Just to confuse everyone “prawn crackers’ are from Asia and are deep-fried not baked.

Bulk sweet slices –general notes:

Many of the recipes which follow were developed for baking in a standard full size “gastronorm” tray. These are rectangular stainless steel dishes, which are used in commercial kitchens and are especially made to fit modern “combi” ovens. Interestingly baking directly in these was frowned upon when I was teaching at Tafe, but they are a good size when you need to bake in bulk – as long as you take care of them.

By this I mean the trays need to be fully lined with silicon paper (baking paper). This makes for easy turning out, when the slice is cold and you will find the washing up much easier. The other rule is that you do not cut the slice while it is still the tray, even though you will be tempted.

The external dimensions for a full size gastronorm tray are 530mm x 325mm x 70mm which may be a little large for your oven but they do come in half size as well.

You may already have a baking tray and if it is in the vicinity of 330mm x 270mm x 65mm it should be suitable for a half batch recipe.