© Boardworks Ltd 2004 1 of 13 Preparing and Processing Food These icons indicate that detailed...

© Boardworks Ltd 20041 of 13

Preparing and Processing Food

These icons indicate that detailed teacher’s notes or useful web addresses are available in the Notes Page.

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

This icon indicates the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable.


Cleaning

All fruit and vegetables should be trimmed and washed unless they are to be peeled. Mushrooms may be wiped instead as long as they are to be cooked.

Use clean, cold water and make sure you get all the dirt out, especially from difficult places like the inside of leeks.

Don’t wash poultry. Any bacteria on it will be killed when you cook it, but you could spread the bacteria around the sink when you wash it.

Wash your hands after touching raw meat.


Measuring

Dry ingredients are usually measured by weight in grams and kilograms.

Or by volume in teaspoons and tablespoons (1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons).

Liquids are measured in volume in millilitres and litres (1 teaspoon = 5ml).

US recipes measure all ingredients in cups.

These measuring jugs can be used to measure liquids in litres or pints.


Cutting and chopping

Most preparation of fresh food involves cutting.

Always choose the right knife for the job and use a chopping board.

Always cut away from your body in case the knife slips.

Sharp knives are safer than blunt ones because you don’t have to press as hard.

Some jobs are better done with scissors.

Knives stored in a block stay sharp and safe.


Knives

Paring knives are smaller for fruit and vegetables

Utility knivesare used for general peeling and slicing.

Chef’s knives are heavy and tapered for chopping

Bread knives have a serrated edge

Carving knivesare flexible, with a pointed end.


Which knife do I use?


Grating and shredding

This graterhas different surfaces for different foods.

Food processors have knives and blades to shred and grate.

A garlic press squashes garlic into tiny pieces.

Peelers remove less skin than knives and leave more vitamins.


Mixing by hand

Mixing bowl Plastic mixing spoon Balloon whisk

You can use a mixing spoon to cream together fat and sugar for cakes like Victoria sponges.

A metal spoon is better for folding in flour, because it keeps more air in.

Balloon whisks are good for getting the maximum air into eggs, but make sure the bowl is clean and dry.

You can also rub cubes of fat into flour for pastry and cakes by using your fingertips.


Machines for mixing

Food mixers have blades for different jobs.

They take time to set up but mix large quantities quickly.

Food processors are not generally good at whisking because they keep too much air out.

Blenders make smooth pastes out of solid and liquid foods. They are useful for making soups and smoothies.

Hand held blenders can be used directly in a pan.


Hand or machine?


Pastry and dough can be rolled to make thin sheets. Use plenty of flour to stop it sticking.Try to keep the pastry cool.

You can use cutters to cut pastry into shapes.

Or line tins with pastry cases.

Shaping by rolling


Filling

Some fillings need to be added before the pastry is cooked.

If you need to seal the edges, you can brush on cold water and squeeze the pastry together.

Sometimes you need to bake the pastry blind – you bake a pastry shell and then add filling.

Pastry is used in sweet and savoury dishes.


Cake mixes and batters take on the shape of the tin you put them in.

It’s important to try and stop the cake from sticking to the tin.

You should grease the tin and line it if at all possible.

Spring clip tins make it easier to get the cake out.

Fancy shapes are fun for special cakes.

Cake tins

© Boardworks Ltd 2004 1 of 13 Preparing and Processing Food These icons indicate that detailed...

Documents

Transcript of © Boardworks Ltd 2004 1 of 13 Preparing and Processing Food These icons indicate that detailed...