Cooking Basics Foods/Nutrition Unit 2

Kitchen Equipment

• Bread Knife

• Cutting board

• Oven thermometer

• Pastry blender

• Slotted spoon

• Vegetable peeler

• Chef’s knife

• Ladle

• Pancake turner

• Rolling pin

• Straight edge spatula wire whisk

• Colander/strainer

• Meat thermometer

• Paring knife

• Rubber scraper

• Tongs

• Wooden spoon

Bread Knife

Has a serrated edge to cut through bread without smashing it.

Cutting Board

used to protect counters when using a knife. Should be plastic to prevent cross contamination.

Oven Thermometer

Used to measure the internal temperature of the oven

Pastry Blender

Used for cutting fat into flour.

Slotted Spoon

Vegetable Peeler

Chef’s Knife

Use for chopping, mincing, dicing etc.

Ladle

has a small bowl at the end of a long handle used for serving liquid foods.

Pancake Turner

Rolling Pin

Straight edge spatula

Used for leveling off or spreading frosting.

Wire Whisk

Blending liquids

Colander/Strainer

Used to separate liquid from food. Used to drain water from

food

Meat Thermometer

Used to measure the internal temperature of meat

Paring Knife

To peel or cut small food items.

Rubber Scraper

Tongs

used to lift and grip hot bulky foods.

Wooden Spoon

For cooking on top of the stove

Day 2: Knives & Knife Skills

Foods/Nutrition Unit 2

Knife Safety: Preventing Cuts

Foods/Nutrition: Unit 2

1. Keep knives sharp

2. Use a cutting board

3. Pay attention

4. Cut away from yourself and others

5. Use knives only for cutting

6. Don’t catch a falling knife

7. Don’t leave knives in a sink or in the pots and pans area

8. Clean knives carefully with the sharp edge away from you

9. Store knives in a safe place-not in drawers

• Carry a knife properly hold it beside you, point down sharp edge back and away from you.

• don’t swing your arm

• let people know you are walking past them with a knife

The chef's knife: The most important kitchen tool

• 1. The sturdy spine of the blade can be used to break up small bones or shellfish.

• 2. The front of the blade is suitable for many small cutting jobs. It is particularly useful for chopping onions, mushrooms, garlic and other small vegetables.

• 3. The mid section of the blade appropriate for either firm or soft food. • The gentle curve of the blade is ideal for mincing of

leeks, chives, parsley etc. • Caution: Cook's knives purposely have been ground

extra thin for the ultimate cutting performance. Chopping through bones will damage the fine edge. For doing this please refer to our assortment of cleavers.

• 4. The weight distribution is optimal at the heel of the blade and is used to chop through extremely firm food objects.

• 5. The wide flat surface of the blade is suitable for flattening and shaping of meat cuts such as filets as well as for lifting of the chopped product.

Julienne

Batonett

Cubed

Diced

Shredded

Day 3: Cooking Times & Measurements

Foods/Nutrition: Unit 2

Microwave Cooking

• Microwaves are attracted to fat, sugar, and water molecules.

• Microwaves cause molecules to vibrate and the vibrations create friction which produces heat which cooks the food.

• Appropriate and safe cooking containers include:• Microwave safe plastic • Glass • Paper • NOT metal.

• Shallow, round containers cook more evenly than square containers.

Microwave Cooking

• What is standing time mean?

• Standing time is the time that food continues to cook after the microwave has stopped.

• The quantity and volume of food in the microwave increases cooking and standing time.

• Stir and rotate foods for even cooking

• Covering foods holds in the moisture and helps the food cook more evenly. • It also prevents splattering and makes cleaning the microwave much

easier

Microwave Cooking

• Microwave cooking does not brown foods or give a crisp crust.

• To prevent burns use pot holders and direct steam away from the body.

Day 4: Measurements Foods/Nutrition: Unit 2

Measuring Techniques & Tools

• Use dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and level with a straight edge spatula.

• Use liquid measuring cups for liquid ingredients. Measure at eye level on a flat, level surface.

• Brown sugar is packed and leveled in dry measuring cups.

• Shortening is pressed into dry measuring cups and leveled; or use water displacement method.

Measuring Techniques & Tools

• Use the most effective tools for measuring. • For example you would use a ¼ cup measuring cup instead of 4

tablespoons.

• Use measuring spoons for any measurement that is less than ¼ cup.

• Do not measure directly over the mixing bowl.

Identifying Abbreviations quiz(take out a half sheet of paper)

• Tablespoon

• Gallon

• Pint

• Pound

• Hour

• Teaspoon

• Quart

• Cup

• Ounce

• Minute

• Ib. or #

• Tbs. or tbsp.

• C.

• Hr.

• Tsp. or t.

• Oz.

• Gal.

• Qt.

• Pt.

• min.

Measurement Conversions

•3 t. = 1 T. •4 qt. = 1 gal. •2 c. = 1 pt. •4 tbsp. = ¼ c. •16 c. = 1 gal.

•1 stick of butter = ½ c. •16 T. = 1 c. •8 fl. Oz. = 1 c. •16 oz. = 1 lb.

•3 teaspoons a tablespoon,

•Tablespoon, tablespoon.•3 teaspoons a

tablespoon, •there’s 16 in a cup.(Tune of Mary had a Little

Lamb)

(Tune of London Bridge)

16 ounces are in a pound,

In a pound, in a pound.16 ounces are in a

pound,There are 8 in a cup

(Tune of Farmer in the Dell)

There’s 2 cups a pint, There’s 2 cups a pint,

Heigh Ho the Merry Oh,There’s 2 cups a pint,

There’s 2 pints a quart, There’s 2 pints a quart,Heigh Ho the Merry Oh,There’s 2 pints a quart,

Reading a Recipe and Measuring

The FOUR parts of a recipe:1. List and amounts of ingredients2. Step-by-step instructions3. Essential info about temperature

and equipment4. Number of servings

1. Read the recipe carefully before beginning2. Check to see if you have all the ingredients3. Pre-heat the oven if needed4. “Gather” all equipment needed5. Complete preparation of specific ingredients

(EX: Chopped Nuts, Melted Chocolate, etc.)6. Measure exactly!7. Mix carefully, following each direction8. Bake or cook at temperature and time

directed

There are EIGHT steps to following a recipe correctly?

Doubling and Cutting Recipes

•When doubling or cutting a recipe in half the cooking temperature will remain the same.

• The amount of ingredients, length of cooking time and size of pan will be affected when you double or cut the recipe.

Practice doubling and cutting recipes

Foods/nutrition: unit 2

Day 5: Cooking Terms Foods/Nutrition: Unit 2

CHOPTo cut into small pieces

CREAMTo work sugar and fat together until the mixture is soft and fluffy

CUT INTo cut fat into flour with a pastry blender or two forks

DICETo cut into very small cubes, about ¼”

DREDGEto coat food heavily with flour, breadcrumbs or cornmeal.

FLOURTo sprinkle or coat with a powdered substance, often breadcrumbs or seasonings

FOLDTo mix ingredients gently by turning one part over another

GRATETo finely divide food in various sizes by rubbing it on a surface with sharp projections

KNEADTo work dough to further mix ingredients and develop gluten

MINCEto cut food as finely as possible

PEELTo remove or strip off the skin or rind of a fruit or vegetable

SautéTo brown or cook foods in a small amount of fat using low-med heat

SIMMERTo cook just below the boiling point

STEAMTo cook by vapor produced when water is heated to the boiling point

WHIPTo beat rapidly to introduce air bubbles into the food

Fly Swatter Game