LESSON1
ASSIGNMENT
1. Cooking is the application of one of two types of heat. Name them and then classify all the methods of cooking (baking, blanching etc) listed in your course according to which type of heat they use.
Cooking is the application of one of two types of heats which are using moist or dry methods of cooking.
Baking: Baking is a commonly used cooking technique that applies dry heat to a food, along with an air flow. It avoids the problems of nutrient loss due to leeching, and is effective at breaking down starches. However, heat labile nutrients will be destroyed and the long cooking time will negatively affect nutrient value. Baked goods loose moisture and tend to be dry; fats will leech out as well.
Blanching: Blanching is the plunging of a food item into boiling water for a very short time period, before removing it and transferring it to cold or icy water. The cold water stops the cooking process. Blanching can remove the bitter taste from some vegetables and can also enhance their colour, making them more appealing. The application of very high heat will kill many micro-organisms and will also soften the tough fibres in vegetables.
Braising: A method of cooking that is similar to baking, however, a liquid is placed beneath the food, or the food placed in a liquid. The liquid, at high temperatures, will convert to steam and so the food will be partially baked and partially steamed. It is used primarily in the preparation of meat dishes, where the tough collagen fibres require high heat and time to become softened and palatable. This of course impacts on the level of heat labile nutrients in the food, and leeching may also be a problem in the early stages of cooking. High temperatures will seal foods quickly, helping to trap juices and the nutrients within them to some extent.
Other terms for braising include stewing or pot-roasting. Casserole and stews are braised
dishes.