The Mise en Place : Basic Food Preparation and Techniques Learning Objectives: Recognized the significance and purpose of mise en place. Explain the importance of knives and knives skills in the kitchen. List the different parts of a knife. Demonstrate how to grip and sharpen the knives. Demonstrate and apply different cutting, measuring , mixing and coating techniques Explain the purpose of preliminary cooking and flavoring in the food preparation process.
Mise en Place Mise en Place (meez-on- plahss ) is a French culinary word which means “everything go in place” It refers to the preparation before cooking , which involves a series of steps-by-steps stages that require extended hours due to the complexities of the tasks. It is food preparation including par cooking and blanching , cutting and trimming of all the meet , poultry, fish and vegetables and breading that will be needed during the meal service. Also, part of the mise en place is the set up of the workstation which include the assembly of tools and small wares needed for the preparation. Preparation of ingredients ,as well as the preparation of the equipment ,such as preheating of the oven . Preparing quality food is essential and is necessary to prepare food ahead of time that will help the operation run smoothly and serve appropriate meals on time.
MIS EN PLACE Setting up your workplace properly is vital to becoming more efficient and effective in the professional kitchen. Set up your work area safely and completely before you start to work Your work surface should be a height that doesn’t force you to either stop or reach up at an uncomfortable angle; it should be stable and secure. Select a cutting board of the appropriate size and check to be sure . Be sure to adhere to your own kitchen’s standard practices, especially if a color-coded cutting board system is in place. Use scales properly If part of your prep work includes portioning raw materials, have a scale or other portioning equipment ready, making sure that it is properly cleaned before you begin work. Cover the food contact surface of the scale with plastic wrap, parchment paper, butcher’s paper, or deli paper. This makes later cleanup easier, of course, and is also important to help prevent cross-contamination. Good posture and general fitness help avoid back strain and general fatigue as you work. Regular exercise can improve posture and fitness as well as strength, flexibility, stamina, and even your ability to concentrate.
Parts of Knife
Handling the knife Knife Skills Knife skill are the most essential and basic skills that a cook or a chef must learn. Knives are the most commonly use tool in the kitchen , a cook or a chef should know the different parts of a knife . Knife is divided into two main parts , the blade and the handle . Each of the main parts can be subdivided into different parts.
. The Blade The blades of different knives vary in length, thickness, shape and sizes for the specific parts. The blade is the part of knife used for cutting , mincing, chopping, and other dividing tasks. Blades made of carbon steel or stainless steel are usually used in modern kitchen. The Handle The handle is the part where you hold the knife . The handle can be made of different materials such as wood , plastic , or sometimes it comes with a piece of solid metal When buying a knife , it is important to consider the fit of your hand grip to the handle . The weight should be even to the blades to some extent to save your energy in cutting
Cutting Techniques Part of the basic food preparation is cutting techniques . Cutting techniques play a vital role in training. Proper cutting techniques ensure uniformity of food cuts . With the regularity of cuts , cooking time will be predetermined .Precise cuts also gives an aesthetic appeal to the food.
Basic Knife Skills Knife skills include basic and advanced cuts that are used every day to prepare vegetables and other ingredients. A thorough mastery of knife skills includes the ability to prepare ingredients properly for cutting, to use a variety of cutting tools, and to make cuts that are uniform and precise. Another important factor is the ability to select the right tool for the job, and to keep that tool in proper working condition. A steel should be on hand, whenever you are cutting any food, to periodically hone the knife’s blade as you work
THE GUIDING HAND Your grip on the knife is determined as much by your personal preference and comfort as it is by the cutting tasks at hand. The same is true for your guiding hand, the hand responsible for controlling the food, you are cutting. The guiding hand, the hand not holding the knife, is used to hold the object being cut. This is done to prevent food from slipping as you cut it. It also makes it easier to control the size of the cut or slice you are making.
Measuring Techniques Proper measurement of ingredients is essential to have a successful food product. Too much or too little of certain elements such as salt, baking soda , baking powder and other hot or spicy ingredients, can affect the texture or taste of the food.
Measuring Equipment
Measuring Equipment How to measure Liquid Ingredients using liquid measuring equipment Use a liquid measuring cup for accurately measuring thin liquids such as milk , juice, and oil. Put the cup on a flat surface to get accurate measurement . Then, pour the liquid in until it reaches the correct measurement line. Use the meniscus (or measurement line)
Measuring Equipment How to measure Liquid Ingredients using spoon Use a measuring spoon for a small quantity of liquid. Use a syringe in measuring a small amount of liquid. This can also give an accurate for low volumes of liquid.
Measuring Equipment How to measure Dry Ingredients using measuring cup Deep and sweep method. This is the most common way of measuring dry ingredients. It requires dipping your measuring cup into the dry ingredients with the cup overflowing Take the back of the knife or a flat spoon handle and sweep the excess across and off the measuring cup.
Measuring Equipment Measuring by Weight Get a weighing scale . This is measuring ingredients by weight, which is more accurate than a volume measurement. Turn on the scale and press tare. Place it on a flat surface and turn it on. Press tare to put the scale back to 0. Set your digital scale by pressing mode. The digital scale offers a variety of measurement . Press mode to select ounces, grams, or pounds as a mode of measurement. Place an empty container on the scale then press tare. When the scale is already 0 you can now add the ingredients for weighing.
Coating Techniques Coating food with a batter and breading is one of the conventional techniques used in food preparation. The base usually used for breading or batters are flour bases, some add seasonings to add flavor , and some add sugar for browning. Many dry breading has some type of binding agent to facilitate cohesion of the breading during cooking, serving , and consumption. The same is true for batters, which also contain water, eggs, and milk.
Coating Techniques Batters is a mixture of flour and liquid with other ingredients, such a leavening agents, eggs, and various flavoring materials. They are used in deep frying to give a crispy, flavorful, golden-brown coating. There are many formulas and variation for batters. Liquids – milk , water, and beer Eggs may or may not be used. Leavenings are frequently used to give a lighter product these may be baking powder, beaten egg, or carbonation from beer or seltzer.
Coating Techniques Breading refers to coating a product with bread-crumbs or other crumbs or meal before deep-frying. Breading creates a golden-brown color and crispiness The standard breading technique applies the following three steps: Dredging in flour – It helps the breading stick to the product. Moistening in egg wash – a mixture of eggs and a liquid usually milk or water. Coating with crispy bread-crumbs – combine with the egg wash to create crisp , golden coating when fried. Fine, dry bread-crumbs are most often used and give good results.
Coating Techniques Procedure for Proper Breading Setup the Station Product to be breaded Flour Egg wash Bread-crumbs Pan to hold the breaded product
Procedure for Proper Breading Setup the Station Pat dry the product - extra moisture trapped under the coating will cause the food to be soggy and not fry properly. Season the product – season each of the flour with a little salt and pepper. Dredge the product in flour to coat evenly – shake off the excess. Transfer the product to the egg wash pan to coat thoroughly – remove the product. Toss the product in bread-crumbs – cover the product gently with crumbs and make sure it is coated completely. Chill the breaded product for 15 minutes – this helps the flour, egg wash , and bread-crumbs stick together. This will prevent breading from falling off during frying. Fry until golden brown .
Preliminary Cooking and Flavoring Techniques Some dishes require precooking and flavoring of ingredients to ready the food in advance before the cooking procedure. A complete cooking procedure , in such case is part of the mise en place or pre pre-preparation. Par Cooking Par cooking refers to the partial cooking of food that can be finished or reheated for later use. Par cooking is used to manage cooking time. Large meet takes a longer time to cook than vegetables. It can be cooked ahead of time and be finished later with vegetables.
Preliminary Cooking and Flavoring Techniques Marinating Marinating is a process of soaking food in a seasoned liquid. Acids (such as vinegar, lemon, juice, wine, ) enzymes ( such as pineapple, papaya, or ginger) are popularly used as they help enhance flavors and tenderize the food during marination. There are three necessary components of a marinade. 1. Fats – such as olive oil, canola oil, coconut milk, full fat yogurt, or other vegetable oil, help in the preservation of the food's moisture, fat is not used because it only floats on top , especially during long marination.
Preliminary Cooking and Flavoring Techniques There are three necessary components of a marinade. 2. Acids – be cautious when using acid in marinating . Strong acids make the meat tough. Strong acids can be used in marinades if they are in small quantities or if the meat is marinated only for few hours. 3. Seasoning – garlic, onion, salt, chili, peppers, sugars and aromatics are some of the seasoning that release flavors and add life to the marinades.
Kinds of Marinade Cooked – used when long keeping quality is important. An advantage of prepared marinades is that spices release more flavor into the marinade when it is cooked. Raw – most commonly used for long marination under refrigeration. Instant – The range of flavors and purpose is wide. Used for marinating a few minutes up to several hours or overnight. Dry – a dry marinade also called a dry rub or a spice rub.
Brining A brine is a high concentration solution of salt and water. For others who would want to add more flavors to the dish, sweetener’s such as brown sugar , maple syrup, herbs and spices are added. Brining is used to preserve and enhance the tenderness and flavor of the food.
ACTIVITY Group Activity: Cooking Fried Chicken 1.Demonstrate proper coating techniques. 2. Describe the proper breading procedure used in the recipe.