CCA CCA Vegetable & Starch Preparation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What cooking technique involves briefly submerging vegetables in boiling water and then immediately transferring them to ice water?
- Blanching (Correct answer)
- Steaming
- Poaching
- Sautéing
Correct answer: Blanching
Blanching uses a quick boil followed by an ice bath to stop cooking, set color, and partially cook vegetables.
Question 2: Which potato variety is best suited for fluffy mashed potatoes due to its high starch content?
- Yukon Gold
- Red Bliss
- Russet (Correct answer)
- Fingerling
Correct answer: Russet
Russet potatoes are high-starch, low-moisture potatoes that break down easily, producing a light and fluffy mash.
Question 3: What does the term 'al dente' mean when applied to cooking pasta or vegetables?
- Fully cooked and soft
- Firm to the bite (Correct answer)
- Half-raw in the center
- Overcooked and mushy
Correct answer: Firm to the bite
Al dente is an Italian phrase meaning 'to the tooth,' indicating food that is cooked but still offers slight resistance when bitten.
Question 4: What is the standard water-to-rice ratio when cooking long-grain white rice using the absorption method?
- 1 part rice to 1 part water
- 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water
- 1 part rice to 2 parts water (Correct answer)
- 1 part rice to 3 parts water
Correct answer: 1 part rice to 2 parts water
The standard absorption method uses a 1:2 ratio (rice to water), ensuring all water is absorbed and the rice cooks evenly.
Question 5: Which knife cut produces a fine dice of approximately 1/8-inch (3mm) cubes?
- Brunoise (Correct answer)
- Julienne
- Batonnet
- Chiffonade
Correct answer: Brunoise
Brunoise is the finest standard dice cut, measuring 1/8 inch on each side, often produced by first cutting julienne strips then cross-cutting.
Question 6: Which cooking method preserves the most water-soluble vitamins in vegetables?
- Boiling
- Simmering
- Steaming (Correct answer)
- Blanching
Correct answer: Steaming
Steaming keeps vegetables out of direct contact with water, preventing water-soluble vitamins like C and B vitamins from leaching out.
Question 7: The Maillard reaction, which contributes to browning and flavor development in roasted vegetables, is a reaction between:
- Sugars and water
- Acids and bases
- Amino acids and reducing sugars (Correct answer)
- Starches and fats
Correct answer: Amino acids and reducing sugars
The Maillard reaction occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars at high heat, producing hundreds of flavor and color compounds.
