Culinary Techniques & Cooking Methods Flashcards

Which practice best keeps blanched green vegetables bright green?

Answer: Cook them uncovered in plenty of boiling salted water, then shock them in ice water

Lots of water, no lid so volatile acids can escape, and an ice-water shock all help preserve chlorophyll.

Why do green beans turn olive-drab when cooked with an acidic ingredient such as vinegar?

Answer: Acid converts chlorophyll into pheophytin

Acid replaces the magnesium in chlorophyll and forms olive-colored pheophytin.

Red cabbage braised with a pinch of baking soda turns blue-green. What causes this?

Answer: Anthocyanin pigments change color in alkaline conditions

Anthocyanins turn red in acid and blue-green in alkaline conditions.

What is the purpose of deglazing a sauté pan after searing proteins?

Answer: To dissolve the browned fond into a liquid for a flavorful pan sauce

Deglazing lifts the flavorful browned fond off the pan so it can become the base of a pan sauce.

For pan-frying a breaded cutlet, how deep should the fat usually be?

Answer: About one-third to halfway up the side of the item

Pan-frying uses fat that comes about one-third to halfway up the item, which is then turned to cook the second side.

What fryer oil temperature range is generally recommended for deep-frying most foods?

Answer: 350–375°F

Most deep-frying is done at 350–375°F so the crust forms quickly without too much oil soaking in.

Why does clarified butter have a higher smoke point than whole butter?

Answer: The milk solids and water have been removed

Removing the milk solids, which burn easily, raises butter's smoke point from about 350°F to about 450°F.