Unit 233 Cook and finish vegetable dishes
Vegetables can be cooked in a variety of ways, it is usual to cook them al dente (that
is slightly crisp to the tooth). They should retain their colour and be pleasant to eat.
Vegetables were, at one time, abused and neglected, relegated to the minor role of
unimportant side dishes, to be taken or left, or not even noticed on the table. Today,
however, lowly vegetables are much more appreciated, not only for their nutritional
importance but for the variety, flavour, and eye appeal, and even elegance and
sophistication they bring to the menu. Modern cooks owe it to themselves and their
customers to treat vegetables with understanding, respect, and imagination.
Because they are so perishable, vegetables require extra care from receiving to
service. Freshness is their most appealing and attractive quality, and one must be
especially careful to preserve it. The goals of proper vegetable cookery are to
preserve and enhance fresh flavour, texture, and colour, and to prepare and serve
vegetables that are not just accepted but sought after.
Controlling Quality Changes during cooking:-You will be able to understand the
principles more easily, however, if you first learn how vegetables change as they are
cooked and how to control those changes. In other words, it is suggested you not
just memorize what to do but understand why you do it. Cooking affects vegetables
in four ways. It changes the following:1. Texture2. Flavour3. Colour4. Nutrients
Controlling Texture Changes Changing texture is one of the main purposes of
cooking vegetables.
The fibre structures of vegetables (including cellulose and pectins) give them shape
and firmness. Cooking softens some of these components. The amount of fibre
varies: 1. in different vegetables. Spinach and tomatoes have less fibre than carrots
and turnips, for example.2. In different examples of the same vegetables. Old, tough
carrots have more fibre than young, fresh carrots.3. In the same vegetable. The
tender tips of asparagus and broccoli have less fibre than their tougher stalks. Fibre
is made firmer by:
1. Acids. Lemon juice, vinegar, and tomato products, when added to cooking
vegetables, extend the cooking time.
2. Sugars. Sugar strengthens cell structure. You will use this principle primarily in
fruit cookery. For firm poached apples or pears, for example, cook in heavy syrup.
For applesauce, cook apples until soft before sweetening.
Fiber is softened by:
1. Heat. In general, longer cooking means softer vegetables.
2. Alkalis. Do not add baking soda to green vegetables. Not only does it destroy
vitamins but it also makes the vegetables unpleasantly mushy.
Starch is another vegetable component that affects texture:
1. Dry starchy foods like dried legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), rice, and macaroni
products must be cooked in enough water for the starch granules to absorb moisture
and soften. Dried beans are usually soaked before cooking to replace lost moisture.
2. Moist starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes have enough moisture
of their own, but they must still be cooked until the starch granules soften.
A vegetable is said to be done when it reaches the desired degree of tenderness.
This stage varies from vegetable to vegetable. Some, such as winter squash,
eggplant, and braised celery, are considered properly cooked when they are quite
soft. Most vegetables, however, are best cooked very briefly, until they are crisptender or al dente (firm to the bite). At this stage of tenderness they not only have the
most pleasing texture but also retain maximum flavour, colour, and nutrients.
Guidelines for Achieving Proper Doneness in Vegetables
1. Don’t overcook.
2. Cook as close to service as possible. Holding vegetables in a steam table
continues to cook them.
3. If vegetables must be cooked in advance, slightly undercook them, cool rapidly in
cold water, drain, and refrigerate, then reheat to order.
4. For uniform doneness, cut vegetables into pieces of uniform size before cooking.
5. Vegetables with both tough and tender parts need special treatment so the tender
parts are not overcooked by the time the tougher parts are done. For example Peel
the woody stalks of asparagus’ Peel or split broccoli stalks’ Pierce the base of
Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife.
Remove the heavy center stalks of lettuce leaves before braising.
6. Don’t mix batches of cooked vegetables. They are likely to be cooked to slightly
different levels of doneness.
Controlling Flavour Changes Cooking Produces
Flavour Loss: Many flavours are lost during cooking by dissolving into the cooking
liquid and by evaporation. The longer a vegetable is cooked the more flavour it loses.
Flavour loss can be controlled in several ways: 1. Cook for as short a time as
possible.2. Use boiling salted water. Starting vegetables in boiling water shortens
cooking time. The addition of salt helps reduce flavour loss3. Use just enough water
to cover to minimize leaching. s.4. Steam vegetables whenever appropriate. Steam
cooking reduces leaching out of flavour and shortens cooking time.
Vegetables are low in kilojoules, they make you feel full because they contain
fibre and they are packed with nutrients. They even help you to live longer (so
we are told).
Vegetable classifications
Vegetables are classified according to which part of the plant is eaten. Some
vegetables fit into more than one category when several different parts of the plant
are edible, e.g. both the roots and leaves of beetroot can be eaten.
Bulbs
Flowers
Usually grow just below the surface of
the ground and produce a fleshy, leafy
shoot above ground. Bulbs usually
consist of layers, or clustered
segments.
The edible flowers of certain
vegetables.
Fruits
Vegetable fruit are fleshy and contain
seeds.
Fungi
When referring to vegetables, fungi
are commonly known as mushrooms.
Leaves
The edible leaves of plants.
Roots
Usually a long or round-shaped
taproot.
Seeds
(Legumes) apart from sweetcorn,
seeds grow in pods which is
sometimes eaten along with the seed.
The edible stalks of plants when the
stalk is the main part of the vegetable.
Vegetables which grow underground
on the root of a plant.
Stems
Tubers
e.g. fennel, garlic, leeks,
onions, shallots, spring onions
e.g. artichoke (globe),
cauliflower, broccoli, courgette
or other squash flowers,
e.g. bitter melon, capsicum,
chilli, courgette, cucumber,
eggplant, fuzzy melon, Indian
marrow, marrow, plantain,
pumpkin and squash, tomatillo,
tomato.
button white, Swiss brown,
cups (opened not flat), enoki,
oyster, Portabello (brown flat or
cup), shiitake, truffles - black
and white
bok choy, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, lettuce, pak choi,
radicchio, silver beet, sorrel,
spinach, tat soi, watercress,
witloof,.
beetroot, carrot, celeriac,
daikon, parsnip, radish, swede,
turnip
beans (green, French, butter,
snake), broad beans, peas,
snow peas, sweetcorn
asparagus, celery, kohlrabi
earth gems, Jerusalem
Some basic rules to remember
Green vegetables are cooked in boiling salted water with no lid on
Root vegetables are cooked in cold salted water with a lid on and brought to the boil.
Vegetables can be cooked in a variety of ways, e.g. stewing –ratatouille, braisingendive
Stir frying-pak choi deep frying- chipped potatoes.
steaming will retain the most nutrients
Vegetables can be finished with melted butter and chopped herbs, the butter should
be omitted for a healthier dish.