Fruits & Vegetables
Here’s a quick look at a different point
of view…
• Check out an MRI of fruits and vegetables
• http://ubersuper.com/mri-scans-of-fruits-andvegetables/
Winter Fruits
• Citrus
• Tropical
Spring Fruits
• Winter fruits are still available
• Summer fruits are starting to make an
appearance
Summer Fruits
• Berries
– highly perishable and fragile
• Stone Fruit
– AKA drupes because they have a central pit enclosing a
single seed.
• Melons
– categorized into two groups: sweet melons and
watermelons
– Sweet = rough, netted skin and a soft fleshy interior.
– Watermelon = larger in size and have a smooth, thick
green skin and light, crisp texture.
• Grapes
Stone Fruit
Fall Fruits
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Apples
Pears
Grapes (still available in early Fall)
Cranberries (Thanksgiving)
Persimmons
Vegetables
• Fall/Winter
– Mushrooms, roots, squash, hearty greens
• Spring/Summer
– Onions, radishes, peas, lettuces, peppers
Vegetables are categorized differently…
Flower Vegetables
Fruit Vegetables
Fruit Vegetables ~Squash
• Summer Squash
– Zucchini
– Yellow Crookneck Squash
– Cucumbers
• Winter Squash
– Hard Shell Variety (Fall/Winter)
Leafy Vegetables
Seed Vegetables
Root & Tuber Vegetables
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Beets
Carrots
Radishes
Turnips & Rutabagas
Potatoes
• Onion: Common bulb, scallion, leek…
Onion Family (Bulbs)
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Red, yellow, white & sweet
Shallots
Garlic
Leeks
Scallions (Green onions)
Chives
Stem Vegetables
The Fungus Among Us
http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/mhma/edibles
• Always Purchase Wild Mushrooms from
Reputable sources!
• White (Button) Mushroom
• Crimini & Portobello (crimini is the baby)
• Shiitake
~ Beech
• Enoki
~ Morel
• Oyster
~ Trumpet
• Lobster
~ Truffle
USDA Grading For Produce
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U.S. Extra Fancy = $$$$$
U.S. Fancy = $$$$
U.S. No. 1 = $$$
U.S. No. 2 = $$
U.S. No. 3 = $
• Fruits are graded before shipping, but temperature and handling can
affect their quality when they are received.
• Grading of fresh vegetables is voluntary
– the major grade is U.S. No. 1.
• Lower graded items can be used in dishes where appearance is not
a factor.
Wash your Produce!
• Some Produce is grown directly on the ground, in the
dirt (& dirt contains…?)
• Regardless of where the produce is grown it can have
pesticides (chemicals) on it
• Even if it is pesticide free, it has been picked,
packaged, un-packed, placed out for selling, picked
through by shoppers… That’s a lot of hands!!
• However, don’t wash fresh produce with soap or
detergent. The produce can absorb the detergent and
make you sick. In addition, the detergent may react
with any pesticides and waxes on the produce, forming
a combination that could be very harmful.
A couple more things about washing
your produce…
• even if you’re going to peel it, washing helps
prevent chemicals and dirt from being
transferred to the edible parts.
• Scrub thick-skinned produce,
such as squash, and items that might
have a lot of dirt, such as potatoes, with a
thick brush.
Cooking Fruits & Vegetables
• Grilling/Broiling
– To cook by direct (HOT) heat over coals, gas flames
or directly beneath the element.
– Must be done quickly to avoid breaking down the
fruit’s structure.
– Caramelizes the natural
sugars.
– Vegetables are great when
marinated before grilling.
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• Poaching (Typically Fruit)
– To cook in liquid below a simmer (around 180)
– Peel & Seed the fruit.
– Heat in poaching liquid just below a simmer.
– Cook until just tender & cool in liquid or serve
immediately.
– The poaching liquid should be flavored & can be
reduced after the fruit is cooked & used as a sauce
for the dish.
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• Sautéing & Stir-frying
– To brown (caramelize) or cook in a small amount
of fat on medium high heat & constantly moving.
– Fruits should be peeled, cored or seeded, and cut
into uniform sizes.
– Most fruits can easily be sautéed.
• Bananas Foster is the most popular sautéed fruit
recipe.
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• Sautéing & Stir-frying
– Gives vegetables a crisp texture.
– “Finishing in butter” involves Stirring in butter, off
the heat, after the vegetables have been cooked.
– Glazing is a finishing technique in which a small
amount of honey, sugar, or maple sugar is added
to the fruit or vegetable, coating it and giving it a
sheen as it reheats.
Cooking Fruits & Vegetables
• Fruit Sauces (AKA Coulis or Puree)
– Puree = to turn food into a smooth, thick semiliquid by putting through strainer or in a blender
or food processor after cooking.
– Coulis are common as dessert sauces & typically
made with berries.
– Coulis can also be added to vinaigrettes
(fruits or vegetables)
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• Boiling
– To cook in liquid at 212* where bubbles rise &
break at the surface.
– Boiling takes away a lot of the nutrients in
vegetables so avoid it whenever possible.
– Dried beans & legumes and root vegetables are
best when boiled.
• Both dried beans & potatoes need to be added to cold
water & brought up to a boil with the water.
Cooking Fruits & Vegetables
• Roasting
– To cook uncovered in an oven.
– Both fruits & vegetables can be roasted.
• Apples, Pineapple, Pears, Root Vegetables, Squash
– They are left whole or cut into large pieces, with
no additional liquid added.
– Those with thick skins are most suited for roasting
since it protects the interior
from drying or scorching.
Cooking Fruits & Vegetables
• Steaming
– To cook food with steam by placing it in a basket
or rack over, but not in, boiling water.
– Steaming is the best method for retaining vitamins
and minerals because they are cooked gently in a
vapor bath, not in direct contact with water.
– Any vegetable can be steamed
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• Frying
Pan/Shallow
Deep
– Pan-fried vegetables are often coated with breading
or batter.
– Potatoes aren’t coated with anything, they’re just cut
& fried. (Chips & Fries)
– Tempura is a Japanese cooking term in which
vegetables or seafood are coated with
a light batter and deep fried.
– Nothing Healthy about fried anything, but YUM!
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• Stewing & Braising
• To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid in a tightly
covered pan in the oven or on the stove top.
• Vegetable stews and braises are good ways to
retain the vitamins and minerals that are
transferred to the cooking liquid because the liquid
is served as part of the dish.
• Stewed vegetables are cut into small pieces.
• Braised vegetables are cut in large pieces or left whole.
Cooking Fruits &
Vegetables
• How Tender?
1. Al Dente!
2. The cooked vegetable or fruit should resemble
the natural characteristics of its raw state.
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A little bit of crunch, structure & bright color.
3. The quality standard for a particular cooking
method. (Sauté vs. Stew)
4. Regional and local preferences.