Lorinda Bothma Homework - 28 February 2011 - Vegetables

Lorinda Bothma                      chef assignment          28 February 2011

1.     Classification of Vegetables

Vegetables are classified according to which part of the plant is eaten. Some vegetables may fall into more than one category when more than one part of the plant is eaten, e.g. both the roots and leaves of beetroot can be eaten

bulbs	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.	e.g. onion, shallot, garlic, spring onion, leek, fennel
flowers	The edible flowers of certain vegetables.	e.g. cauliflower, broccoli, gaai laan (Chinese sprouting broccoli), broccoflower, globe artichoke
fruits	Vegetable fruit are fleshy and contain seeds.	e.g. egg plant, capsicum, courgette, okra, pumpkin, tomato, choko, scallopini
fungi	When referring to vegetables, fungi are commonly known as mushrooms.	e.g. button, flats, shitake, oyster, gourmet brown, wood ear, enokitaki, truffle
leaves	The edible leaves of plants.	e.g. bok choy, cabbage, lettuce, silver beet, spinach, witloof, puha
roots	Usually a long or round-shaped taproot.	e.g. carrot, turnip, beetroot, swede, radish, parsnip, celeriac
seeds	Also know as legumes, seeds are usually obtained from pods. The pod is sometimes eaten along with the seed.	e.g. broad been, French bean, pea, snow pea, snake beans, butter beans
stems	The edible stalks of plants when the stalk is the main part of the vegetable.	e.g. asparagus, celery, kohlrabi
tubers	Vegetables which grow underground on the root of a plant.	e.g. potato, kumara, yam, taro, Jerusalem artichoke, Maori potato.

3. COLD STORAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Deterioration of fruits and vegetables during storage depends largely on temperature. One way to slow down this change and so increase the length of time fruits and vegetables can be stored, is by lowering the temperature to an appropriate level. It must be remembered that if the temperature is too low the produce will be damaged and also that as soon as the produce leaves the cold store, deterioration starts again and often at a faster rate.

Leaves:

·         Colour differs but mostly has a green, dark green or red colour

·         to remain crisp and fresher for longer it should be stored in a cold room

·         if a salad is prepared, it should be serves as soon as possible to insure quality when served

·         lettuce should be broken and not sliced to protect its cells and preserve the texture and colour

Seeds:

·         have a firm texture and mostly round or oval shape 

·         stored in a dry cool place

·         when preparing seeds, they should be left in water over night to expand and absorb the water

·         if the seeds are cooked they should not be stirred to much otherwise they will fall apart and mash

Roots:

·         has a hard crisp texture with a snap when broken

·         stored in a dry place

Tubers:

·         usually has a roundish shape and a earthy colour

·         stored in a dark dry place

·         when cooking with tubers use cold water and not hot

Bulbs:

·         Consist of layers or clustered segments.

·         Gets stored in a cool dry place

·         Has a firm shape

·         Sometimes covered in dried leafy parts

Flowers:

·         The edible flowers of certain vegetables.

·         Has different shapes, sizes and colours

·         Can be used in cooking or as garnishing

·         Store in proper container in fridge

Fruits:

·         Vegetable fruit are fleshy and contain seeds.

·         Consists of a variety of shapes and colours

·         Used in cooking or garnishing

·         Adds colour  and to a meal

·         Store in proper container in fridge

Stems and roots:

·         The edible stalks of plants when the stalk is the main part of the vegetable.

·         Usually a long or round-shaped taproot.

·         Stored in dry cool place or in a container in the fridge

4.Enzymatic browning

Enzymatic browning is a chemical process which occurs in fruits and vegetables by the enzyme polyphenoloxidase, which results in brown pigments. Enzymatic browning can be observed in fruits (apricots, pears, bananas, grapes), vegetables (potatoes, mushrooms, lettuce) and also in seafood (shrimps, spiny lobsters and crabs).
Enzymatic browning is detrimental to quality, particularly in post-harvest storage of fresh fruits, juices and some shellfish. Enzymatic browning may be responsible for up to 50% of all losses during fruit and vegetables production.

Prevention of enzymatic browning

The control of browning is one of the most important issues in thefood industry, as colour is a significant attribute of food which influences consumer decision and brown foods (especially fruits) are seen as spoiled.

These methods can be applied to avoid enzymatic browning, based on inactivating the enzyme (heat) or by removing essential components (most often oxygen) from the product.

Blanching

Blanching is a short heat treatment to destroy or inactivate enzymes before freezing of products (mainly vegetables). Enzyme activity may discolour or toughen vegetables during freezing, which results in quality loss. Blanching brightens the colour, softens the texture, but has little effect on nutrient content or flavour as it is a relatively short process.

Refrigeration

Refrigeration and chilling are used to prevent spoilage of vegetables and fruits during distribution and retailing. Chilling is applied often for broccoli, berries, spinach, peas, bananas, mangoes, avocados, tomatoes. At temperatures below 7 °C the polyphenoloxidase enzyme activity is inhibited, but the enzyme is not inactivated. Therefore the temperature should be well controlled.

Freezing

Like refrigeration, freezing inhibits, but not inactivates the enzyme. After thawing, the enzyme activity will resume.

Lower Ph balance

Lemon juice and other acids lower the pH and remove the copper cofactor necessary for the responsible enzymes to function

5.Vegetables with traces of starch

Rice Corn
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, winter squashes; such as pumpkin, butternut squash, acorn squash
Dried beans, peas, lentils beets, chestnuts

6.Classical vegetable cuts

Mirepoix: a selection of rough-cut vegetables (e.g., carrots, celery and onions). Most often used when making meat and vegetable stocks. Since the vegetables are used as a flavoring element, accurate size and shape are less important. Julienne: thinly sliced vegetable sticks, 2" to 3" long, and often 1/8" square or smaller. The julienne cut can be done with a sharp chef's knife or with a French mandoline outfitted with the 2mm or 4mm julienne attachment. Brunoise: an exact and fine dice, to 1/8" square or smaller. Begin with a julienne cut and create a fine cube dice by slicing the lengths with a chef's knife. Batons or Jardinières: matchstick lengths and thicker version of the julienne cut to about 1/4" square. The batons can be cut with a chef's knife or with a French mandoline equipped with the 7mm cutting blade. Turned vegetables à l'Anglaise: firm vegetables (e.g., potatoes or rutabaga) that are trimmed to a 2" long by 1" thick barrel shape. Benefit is even cooking and elegant presentation. Use a paring knife to sculpt sections of vegetable into matching shapes. Rubans: thin, long and broad slices, most often accomplished using a vegetable peeler or a French mandoline with the adjustable cutting blade set to the thinnest slice. Often used to add a decorative, elegant look to any salad or dish. Chiffonade: thin strips often used for herbs or any leafy vegetable. Stack the leaves and roll tightly to create a cigar shape, then slice across the roll to create fine ribbons. Makes a nice decorative garnish. Paysanne: vegetables cut into thin slices at the cross section. Root vegetables such as carrots lend themselves well to this cut. A medium-sized carrot is cut in half lengthwise then halved again into quarter lengths. Thin slicing across these lengths gives a suitable pie-shaped piece. Other paysanne shapes include squares, rough or perfect circles, and diamonds.

7.6different knives we use daily in the kitchen

Chef's knife:               Also known as a cook's knife or French knife.  the chef's knife is an all-purpose

knifeParing knife:      ideal for peeling and other small or intricate work

Bread knife:               Serrated knives are able to cut soft bread without crushing it;Carving: A carving knife is a large knife (between 20 cm and 38 cm (8 and 15 inches)) that is used to slice thin cuts of meat, including poultry, roasts, hams, and other large cooked meats.

Cleaver:                      A meat cleaver is a large, most-often rectangular knife that is used for splitting or "cleaving" meat and bone.

Boning knife: A boning knife is used to remove bones from cuts of meat.

8.  Safety procedures for maintaining and handling knives

·         Use the correct knife for  the  job

·         Knife must always be sharp and clean

·         Handles should be free from grease

·         The points must be held downward

·         Knives should be placed flat on the board or table

·         Wipe clean with the edge away from hands

·        Using a knife steel, also called a sharpening steel helps align the knife's edge so that it cuts smoothly and easily.  Sharpen at a 45˚ angle.

9. Correct procedure for cutting, slicing and chopping with a knife

·        Chopping an onion is one of the most common kitchen tasks. This illustrated tutorial shows how to chop an onion the fast, easy and safe way.

·          Get the correct cutting board (green)

·          Place your fingers correctly on the vegetable and hold firmly

·          Make sure the tips of your fingers face slightly inward and your thumb is behind your fingers

·          The palm of your hand will be lifted slightly

·          When slicing, move the blade forward pushing down slightly. 

·          Make sure your fingers stay in place

10. Cleaning procedures and chemicals

Steps

1. 1

Gather your cleaners: dish soap, kitchen cleanser, glass cleaner, vinegar, sanitizer, multi purpose cleaner, and baking soda.  All these chemicals makes cleaning much easier and faster.

2. 2

Gather your other supplies: broom, mop, yardstick, vacuum, bucket, clothes/rags, etc.

3. 3

Remove all non-kitchen items.

4. 4

Stow kitchen items in proper place.  Put all the dishes in the basin and add hot soapy water.  This will help to loosen all the tough and hardened stains.

5. 5

Clean the oven first so that any smoke or fumes are removed from the kitchen by the subsequent cleaning. (Spray the oven with oven cleaner and leave it a while to start working.  After a few minutes or over night, you can scrub the oven clean..)

6. 6

Dust the ceiling & ceiling fan

7. 7

Remove items from walls (Wash if necessary)

8. 8

Dust the walls (Scrub the walls, if necessary)

9. 9

Clean any windows inside and outside in the kitchen. Use window cleaner to get the best results.

10. 10

Wash off any kitchen cabinets with water and multi purpose cleaner. Don't forget to clean the handles while you clean. Rinse everything and dry it. If necessary clean the bottom of the cabinets.

11. 11

If cabinets are varnished, rub down with lemon oil polish.

12. 12

Clean the inside of the cabinets, relining the shelves with vinyl or a similar material that can be removed, wiped & replaced easily.

13. 13

Remove the dust from the kitchen appliances on the counter. Be very careful when cleaning an appliance like a dishwasher in chrome; don't use steel wool or any other sanding sponge that may scratch the material. Wash the appliance using ammonia & water. Rinse and dry it carefully to prevent any stripes. If it has a greasy film or build up, use vinegar on it, let it sit a few minutes & then scrub. Also place a cup of vinegar on the top rack of your dishwasher & run it empty. Run a pot of vinegar through the coffee maker as well.

14. 14

Clean the inside of the microwave by bringing a cup of water or a cup of vinegar to a boil & allowing to sit for half an hour before wiping out the inside.

15. 15

Clean the counter surfaces and tiles. If the tile grout is dirty, soak the grout in a mixture of water and baking soda for about 15 min, rinse and dry.  Tile cleaner and a mop can be used to clean the tiles.

16. 16

Clean the kitchen sink & pour 1/2 cup of baking soda & 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain, allowing it to sit for 5-10 minutes and then flushing it for several minutes by running cold water down it

17. 17

Clean the kitchen drawers, including any kitchen junk drawer. Discard anything that you have not needed in the past year.

18. 18

Pull out the refrigerator and dust or vacuum the coils. Run a cloth under the refrigerator, using the yardstick.

19. 19

Sweep or vacuum the kitchen floor, being sure to move furniture as needed in order to access all surfaces. Use dustpan to pick up trash.

20. 20

Mop the floor. Use mop of choice and a bucket filled with hot water and ammonia. (Never mix ammonia & bleach!) Dip mop into soapy water, squeeze out excess liquid from the mop, and wipe the floor. Repeat until the entire floor surface has been mopped. Use a squeegee to remove all the water and mop the floor dry. Allow to dry completely before re-entering kitchen. Wait until the floor is dry to place any furniture back.

21. 21

Empty the trashcan and wash it out. For a very dirty trashcan, let it soak for a while to clean it easier. Before you put in a bag you can lay a paper towel sheet or a newspaper at the bottom and sprinkle with some baking soda to keep the trashcan smelling fresher and to make it easier to clean in the future.

Warnings

• Keep all cleaning supplies and chemicals away from children, infants, or pets.
• NEVER MIX products that contain BLEACH with products that contain AMMONIA. The mixture results in a very poisonous gas.
• Never mix ANY cleaners together.
• Never cook and clean at the same time; poisons may contaminate food.
• Don't use bleach on dark or wooden floors.