415C Meat, Poultry & Seafood Cookery 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct fabrication term for cutting a chicken into 8 pieces?
- Spatchcocking
- Quartering
- Cutting into 8 pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts) (Correct answer)
- Frenching
Correct answer: Cutting into 8 pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts)
Cutting a chicken into 8 pieces yields 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 breast halves for versatile cooking applications.
Question 2: What does 'a la minute' mean in professional cooking?
- Cooking in exactly one minute
- Cooking each dish to order immediately before service (Correct answer)
- Pre-cooking and reheating to order
- Cooking a large batch in one session
Correct answer: Cooking each dish to order immediately before service
'À la minute' means cooking each dish individually to order at the time of service, ensuring maximum freshness and quality.
Question 3: Which shellfish must legally be purchased with a shellfish tag in Canada?
- Shrimp and lobster
- Oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops (bivalve molluscs) (Correct answer)
- Crab and crayfish
- All shellfish without exception
Correct answer: Oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops (bivalve molluscs)
Canadian regulations require bivalve molluscs (oysters, mussels, clams, scallops) to be accompanied by a shellfish tag for traceability to their harvest area.
Question 4: What is the 'Maillard reaction' in meat cookery?
- The breakdown of collagen into gelatin during long braising
- A chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that causes browning and flavour development at high heat (Correct answer)
- The process by which fat renders out of meat during cooking
- The enzymatic tenderization of meat during aging
Correct answer: A chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that causes browning and flavour development at high heat
The Maillard reaction is a chemical browning process between amino acids and reducing sugars that produces hundreds of flavour compounds at temperatures above ~140°C.
Question 5: What is 'dry aging' of beef?
- Freezing beef before cooking to improve tenderness
- Storing beef uncovered under controlled temperature and humidity for weeks to concentrate flavour and tenderize through enzymatic activity (Correct answer)
- Marinating beef in a dry spice rub for 24 hours
- Smoking beef at low temperatures until fully dehydrated
Correct answer: Storing beef uncovered under controlled temperature and humidity for weeks to concentrate flavour and tenderize through enzymatic activity
Dry aging stores beef in a controlled environment allowing surface moisture to evaporate and enzymes to break down muscle proteins, intensifying flavour and improving tenderness.
Question 6: What cooking method is best suited for a delicate white fish fillet like sole?
- Roasting at high heat for 30 minutes
- Pan-frying or poaching at gentle heat for a short time (Correct answer)
- Braising in red wine for 2 hours
- Grilling over direct high heat for 15 minutes
Correct answer: Pan-frying or poaching at gentle heat for a short time
Delicate white fish like sole require gentle, quick cooking such as pan-frying or poaching to prevent the fish from breaking apart and overcooking.
415C Meat, Poultry & Seafood Cookery 2
What is the correct fabrication term for cutting a chicken into 8 pieces?