415C Vegetable Cookery — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the standard knife cut known as a brunoise?
- Long, thin strips
- A 3 mm (1/8 inch) cube (Correct answer)
- A diagonal cut
- A large dice of 2 cm (3/4 inch)
Correct answer: A 3 mm (1/8 inch) cube
A brunoise is a precision knife cut producing 3 mm × 3 mm × 3 mm (1/8 inch) cubes. It is achieved by first cutting a fine julienne (3 mm × 3 mm × 5 cm), then cutting across the julienne at 3 mm intervals. It is used as a garnish for soups, sauces, and plated dishes.
Question 2: Why should green vegetables be cooked in a large volume of boiling salted water with the lid off?
- To cook them faster
- To maintain their bright green colour by diluting plant acids and allowing volatile acids to escape as steam (Correct answer)
- To add more salt flavour to the vegetables
- To prevent the water from boiling over
Correct answer: To maintain their bright green colour by diluting plant acids and allowing volatile acids to escape as steam
Cooking green vegetables in abundant boiling salted water with the lid off maintains their bright colour. The large volume of water dilutes plant acids that cause colour change, the boiling temperature quickly deactivates the enzyme chlorophyllase, and leaving the lid off allows volatile acids to escape as steam rather than condensing back into the water.
Question 3: What is the difference between a julienne and a chiffonade cut?
- Julienne is for hard vegetables; chiffonade is for soft fruits
- Julienne produces thin matchstick strips from firm vegetables; chiffonade produces thin ribbons by rolling and slicing leafy vegetables or herbs (Correct answer)
- They are the same cut with different names
- Julienne is diagonal; chiffonade is straight
Correct answer: Julienne produces thin matchstick strips from firm vegetables; chiffonade produces thin ribbons by rolling and slicing leafy vegetables or herbs
Julienne produces thin matchstick strips (3 mm × 3 mm × 5 cm) from firm vegetables like carrots or celery by squaring off the vegetable and making precise cuts. Chiffonade produces thin ribbons by stacking leafy herbs or vegetables (like basil or spinach), rolling them tightly, and slicing across the roll.
Question 4: What happens to root vegetables if they are started in boiling water instead of cold water?
- They cook more evenly
- The exterior overcooks and becomes mushy while the interior remains undercooked (Correct answer)
- They develop better flavour
- There is no difference in the result
Correct answer: The exterior overcooks and becomes mushy while the interior remains undercooked
Root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets) should be started in cold water because their dense structure requires gradual, even heat penetration. Starting in boiling water cooks the exterior too rapidly, resulting in a mushy outside while the centre remains raw or undercooked.
Question 5: What is the proper way to store fresh herbs to maximize their shelf life?
- Wrap tightly in plastic and freeze immediately
- Trim stems, place upright in a container of water (like flowers), cover loosely, and refrigerate — or wrap in a damp paper towel in a perforated bag (Correct answer)
- Leave them at room temperature on the counter
- Submerge completely in water in a sealed container
Correct answer: Trim stems, place upright in a container of water (like flowers), cover loosely, and refrigerate — or wrap in a damp paper towel in a perforated bag
Tender herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil) last longest when stems are trimmed and placed in a container of water, covered loosely with a plastic bag, and refrigerated (except basil, which prefers room temperature). Alternatively, wrapping in a damp paper towel inside a partially open bag keeps them hydrated without excess moisture.
Question 6: What is glacer à brun (glazing) as applied to root vegetables?
- Coating vegetables in chocolate
- Cooking tourné-cut vegetables in a small amount of stock, butter, and sugar until the liquid reduces to a glossy coating (Correct answer)
- Freezing vegetables in a sugar syrup
- Dipping vegetables in a clear aspic
Correct answer: Cooking tourné-cut vegetables in a small amount of stock, butter, and sugar until the liquid reduces to a glossy coating
Glazing (glacer) root vegetables involves cooking evenly cut vegetables (often tourné-shaped) in a small amount of stock, butter, and sugar. As the liquid reduces and evaporates, it forms a glossy, caramelized coating on the vegetables. Brown glazing (glacer à brun) allows the sugar to caramelize for deeper colour and flavour.
415C Vegetable Cookery
What is the standard knife cut known as a brunoise?