Advanced Techniques & Methods Flashcards

Which cooking method involves searing meat at high heat and then finishing it in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid?

Answer: Braising

Braising uses a combination of dry and moist heat — searing first for color, then slow cooking in a small amount of liquid in a covered vessel.

What does 'deglaze' mean in professional cooking?

Answer: To add liquid to a hot pan to dissolve browned bits

Deglazing involves adding liquid to a hot pan to dissolve the fond (browned bits), which adds flavor to sauces and pan drippings.

In pastry preparation, what is the purpose of 'blind baking' a pie shell?

Answer: To brown the crust without filling to prevent sogginess

Blind baking pre-cooks an unfilled pastry shell to set its structure and prevent sogginess when wet fillings are added later.

Which technique is used to create clear consommé from a cloudy stock?

Answer: Using a clarification raft with a clearmeat mixture

Consommé is clarified using a clearmeat raft (ground meat, vegetables, egg whites) that traps impurities as it rises and coagulates.

A cook is preparing a beurre blanc sauce. Which error would most likely cause the emulsion to break?

Answer: Adding cold butter too quickly without reducing heat

Adding cold butter too quickly to an overly hot base causes the fat to separate before it can emulsify, breaking the sauce.

What is the function of an 'ice bath' when used immediately after blanching green vegetables?

Answer: To shock and halt cooking, preserving color and texture

Shocking in ice water immediately stops carryover cooking and fixes the chlorophyll, preserving the bright green color and crisp texture.

In garde manger, what is a 'terrine' in its most traditional definition?

Answer: A molded, forcemeat-based preparation cooked in a loaf-shaped mold

A terrine is a forcemeat (ground or emulsified meat mixture) cooked in a loaf-shaped mold, served sliced as a cold preparation.