Culinary Foundations & Cooking Techniques Flashcards

A chef is preparing a hollandaise sauce and it begins to break. What is the most likely cause?

Answer: The emulsion overheated, causing the butter to separate

Hollandaise breaks most often when overheated, which destabilizes the egg yolk emulsion and separates the butterfat.

Which cooking method uses dry heat and involves cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat?

Answer: Sautéing

Sautéing is a dry-heat method that cooks food rapidly in a small amount of fat over relatively high heat.

What is the correct knife cut for a brunoise?

Answer: 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch cubes

A brunoise is a precise 1/8-inch cube, typically cut from a julienne.

During a braise, why is the main item first seared at high heat?

Answer: To develop flavor and color through the Maillard reaction

Searing develops deep flavor and color via the Maillard reaction; it does not actually seal in juices.

Which mother sauce is made by thickening milk with a white roux?

Answer: Béchamel

Béchamel is the mother sauce made from milk thickened with a white roux.

A chef needs to hold a delicate fish fillet at a gentle, consistent temperature in liquid between 160°F and 180°F. Which technique is this?

Answer: Poaching

Poaching cooks delicate foods gently in liquid held at approximately 160°F to 180°F.

What is the primary purpose of resting a roasted cut of meat before carving?

Answer: To allow juices to redistribute throughout the meat

Resting lets juices redistribute so less moisture is lost when the meat is carved.