Culinary Foundations & Cooking Techniques Flashcards

A cook's stock is cloudy after simmering. Which mistake most likely caused this?

Answer: The stock was boiled instead of gently simmered

Boiling emulsifies fat and impurities into the liquid, clouding the stock, while gentle simmering keeps it clear.

Which ratio correctly describes a classic mirepoix?

Answer: 50% onion, 25% carrot, 25% celery

A standard mirepoix is 2 parts onion to 1 part carrot and 1 part celery by weight.

What happens to green vegetables when they are cooked with acid in the cooking liquid?

Answer: Chlorophyll converts to pheophytin, turning them olive-drab

Acid converts chlorophyll to pheophytin, dulling green vegetables to an olive or army-green color.

Which technique describes cooking food slowly in fat at a low temperature, such as duck legs in duck fat?

Answer: Confit

Confit is the technique of slowly cooking food submerged in fat at low temperature, traditionally for preservation.

A velouté sauce made with chicken stock and finished with a liaison of egg yolks and cream becomes which classical sauce?

Answer: Allemande (or suprême-style enrichment)

A velouté enriched with an egg yolk and cream liaison is classically known as sauce allemande.

When deep-frying, food absorbs excess oil primarily when the oil is:

Answer: Below the proper frying temperature

Oil that is too cool fails to quickly seal the food's exterior, allowing excessive oil absorption and greasy results.

What is the purpose of tempering when adding a hot liquid to egg yolks?

Answer: To raise the yolks' temperature gradually and prevent curdling

Tempering gradually raises the temperature of the yolks so they do not scramble when combined with hot liquid.