CCC Culinary Foundations & Cooking Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cook's stock is cloudy after simmering. Which mistake most likely caused this?
- The stock was boiled instead of gently simmered (Correct answer)
- Bones were rinsed before use
- The mirepoix was added too late
- The stock was skimmed too frequently
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which ratio correctly describes a classic mirepoix?
- 50% onion, 25% carrot, 25% celery (Correct answer)
- 25% onion, 50% carrot, 25% celery
- Equal thirds of onion, carrot, and celery
- 50% carrot, 25% onion, 25% leek
Correct answer: 50% onion, 25% carrot, 25% celery
A standard mirepoix is 2 parts onion to 1 part carrot and 1 part celery by weight.
Question 3: What happens to green vegetables when they are cooked with acid in the cooking liquid?
- Chlorophyll converts to pheophytin, turning them olive-drab (Correct answer)
- The color intensifies to a brighter green
- They retain more vitamin C
- The cell walls firm up and stay crisp
Correct answer: Chlorophyll converts to pheophytin, turning them olive-drab
Acid converts chlorophyll to pheophytin, dulling green vegetables to an olive or army-green color.
Question 4: Which technique describes cooking food slowly in fat at a low temperature, such as duck legs in duck fat?
- Confit (Correct answer)
- Sous vide
- Deep-frying
- Barding
Correct answer: Confit
Confit is the technique of slowly cooking food submerged in fat at low temperature, traditionally for preservation.
Question 5: A velouté sauce made with chicken stock and finished with a liaison of egg yolks and cream becomes which classical sauce?
- Allemande (or suprême-style enrichment) (Correct answer)
- Espagnole
- Chasseur
- Robert
Correct answer: Allemande (or suprême-style enrichment)
A velouté enriched with an egg yolk and cream liaison is classically known as sauce allemande.
Question 6: When deep-frying, food absorbs excess oil primarily when the oil is:
- Below the proper frying temperature (Correct answer)
- Above the proper frying temperature
- Filtered too frequently
- Made from a blend of oils
Correct 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.
Question 7: What is the purpose of tempering when adding a hot liquid to egg yolks?
- To raise the yolks' temperature gradually and prevent curdling (Correct answer)
- To add air and increase volume
- To cool the liquid before combining
- To dissolve the sugar more quickly
Correct 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.
CCC Culinary Foundations & Cooking Techniques 3
A cook's stock is cloudy after simmering.
Which mistake most likely caused this?