Vegetables, Starches & Eggs Flashcards

What is a 'French omelette' and what technique is required to make it correctly?

Answer: A thin, pale, rolled egg preparation cooked quickly over medium-high heat without colour

A French omelette is a thin, rolled egg preparation cooked quickly without browning, requiring a hot pan, constant agitation, and swift technique to produce a pale, silky result.

What are the four basic cuts for vegetables used in professional kitchens?

Answer: Julienne, brunoise, small dice, and medium dice (with many more standard cuts recognized)

Professional kitchens use standardized vegetable cuts including julienne, brunoise, small/medium/large dice, chiffonade, paysanne, and others for consistency and even cooking.

What happens to chlorophyll (green pigment) in vegetables when they are overcooked in boiling water?

Answer: It converts to olive-green pheophytin as acid destroys the magnesium at the centre of the pigment molecule

Prolonged heat and acid convert bright green chlorophyll to dull olive-green pheophytin by displacing the central magnesium atom, causing the typical colour loss in overcooked greens.

What is the 'pilaf method' for cooking rice?

Answer: Sautéing rice in fat to coat the grains before adding measured hot stock and finishing in the oven

The pilaf method coats rice grains in fat by sautéing first, then adds a precise amount of hot stock and finishes covered in the oven for separate, fluffy grains.

What is the difference between 'glazing' and 'browning' vegetables?

Answer: Glazing cooks vegetables in butter, sugar, and stock until they are coated in a shiny sauce; browning uses dry heat to caramelize surfaces

Glazing slowly cooks vegetables (typically root vegetables) in butter, a pinch of sugar, and stock until the liquid reduces to a shiny coating, while browning uses dry heat to caramelize the surface.

What are 'spätzle' and in what context would a Canadian Red Seal cook prepare them?

Answer: Small soft egg noodles or dumplings made by pressing dough through a perforated surface into boiling water, served as a starch accompaniment

Spätzle are small, soft egg-based noodles or dumplings formed by pressing a thick batter through a perforated surface into boiling water, commonly served as a starch alongside braised meats in European-influenced menus.