HMGT 1470 Ch. 16

6 factors responsible for most nutrient loss in veggies

-High temperatures -Long cooking; overcooking -Leaching; dissolving out -Alkalis; baking soda -Plant enzymes; active at warm temp, destroyed at high heat -Oxygen; browning, etc

3 vegetables that turn brown if cut surfaces are exposed

-Potato -Artichoke -Eggplant

Standards of quality in cooked veggies

-Color; bright natural colors -Appearance on plate; neat, whole, and uniformly cut -Texture; al dente -Flavor; full natural flavor and sweetness -Seasonings; light and appropriate -Sauces; butter/seasoned butter fresh and used lightly -Veggie combinations; flavors, colors, and shapes pleasing in combination

4 ways flavor loss can be controlled

-Cook as short at possible -Use boiling salted water -Use just enough water to cover food; increases cooking time, but too much leads to increased vitamin loss by leaching -Steam veggies when appropriate

When cooking green veggies, to protect their color follow these 3 steps

-Cooking uncovered to allow plant acids to escape -Cooking in small batches -Cooking for shortest time possible; tender crisp

11 general rules of veggie cookery

-Don't overcook -Cook as close to service, in small quantities -Avoid holding on steam table for long periods -Cooked ahead of time make sure undercook and shock with cold water, reheat at service time -Acid (alkalis) is green veggies enemy -Uniformly cut veggies -Start w/ boiling salted water for green and above ground veggies -Start w/ cold salted water for roots, tubers, and under ground veggies for more even cooking -Cook green and strong flavored veggies uncovered -To preserve red and white veggie color cook w/ acid -Don't mix old cooked veggies in steam table with newly cooked ones

How to store fresh veggies

-potato/onion/winter squash; dry, dark, 50-65 degrees F -other veggies in fridge -peel/cut need extra protection from drying/oxidation; cover or wrap

3 rules of handling canned veggies

-reject damaged cans; puffed/swollen indicate spoilage -know the drained weight; typical are 60-65% of total contents -check the grade; A, B, C, sieve size-size of individual pieces

4 rules of handling frozen veggies

-temperature -large ice crystals; bad -signs of leaking on carton; bad -freezer burn; bad

Red pigments are called _____.

Anthocyanins; red cabbage/beets, acids turn them brighter red, alkalis turn them blue/green

White pigments are called _____.

Anthoxanthins/flavonoids; white/pale yellow veggies, acid-stay same color, alkalis turn them yellow

_____ involves dividing the food into smaller batches and cooking them one at a time, as needed

Batch cooking

_____ involves partially cooking, chilling, and finish-cooking. (i.e. Chili's)

Blanch and chill; not as good nutritionally, but almost

Starting veggies in _____ water helps to retain nutrients

Boiling

_____ is/are the most stable pigment(s) b/c they are relatively unaffected by acids/alkalis.

Carotenoids; yellow/orange veggies, short cooking to prevent dull color and preserve vitamin/nutritions

Mushrooms include:

Clutivated, exotic: -shiitake -oyster -enoki -cremini -portobello Wild: -morel -bolete -chanterelle -black trumpet

_____ affects the texture, flavor, color, and nutrients of veggies.

Cooking

T/F: Veggies should never be salted until after cooking

False; can be salted during/before cooking as well

T/F: If veggies are not overcooked, no vitamins will be lost

False; nutrients are always being lost b/c of 3 reasons (heat, air, bs)

Fiber is made firm by ____ & ____, and softened by ____ & ____.

Firm; acid and sugar Soft; heat and alkalis Alkalis destroy vitamins and makes texture unpleasantly mushy/slippery in veggies

Veggies should not be soaked for long periods b/c prolonged soaking _____.

Leaches out the flavor and nutrients of the veggie.

_____ are compounds that give veggies their color.

Pigments; -Carotenoids; yellow/orange -Anthocyanins; red -Anthoxanthins/flavonoids; white/pale yellow -Chlorophyll; green

A _____ mushroom is a relative of the common cultivated button mushroom, but it grows to a large size with a broad, thick cap.

Porcini

When young, freshly harvested veggies mature or sit in storage, their _____ gradually changes to _____.

Sugars change to starch; -Younger veggies; sweet to taste -Older veggies; starchy to taste

If veggies must be cooked ahead of time, they must be _____.

Undercooked; previously shortly cooked, flashed with cold water and held until ready to be reheated and cooked to completion

Dried beans absorb their ____ in water.

Weight; you have to rehydrate the beans before eating them to make them edible again

Tender-fruited veggies include:

avocado, eggplant, sweet/hot peppers, tomato (all members of nightshade family except avocado)

Seeds and pods include:

beans, peas, corn, okra

Roots and tubers include:

beet, carrot, celery root, parsnip, radish, turnip, rutabaga, jerusalem, artichoke, sweet/potato, jicama

The cabbage family includes:

cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, bok choy (extremely good for you)

The gourd family include:

cucumber, winter/summer squashes, pumpkin, chayote

Stalks, stems, and shoots include:

globe artichoke, asparagus, celery, fennel, fiddlehead, ferns, bamboo shoots

The onion family includes:

onion, scallion, leek, garlic, shallot

Leafy greens include:

spinach, beet greens, lettuces, endive/chicory, swiss chard, sorrel, watercress, collards, kale, turnip greens (collards, kale, turnip greens also in cabbage family)