Unit 12: Produce

vegetables

Comprised of the roots, tubers, stems, leaves, seeds, stalks, seedpods, and flower heads

cooking greens

Cooking greens are edible leaves of a variety of plants; Too fibrous to eat without cooking Can be steamed, sautéed, wilted, braised; Trim/wash by submerging then lifting them out of cold water and straining; You may have to repeat this as they are sandy; Even prewashed greens should be washed

stone fruits

Fruits include peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries Sold canned, frozen, fresh, dried; When buying, select plump fruit with no bruises or soft spots, and store refrigerated with no strong odors around

shoots and stalks

Globe artichokes, asparagus, celery, fennel, and fiddleheads (ostrich fern); Look for firm, fleshy, full stalks with no browning; Tips closed; Store under refrigeration; Rinse and cut before using

starchy potatoes

Have less moisture, more starch: These are baking potatoes; Flesh is easy to bake or mash; Desirable for puréeing and baking; Good for frying as they brown fast and will not absorb grease Will absorb moisture (starch cells), which makes them perfect for casseroles

cabbage

*blank* family includes red, green, Savoy, cauliflower, kale, turnips; Available all year long, keeps well, inexpensive and popular; Many applications, from soups to stir fry to braised and glazed

tomatoes

Hundreds of varieties; Different sizes, colors, acid contents, amount of flesh, texture, shapes, and uses Look for shiny skin, bright color; Firm, pliable feel, tight skin; Avoid bruised and soft tomatoes with soft spots; Store at room temperature unless very ripe

moderate-moisture potatoes

All-purpose potatoes; Include Maine potatoes, Chef's potatoes, and all-purpose potatoes; This variety also includes Yukons, Yellow Finns, some fingerlings; These tend to hold their shape; Good for steaming, boiling, and oven roasting, braised and stewed; Frequently used for salads

berries

Are available individually quick frozen, fresh, canned, frozen bulk, dried, pureed, and as syrups Spoil faster than most fresh produce; Purchase very close to service; Do not wash until immediately before use- berries will soak up water used in washing and cells will burst causing a mushy texture. Inspect for bugs/worms

herbs

Aromatic plants that add flavor to foods; Available dry, fresh, frozen; The stronger the aroma, the fresher the herbs; Look for good color, well-shaped leaves, no wilting or pest damage; Store loosely in plastic bags; Rinse and chop only when ready to use

grapes

Available all year long, keep well; Do not wash until use; Should be plump, juicy, no soft spots, keep refrigerated; Serve at room temperature; Can purchase seedless or with seeds, white (green), black, red

sweet potatoes and yams

In the U.S., "yam" is widely used to label an orange-fleshed variety of the sweet potato; Thin, smooth skins with tapered ends; Use the same cooking techniques as for high-moisture/low-starch potatoes True yams are starchier and drier than sweet potatoes; They have rough scaly skins, very blocky

high-moisture potatoes

Include new potatoes, and some fingerlings; Tender skin, cooked with skins on Naturally sweet, fresh flavor; best boiled, steamed, or oven roasted;

citrus

Keeps well, available all year long; Sold in many forms, most common are lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits; Sweet and juicy types are used for eating, bitter and very pungent used for preserves and juices (Seville oranges, lemons and limes); Select firm, heavy fruits with no soft spots

green leafy vegetables

Lettuce classified into several categories: leaf, romaine, butter head (Boston),crisp head In general, the darker, the stronger the flavor; Select lettuce with no bruised leaves or wilting, good color; Store well cooled, covered loosely with damp towels

hard shell squash

Members of the gourd family, hard inedible shell, keep a long time at cool temperatures Available all year long, best in fall and early winter; Flesh is orange to yellow; Seeds are often toasted and eaten; Purchase with blemish free and intact shell

tubers

Potatoes are the most popular and familiar; Jerusalem artichokes, jicama, sweet potatoes, and yams Connected to the root system; Select tubers that are firm and appropriate in size and color Store unpeeled, dark, cool and dry, with ventilation Potatoes: Size is indicated by A, B, and C, A being the largest; Young potatoes have more sugar and less starch; New potatoes are any potatoes harvested small, any color, labeled "new potatoes" and graded "C"; Avoid potatoes with green skin; cut it away

root vegetables

Rich is sugars, starches, vitamins, and minerals; Beets, kohlrabi, parsnips, turnips Check for soft spots and splits or moldy spots; Root end should be dry Trim leafy greens off as these draw moisture; Store under refrigeration

exotic and other fruits

Some of these are tropical, but the purchasing and storage is similar; Some are considered exotic (passion fruit); while others are very common (bananas); Included in the list that are used frequently in the U.S. are (list not exclusive) avocados, rhubarb, coconuts, figs, guavas, kiwifruit, carambolas (star fruit), mangoes, persimmons Many of the fruits we are using result from the rich, multicultural society of America—these are part of the wonderful ingredients or recipes that our fellow citizens have brought to our market basket

melons

Succulent and fragrant fruit of the gourd family; Buy with no soft spots, bruises, fractures, or flat spots. They should have a sweet aroma; Store in a cool dark area, refrigerated if they are cut Two major categories, musk and watermelons • Musk melons have a pocket of seeds in the middle • Watermelons have seeds spread throughout

bitter salad greens

Tender enough for salads but may be cooked by steaming, braising, grilling, or sautéeing Excellent to place on crispy entrees for a texture contrast

pod and seed vegetables

These include fresh legumes (peas, beans, and sprouts); Sugars turn to starch after picking, so use them quickly; Sugar snaps, snow peas, green beans, and wax beans should be picked when the pod is tender enough to eat. Pods should be crisp, have good color, and show no wilting

mushrooms

Thousands of varieties; Range in size, color, shape, and flavor; Cultivated mushrooms include portobello, whites, cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms; Wild include cèpes (porcini), chanterelles, morels, truffles; Select firm, no soft spots or blemishes, no breaks in the caps or stems; Keep refrigerated and dry; Wash when using immediately

peppers

Two basic types: sweet and chilies; Sweets are also known as bell peppers because of their shape All start out green, but ripen to red, yellow, orange; All are similar in flavor, the red being the sweetest To purchase, look for firm, heavy, bright, and glossy specimens with tight skin; Chiles are grown in various sizes and colors; Have varying degrees of capsaicin, which gives them their fire Caution: You must wear gloves while handling chilies; Wash all surfaces and tools after preparation Avoid touching sensitive areas of your body; Each of the varieties have distinctive flavors and lend themselves well to most cooking applications

onions

Two main categories: dry (cured) and green; Greens include ramps, scallions, leeks, chives Greens are edible in most (not leeks); Many applications, cold and hot; Dry onions include Spanish, Bermuda, pearls, shallots and garlic; Store dry in cool, dark places that are well ventilated Store greens refrigerated and covered; Select dried onions that are heavy and with tight-fitting skins

pears

Varieties may be round or bell shaped with a sweet spicy flavor; As they ripen, the stem end softens and the aroma intensifies; Once ripe, use them fast, keep refrigerated; Will brown when cut

soft-shell squash, cucumbers, and eggplants

Zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, and eggplants are all members of the gourd family; Picked or purchased when immature as the're most tender with small seeds; Can be entirely eaten and simmered, grilled, sautéed, baked, stuffed, in salads, marinated; Pick with bright colors and store in frig

consistency and speed

in cutting, *what* and *what* is impo.?

Product is usually fresher and cheaper; Supply is usually consistent Specialty (boutique/artisan) products easier to get; Heirloom products are a good marketing tool Local foragers can get the best local mushrooms and organic products; Be careful how you choose your forager; Organic products are in vogue now

local, seasonal, and artisan products

apples

offer a myriad of colors, textures, and flavors; Can be applied to appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts; They come dried, fresh, sauced, frozen, canned; Select firm apples with no bruising Different apples taste better during different seasons, so choose the best apple for the right season Keep in water with a little lemon or acid after preparation, or the Maillard reaction will occur

Most kept under refrigeration; Potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, and onions kept in a cool darker area, off the floor; Fruits that need ripening stored at room temperature Other fresh produce, kept at 40° to 45°F (4° to 7°C), under humidity of 80-90 percent Ideally, have a separate cooler for fruits and produce; Excess moisture will cause spoilage Trim the leafy tops as the tops will draw moisture; Apples, bananas, and melons produce ethylene that causes wilting in other produce; Onions, garlic, and lemons give off odors that affect other products

proper storage of produce

fruits

the ovary of a plant

• In cutting, consistency and speed is important • Calculate the timing • Check the service time • Think the job through • Assemble all tools, containers, waste area • Wash and trim before doing any cutting • Discard all the waste • Clean all tools and your hands before beginning again • Prepare for service and cooking

vegetable and fresh herb: list the steps for mise en place

freestone (pits remove easily) clingstone (have stones that cling)

what are the 2 types of stone fruits