Chinese cuisine: scallions, ginger and garlic.
French cuisine: a mirepoix of celery, onion and carrots.
Greek cuisine: lemon juice, olive oil and oregano.
Indian cuisine: Garlic, ginger and onion.
Italian cuisine: soffritto, or a base of sauteed carrots, onion and celery, essentially the same ingredients as that of mirepoix.
Japanese cuisine: Dashi, mirin and shoyu.
Korean cuisine: Doenjang (fermented soybean paste), gochujang (hot pepper paste), and ganjang (soy sauce).
Mexican cuisine: The combination of three types of dried chili peppers — ancho, pasilla, and guajillo.
Spanish cuisine: Sofrito, a sauteed base of garlic, onion and tomato cooked in olive oil.
Thai cuisine: galangal (Thai ginger), kaffir lime (leaves and rind) and lemon grass
Showing posts with label Cooking school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking school. Show all posts
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Summer camp in a San Francisco culinary school - Flour
Plain flour
Flour that does not have a leavening agent (typically baking powder) is called all-purpose or plain flour. Cookies are usually prepared using this type of flour.
Self-rising flour
Leavening agents are used with some flours to produce lighter and softer baked products by embedding small gas bubbles. Self-raising (or self-rising) flour is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents. and typically composed of the following ratio:
- 1 cup (100 g) flour
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- a pinch to ½ teaspoon (1 g or less) salt
Wheat flour
Wheat varieties are called "clean," "white," or "brown" or "strong" if they have high gluten content, and they are called "soft" or "weak" flour if gluten content is low.
Buckwheat flour is used as an ingredient in many pancakes in the United States. In Japan, it is used to make a popular noodle called soba.
Glutinous rice flour or sticky rice flour, used in east and southeast Asian cuisines for making tangyuan, etc.
Difference Between Baking Soda & Baking Powder
Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to 'rise'. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.
When a recipe contains baking powder and baking soda, the baking powder does most of the leavening. The baking soda is added to neutralize the acids in the recipe plus to add tenderness and some leavening.
Flour that does not have a leavening agent (typically baking powder) is called all-purpose or plain flour. Cookies are usually prepared using this type of flour.
Self-rising flour
Leavening agents are used with some flours to produce lighter and softer baked products by embedding small gas bubbles. Self-raising (or self-rising) flour is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents. and typically composed of the following ratio:
- 1 cup (100 g) flour
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- a pinch to ½ teaspoon (1 g or less) salt
Wheat flour
Wheat varieties are called "clean," "white," or "brown" or "strong" if they have high gluten content, and they are called "soft" or "weak" flour if gluten content is low.
Buckwheat flour is used as an ingredient in many pancakes in the United States. In Japan, it is used to make a popular noodle called soba.
Glutinous rice flour or sticky rice flour, used in east and southeast Asian cuisines for making tangyuan, etc.
Difference Between Baking Soda & Baking Powder
Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to 'rise'. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.
When a recipe contains baking powder and baking soda, the baking powder does most of the leavening. The baking soda is added to neutralize the acids in the recipe plus to add tenderness and some leavening.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Summer camp in a San Francisco culinary school - Herbs
Basil - a most delicious herb, especially teamed with tomatoes. (It also grows well near tomatoes.) It lends great flavour to meaty pasta sauces, chicken and vegetable dishes and salads. It is a major ingredient in pesto.
Bay leaves - used to flavour many meat and fish dishes and are a component of the traditional French seasoning bouquet garni (along with thyme, parsley and marjoram). Dried leaves are most commonly used.
Ground roasted cumin seed - a vital ingredient in many curry powders and curry dishes. It is used in Mediterranean, Arabian, Indian and Mexican cuisine. It is especially good in beef curries and in lentil and bean dishes. The flavour also enhances vegetables such as zucchini and eggplant. It is often used to flavour pickled vegetables. The flavour is very strong, so use judiciously.
Dill leaves - particularly flavoursome in fish and potato recipes. The seeds are traditionally used with cucumbers to make dill pickles.
Fennel - traditionally used as a flavouring for fish and dried fennel stalks are sometimes used to grill fish. The leaves are used as a garnish and to flavour stuffings. The seeds are used to flavour savoury dishes and are baked into cakes and breads and added to fruit pies.
Lemon Grass - especially used in Thai food. The bottom of the leaves is thick and fleshy and adds a tangy flavour to curries and stir-fries. The new leaves can be chopped and used to flavour chicken and seafood dishes in particular, or infused as a tea.
Spearmint - a popular flavouring for sauces and dressings and mint jelly is a traditional accompaniment to lamb. Peas and potato dishes are often flavoured with mint. Native Mint can be used with the traditional foods that mint often accompanies, but it is much stronger in flavour and has a peppery taste as well. It complements lamb and veal dishes, is flavoursome addition to potato salad, can be used to make mint sauce and, used with discretion, can add unusual flavours to jellies and desserts.
Oregano - can be used in Mediterranean foods such as pizzas, lasagne, pesto and pasta. It is also excellent in salsa, eggplant dishes, vegetable strudel and herb breads.
Parsley - its appealing flavour makes it a component of both the traditional fines herbes and bouquet garni flavourings of French cooking. It is a favourite flavouring for egg dishes, vegetable dishes, pastas and soups and it is a traditional garnish.
Rosemary - has a very pungent flavour and it should be used with discretion. It is a traditional flavouring for lamb dishes, but is used with most other meats and fish as well. It is an important component in most combinations of mixed herbs and is invaluable in the stuffing for the Christmas turkey.
Saffron - has been prized since ancient times in the Mediterranean and also in India and other parts of Asia where it adds a unique flavour to cuisine, especially seafood and rice-based dishes. It is also used to colour food.
Sage - has a strong flavour and should be used judiciously. It is traditionally used in stuffings for meats, especially pork and poultry, but is also used in a range of vegetable, fish and cheese dishes. It complements onion well.
Star Anise - used in Chinese and northern Vietnamese cooking and is one of the ingredients in five-spice powder. It can be used as a substitute for anise and is frequently used to flavour liqueurs such as Pernod. It is also used to give an aniseed flavour to confectionary.
Tarragon - especially delicious in seafood dishes and is also suited for use in chicken, turkey and egg recipes. It is often used in salad dressings and sauces.
Thyme - a favourite culinary herb and is one of the ingredients in the traditional French bouquet garni along with marjoram, parsley, and bay leaf. It imparts excellent flavour to all kinds of red meat dishes, soups, sauces and vegetable dishes and is a favourite ingredient in stuffings for poultry.
Turmeric - essential ingredient in many curry seasonings. The flavour is warm and slightly bitter and it is very aromatic. Apart from curries, it is used in egg, rice and fish dishes, sauces, mustards and pickles.
Bay leaves - used to flavour many meat and fish dishes and are a component of the traditional French seasoning bouquet garni (along with thyme, parsley and marjoram). Dried leaves are most commonly used.
Ground roasted cumin seed - a vital ingredient in many curry powders and curry dishes. It is used in Mediterranean, Arabian, Indian and Mexican cuisine. It is especially good in beef curries and in lentil and bean dishes. The flavour also enhances vegetables such as zucchini and eggplant. It is often used to flavour pickled vegetables. The flavour is very strong, so use judiciously.
Dill leaves - particularly flavoursome in fish and potato recipes. The seeds are traditionally used with cucumbers to make dill pickles.
Fennel - traditionally used as a flavouring for fish and dried fennel stalks are sometimes used to grill fish. The leaves are used as a garnish and to flavour stuffings. The seeds are used to flavour savoury dishes and are baked into cakes and breads and added to fruit pies.
Lemon Grass - especially used in Thai food. The bottom of the leaves is thick and fleshy and adds a tangy flavour to curries and stir-fries. The new leaves can be chopped and used to flavour chicken and seafood dishes in particular, or infused as a tea.
Spearmint - a popular flavouring for sauces and dressings and mint jelly is a traditional accompaniment to lamb. Peas and potato dishes are often flavoured with mint. Native Mint can be used with the traditional foods that mint often accompanies, but it is much stronger in flavour and has a peppery taste as well. It complements lamb and veal dishes, is flavoursome addition to potato salad, can be used to make mint sauce and, used with discretion, can add unusual flavours to jellies and desserts.
Oregano - can be used in Mediterranean foods such as pizzas, lasagne, pesto and pasta. It is also excellent in salsa, eggplant dishes, vegetable strudel and herb breads.
Parsley - its appealing flavour makes it a component of both the traditional fines herbes and bouquet garni flavourings of French cooking. It is a favourite flavouring for egg dishes, vegetable dishes, pastas and soups and it is a traditional garnish.
Rosemary - has a very pungent flavour and it should be used with discretion. It is a traditional flavouring for lamb dishes, but is used with most other meats and fish as well. It is an important component in most combinations of mixed herbs and is invaluable in the stuffing for the Christmas turkey.
Saffron - has been prized since ancient times in the Mediterranean and also in India and other parts of Asia where it adds a unique flavour to cuisine, especially seafood and rice-based dishes. It is also used to colour food.
Sage - has a strong flavour and should be used judiciously. It is traditionally used in stuffings for meats, especially pork and poultry, but is also used in a range of vegetable, fish and cheese dishes. It complements onion well.
Star Anise - used in Chinese and northern Vietnamese cooking and is one of the ingredients in five-spice powder. It can be used as a substitute for anise and is frequently used to flavour liqueurs such as Pernod. It is also used to give an aniseed flavour to confectionary.
Tarragon - especially delicious in seafood dishes and is also suited for use in chicken, turkey and egg recipes. It is often used in salad dressings and sauces.
Thyme - a favourite culinary herb and is one of the ingredients in the traditional French bouquet garni along with marjoram, parsley, and bay leaf. It imparts excellent flavour to all kinds of red meat dishes, soups, sauces and vegetable dishes and is a favourite ingredient in stuffings for poultry.
Turmeric - essential ingredient in many curry seasonings. The flavour is warm and slightly bitter and it is very aromatic. Apart from curries, it is used in egg, rice and fish dishes, sauces, mustards and pickles.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Summer camp in a San Francisco culinary school - Cheese
From the English
Hard: Cheddar cheese is a yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese originally made in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset. Cheddar, made in the classical way, tends to have a sharp, pungent flavour, often slightly earthy. Its texture is firm, with farmhouse traditional Cheddar being slightly crumble.
Semi-hard: Gloucester is a traditional, unpasteurised cheese which has been made in Gloucestershire, England, since the 16th century, at one time made only with the milk of once nearly-extinct Gloucester cattle.
From the Dutch
Mild: Edam is a Dutch cheese traditionally sold in spheres with a pale yellow interior and a coat of red paraffin wax. It is named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. Most "young" Edam cheese has a very mild flavor, is slightly salty or nutty, and has almost no smell when compared to other cheeses. As the cheese ages, its flavor sharpens, and it becomes firmer. It has a significantly lower fat content than many other traditional cheeses. Mild Edam goes well with fruit such as peaches, melons, apricots, and cherries. Aged Edam is often eaten with traditional "cheese fruits" like pears and apples. Like most cheeses, it is commonly eaten on crackers and bread.
Mild: Gouda is a yellow cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese is named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. Exported Gouda which has aged more has a pungent underlying bitterness, yet is still considerably creamier and sometimes discernible by a black paraffin wax coating. This strong tasting cheese is hard and often too brittle.
From the Swiss
Firm: Gruyère is a hard yellow cheese, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland. Gruyère is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming with age more assertive, earthy, and complex. When fully aged (five months to a year) it tends to have small holes and cracks which impart a slightly grainy mouthfeel. Gruyère is generally known as one of the finest cheeses for baking, having a distinctive but not overpowering taste. It is a good melting cheese, particularly suited for fondues, along with Vacherin and Emmental. It is also traditionally used in French onion soup, as well as in croque monsieur.
Firm: Emmental is a cheese originally comes from the Emme valley in the canton of Bern. Emmentaler is a yellow, medium-hard cheese. Failure to remove CO2 bubbles during production, due to inconsistent pressing, results in the large holes ("eyes") characteristic of this cheese.
From the Italian
Hard: Parmigiano-Reggiano (the same cheese manufactured elsewhere is referred to as Parmesan), is a hard granular cheese. The name Parmesan is used for cheeses imitating Parmigiano-Reggiano, with phrases such as Italian hard cheese adopted to skirt legal constraints. Uses of the cheese include being grated with a grater over pasta, stirred into soup and risotto, and eaten in chunks with balsamic vinegar. It is also a key ingredient in alfredo sauce and pesto.
From the French
Soft: Brie is a soft cows' cheese named after Brie, the French province from which it originated. It is pale in color with a slight greyish tinge under a rind of white mold; very soft and savoury with a hint of ammonia. The whitish moldy rind is typically eaten.
Hard: Cheddar cheese is a yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese originally made in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset. Cheddar, made in the classical way, tends to have a sharp, pungent flavour, often slightly earthy. Its texture is firm, with farmhouse traditional Cheddar being slightly crumble.
Semi-hard: Gloucester is a traditional, unpasteurised cheese which has been made in Gloucestershire, England, since the 16th century, at one time made only with the milk of once nearly-extinct Gloucester cattle.
From the Dutch
Mild: Edam is a Dutch cheese traditionally sold in spheres with a pale yellow interior and a coat of red paraffin wax. It is named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. Most "young" Edam cheese has a very mild flavor, is slightly salty or nutty, and has almost no smell when compared to other cheeses. As the cheese ages, its flavor sharpens, and it becomes firmer. It has a significantly lower fat content than many other traditional cheeses. Mild Edam goes well with fruit such as peaches, melons, apricots, and cherries. Aged Edam is often eaten with traditional "cheese fruits" like pears and apples. Like most cheeses, it is commonly eaten on crackers and bread.
Mild: Gouda is a yellow cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese is named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. Exported Gouda which has aged more has a pungent underlying bitterness, yet is still considerably creamier and sometimes discernible by a black paraffin wax coating. This strong tasting cheese is hard and often too brittle.
From the Swiss
Firm: Gruyère is a hard yellow cheese, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland. Gruyère is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming with age more assertive, earthy, and complex. When fully aged (five months to a year) it tends to have small holes and cracks which impart a slightly grainy mouthfeel. Gruyère is generally known as one of the finest cheeses for baking, having a distinctive but not overpowering taste. It is a good melting cheese, particularly suited for fondues, along with Vacherin and Emmental. It is also traditionally used in French onion soup, as well as in croque monsieur.
Firm: Emmental is a cheese originally comes from the Emme valley in the canton of Bern. Emmentaler is a yellow, medium-hard cheese. Failure to remove CO2 bubbles during production, due to inconsistent pressing, results in the large holes ("eyes") characteristic of this cheese.
From the Italian
Hard: Parmigiano-Reggiano (the same cheese manufactured elsewhere is referred to as Parmesan), is a hard granular cheese. The name Parmesan is used for cheeses imitating Parmigiano-Reggiano, with phrases such as Italian hard cheese adopted to skirt legal constraints. Uses of the cheese include being grated with a grater over pasta, stirred into soup and risotto, and eaten in chunks with balsamic vinegar. It is also a key ingredient in alfredo sauce and pesto.
From the French
Soft: Brie is a soft cows' cheese named after Brie, the French province from which it originated. It is pale in color with a slight greyish tinge under a rind of white mold; very soft and savoury with a hint of ammonia. The whitish moldy rind is typically eaten.
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