Chapter 17 - Cooking vegetables. Now that you have studied the whys and wherefores of vegetable cooking, you should be able to proceed to actual preparation with a clear understanding of what you are doing. This chapter outlines briefly the basic methods of vegetable preparation. Successful performance of these methods relies on your knowledge of the principles we have discussed. | Chapter 17 Cooking Vegetables Chapter Objectives 1. Identify vegetables that are well suited to the different vegetable cooking methods. 2. Cook vegetables by boiling and steaming. 3. Cook vegetables by sautéing and pan-frying 4. Cook vegetables by braising. 5. Cook vegetables by baking. 6. Cook vegetables by broiling. 7. Cook vegetables by deep-frying. Boiling and Steaming Almost all vegetables can be cooked by boiling or steaming. These methods are easy, economical, and can be adapted to a great variety of preparations. Unless you are serving immediately, boiled or simmered vegetables are drained and cooled immediately with cold water. In some cases vegetables are only partially cooked and finished with another method of cooking. Steaming is becoming more and more widely used, and it may be the ideal way of cooking certain vegetables, like broccoli. Sautéing and Pan-Frying Remember the main differences between sautéing and pan-frying are the amount of fat used and the | Chapter 17 Cooking Vegetables Chapter Objectives 1. Identify vegetables that are well suited to the different vegetable cooking methods. 2. Cook vegetables by boiling and steaming. 3. Cook vegetables by sautéing and pan-frying 4. Cook vegetables by braising. 5. Cook vegetables by baking. 6. Cook vegetables by broiling. 7. Cook vegetables by deep-frying. Boiling and Steaming Almost all vegetables can be cooked by boiling or steaming. These methods are easy, economical, and can be adapted to a great variety of preparations. Unless you are serving immediately, boiled or simmered vegetables are drained and cooled immediately with cold water. In some cases vegetables are only partially cooked and finished with another method of cooking. Steaming is becoming more and more widely used, and it may be the ideal way of cooking certain vegetables, like broccoli. Sautéing and Pan-Frying Remember the main differences between sautéing and pan-frying are the amount of fat used and the cooking time In sautéing the vegetables are flipped or tossed over high heat With pan-frying the cooking time is longer and at a lower temperature. Both methods may be used as finish-cooking methods of blanched and precooked vegetables Stir-frying is a quick-cooking technique used in Asian cooking Braising Braising is a slow, moist-heat method of cooking, using a small amount of liquid Braised vegetables are not always cooked in fat before liquid is added Braising vegetables preparations tend to be more complex than boiled or steamed vegetables. The cooking times are longer. Baking When we discuss baking vegetables we refer to one of two ways: Cooking starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, winter squash, sweet potatoes from raw to finished. Other vegetables can be done this way (tomatoes, beets, eggplant, onions, and turnips) Finishing partially cooked vegetables in casseroles for two reasons: Slow, all-around heat allows the product to cook undisturbed. Dry heat produces .
