5.1 Stock:
Stock is a liquid containing some of the soluble nutrients and flavours of food which are extracted by prolonged and gentle simmering (with the exception of fish stock, which requires only 20 minutes).
Such liquid is the foundation of soups, sauces and gravies. As stock is an important ingredients in various dishes; care should be taken in the preparation as follows:
· Unsound meat or bones and decaying vegetables will give stock an unpleasant flavour and cause it to deteriorate quickly.
· Scum should be removed; otherwise it will boil into the stock and spoil the colour and flavour.
· Fat should go be skimmed, otherwise the stock will taste greasy.
· Stock should always simmer gently, for it is allowed to boil quickly, it will evaporate and cloudy.
· It should not be allowed to go off the boil, otherwise, in hot weather, there is a danger of its going sour.
· Salt should not be added to stock.
· When making chicken stock, if raw bones are not available, then a boiling fowl can be used.
· If stock is to be kept, strain, reboil, cool quickly and place in the refrigerator.
Types of stocks:
White stocks: made from beef, mutton, veal or chicken, can be used in white soup, sauces or stews.
Brown stocks: made from beef, mutton, veal, chicken or games, can be used in brown soup, sauces, gravies and stews.
General proportions of ingredients and methods for all stocks
- Raw meaty bones 5 kg
- Water 10 litres
- Mirpoix(onion, carrot, celery, leek) .5 kg
- Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley) .5 kg
- Pepper corn 12 pcs
Method:
- Chop up all the bones, remove any fat or marrow.
- Place in a stock pot, add the cold water and bring to the boil.
- If the scum is dirty then blanch and wash off the bones; cover again with cold water and reboil.
- Skim, wipe round sides of the pot and simmer gently.
- Add the washed. Peeled, whole vegetables, boquet garni and pepper corns.
- Simmer 6-8 hours. Skim and strain.:
Brown stocks:
- Chop the bones and brown well on all sides either by
- Placing in a roasting tin in the oven, or
- Carefully browning in a little fat in a frying pan.
- Drain off any fat and place the bones in stock pot.
- Brown any sediment that may be in the bottom of the tray, deglaze with half litre of boiling water, simmer for a few minutes and add to the bones.
- Add the cold water, bring to the boil and skim.
- Wash, peel and roughly cut the vegetables, fry in a little fat until brown, strain and add to the bones.
- Add the bouquet garni and peppercorns.
- Simmer for 6-8 hours. Skim and strain.
Glazes:
Glazes are made by boiling steadily white or brown beef stock or fish stocks and allowing them to reduce to a sticky or gelatinous consistency. They are used to improve the flavour of a prepared sauce which may taste bland or be lacking in strength.
5.2 Sauce:
Sauce is a liquid which has been thickened by:
- Beurre manie (kneaded butter)
- Egg yolks
- Roux
- Cornflour, arrowroot or starch
- Blood
All sauces should be smooth, glossy in appearance, definite in taste and light in texture; the thickening medium should be used in moderation.
Roux:
A roux is a combination of fat and flour which are cooked together. There are three degrees to which a roux may be cooked, namely;
- White roux
- Blond roux
- Brown roux
A boiling liquid should never be added to a hot roux as the result may be lumpy. If allowed to stand for a time over a moderate heat a sauce made with a roux may become thin due to chemical change (dextrinisation) in the flour.
White roux: is used for white sauce and soups. Equal quantities of margarine or butter and flour are cooked together without colouring for a few minutes to a sandy texture.
Blond roux: is used for veloutes, tomato sauce and soups. Equal quantities of margarine, butter or vegetable oil and flour are cooked for a little longer than a white roux, but without colouring, to a sandy texture.
Brown roux: is used for brown sauce and soups. Use 200 g butter to 250 g flour per 4 litre of stock, cooked together slowly to a light-brown colour.
Béchamel Espagnole Veloute Hollandaise Tomato sauce Mayonnaise
White sauce (bechamel):
This is a basic white sauce made from milk and a white roux.
- Butter 400 g
- Flour 400 g
- Milk 4.5 litres
- Studded onion 1 no
Method
- Melt the butter in a thick bottomed pan
- Add flour and mix in.
- Cook for a few minutes over a gentle heat without colouring.
- Remove from the heat to cool the roux.
- Gradually add the warmed milk and stir till smooth.
- Add the onion studded with a clove.
- Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the onion, pass the sauce through a conical strainer.
- Cover with a film of butter to prevent a skin forming.
Derivatives of Béchamel sauce:
- Morney béchamel+ Parmesan and gruyere+ cream+ egg yolk
- Cream béchamel+ fresh cream+ butter.
- Parsley béchamel+ fresh cream+ chopped and blanched parsley.
- Anchovy béchamel+ anchovy essence and fillets+ cream+ butter+ lemon juice.
Brown sauce (espagnole):
- Oil 200 g
- Flour 240 g
- Tomato puree 100 g
- Brown stock 4 litres
- Carrot 400 g
- Onion 400 g
- Celery 200 g
Method:
- Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan.
- Add the flour; cook out slowly to a light brown colour, stirring frequently.
- Cool and mix in the tomato puree.
- Gradually mix in the boiling stock. Bring to the boil.
- Wash, peel and roughly cut the vegetables.
- Lightly brown in a little oil in a frying pan.
- Drain off the fat and add to the sauce.
- Simmer gently for 4-6 hours. Skim when necessary. Strain.
Derivatives of Espagnole sauce:
- Demi-glaze 50% brown stock+ 50% brown sauce reduce to half.olk.
- Chasseur minced mushroom, sautéed chopped shallots+ white wine
reduce+demi glaze+ butter+ chopped parsley.
- Bordelaise chopped shallots+ mignonette pepper+ thyme+ bay leaves+
Red wine.
- Robert chopped onion sautéed+ white wine+ vinegar+ pepper+ demi- glaze+ mustard to finish.
Veloute (chicken, veal, fish, mutton):
This is a basic white sauce made from white stock and a blond roux.
- Margarine,oil or butter 400 g
- Flour 400 g
- Stock (chicken, veal, 4.5 litres
- fish, mutton) as required.
Method:
- Melt the fat or oil in a thick-bottomed pan.
- Add the flour and mix well.
- Cook out to a sandy texture over gentle heat without colouring it.
- Allow the roux to cool.
- Gradually add the boiling stock.
- Stir until smooth and boiling.
- Allow to simmer for approximately 1 hour.
- Pass it through a fine conical strainer.
Note: a veloute sauce for chicken, veal or fish dishes is usually finished with cream and in some case, also egg yolk.
Derivatives of Veloute:
- Allemande chicken veloute+ egg yolks+ mushroom trimming+ cream+
Juice of lemon.
- Supreme chicken veloute+ white wine+ parsley+ shallots+ mushroom
Trimming. Add fresh cream+ yolk of eggs+ juice of lemon.
- Hongroise chicken veloute+ paprika+ white wine+ cream.
Tomato sauce:
- Margarine or butter 25 g
- Onion 125 g
- Carrot 125 g
- Celery 60 g
- Bay leaf 2
- Spring of thyme 3
- Bacon 25 g
- Flour 25 g
- Tomato puree 125 g
- Stock 1 litre
- Clove garlic 1
- Salt, pepper
Method:
- Melt the margarine or butter in a small sauteuse.
- Add the vegetables and herbs (mirepoix) and bacon and brown lightly.
- Mix in the flour and cook to a sandy texture. Allow to colour slightly.
- Mix in the tomato puree, allow to cool.
- Gradually add the boiling stock, stir to the boil.
- Add the garlic, season. Simmer for 1 hour.
- Correct the seasoning and cool.
- Pass through a fine conical strainer.
Derivatives of Tomato sauce:
- Barbeque tomato sauce+ ketchup+ vinegar+ sugar.
- Portugaise tomato sauce+ white wine+ tomato concasse+ garlic.
- Italienne tomato sauce+ demi-glaze+ chopped shallots+ mushroom+
Lean ham+ fine herbs.
Hollandaise:
- Crushed peppercorn 15
- Vinegar 2.5 tbsp
- Egg yolk 5
- Butter 500 g
- Salt, cayenne
Method:
- Place the peppercorn and vinegar in a small pan and reduce to one-third.
- Add 1 tbsp cold water, allow to cool.
- Mix in the yolks with a whisk.
- Return to a gentle heat and, whisking continuously, cook to a sabayon. (this is the cooking of the yolks to a thickened consistency, like cream, sufficient to show the mark of the whisk).
- Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Whisk in gradually the melted butter until thoroughly combined.
- Correct the seasoning. If reduction is not used, add a few drops of lemon juice.
- Pass through a muslin or conical strainer.
- The sauce should be kept at only a slightly warm temperature until served.
- Serve in a slightly warm sauceboat.
Derivatives of Hollandaise sauce:
- Mousseline hollandaise sauce mixed with stiffly whipped cream.
- Maltaise hollandaise sauce+ zest+ orange juice.
- Béarnaise hollandaise sauce+ chopped tarragon+ chervil.
Mayonnaise sauce:
This is a basic cold sauce and has a wide variety of uses, particularly in horsd’oeuvre dishes. It should always be available on any cold buffet.
- Egg yolk 2
- Vinegar 2 tsp
- Salt, white pepper
- Mustard .5 tsp
- Olive oil 250 ml
- Boiling water 1 tsp
Method:
- Place the yolks, vinegar and seasoning in a bowl and whisk well.
- Gradually pour on the oil very slowly, whisking continuously.
- Add the boiling water, whisking well.
- Correct the seasoning.
Derivatives of Mayonnaise sauce:
- Thousand island mayonnaise+ hard boiled egg+ ketchup+ tobasco+ vinegar+ vinegar+ oil+ red and green pimento+ parsley
- Cocktail mayonnaise+ ketchup+ Worcester sauce+ tobacco+ cream+
Lemon juice.
- Tarter sauce mayonnaise+ capers+ gherkins+ parsley.
5.3 Soups:
Soup is a liquid food consisting of meat, seafood, vegetables, cereals or poultry. They play an important role in menu, and are regarded as appetizers as they stimulate the appetite for the heavier foods to follow. On the menu, they are served as the first course, if horsd’oeuvres are not being served. If horsd’ouvre is served then soup is served as the second course.
Special points for the service and preparation of the soups:
- First-class, clean, strong and flavourful stocks should be used, as it would help in producing good quality soup.
- If there is a heavy entrée, the soup should be thin or light.
- If a heavy soup is served, the portion be small.
- The soups should not in any way be filling or consist of food particles that require much chewing.
- Garnish should be small and dainty, so that they can be picked up easily by a soup spoon.
- Soup should be always moderately seasoned.
- Serve hot soup piping hot and cold soup very cold.
- A little sugar should be added to tone the acidity of the soup, before mixing cream as it prevents curdling.
- Consommé should be amber in colour.
- Accompaniments of the soup should be of a crisp character.
- Entrée portion of one litre of soup yields five portions.
There is no set standard for the classification of soups, as there are virtually thousands of soup preparations. In order to learn about them easily, soups may be classified in the following manner.
SOUPS
Consommes Broths Puree Cream Veloutes Bisques Chowder
Bouillons
Thin Soup:
Most of the thin soups are clear, flavoured, nutritious liquids and are prepared without the use of starch. The soup is a thin liquid with garnish or with small, daintily cut food items floating in it. Some of the consommés are slightly thickened with tapioca.
Consommés: it came from the word ‘consummate’ meaning to bring to completion or perfection. It is a strongly flavoured, clarified soup.
Recipe for Consomme (one litre):
- Minced meat 225 gms
- Onion 70 gms
- Carrot 50 gms
- Stock 1.5 litres
- Egg white 2
- Celery 40 gms
- Thyme ¼ tsp
- Bay leaf ½
- Peppercorns 3
Method:
- Mix minced meat, chopped onion, carrot, celery with egg white.
- Add cold stock, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Place on fire, go on stirring so that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pan and articles are suspended.
- When the mixture starts boiling, lower the temperature and let it simmer until the coagulated mass (raft) comes to the top.
- Simmer for one and half hours.
- When consommé is clear and tasty, strain through a double muslin cloth. Add seasoning.
Bouillon and Broth: are terms that are interchangeable and practically mean the same. They are unpassed soup.
Bouillon comes from the word’ boil’. It has a more pronounced strong meaty flavour and is clear soup with pieces of vegetables, meat, seafood etc floating in the soup.
Broths are similar to bouillons but the liquid is a little cloudy and contains all types of vegetables, meat, chicken etc.
Thick soup:
They are passed thick soups and in this category are purees, cream, veloutes, bisques and chowders.
Puree:
Starchy vegetables such as leguminous plants, potatoes or cereals when pureed in soups, usually act as self-thickeners and need no further thickening ingredients. Many vegetables like carrot, pumpkins, turnips, peas, celery, leafy greens need additional thickening agents as their own purees do not cohere and so the above thickening agents are needed. The cooked soup is strained through a sieve and the consistency of the soup is thick. Water or stock in which the pureed product was cooked is usually used as the liquid in the soup. The soup is served with fried golden brown croutons. Eg puree of lentils, puree of peas etc.
Cream soup:
They are composed of a puree of vegetables, fish, poultry or meat thickened with béchamel sauce or given a cream finish. Milk is used to dilute and achieve correct consistency. Eg cream of tomato, cream of mushroom soup, cream of lentil soup etc
Veloute:
Veloutes as soups are similar to other veloutes, but differ from purees, as they require a thickening element and a roux. Veloute is made by preparing roux and adding stock and the pureed vegetables or meat and hot milk is blended in, to produce a smooth soup. Generally proportions for a veloute soup are half base veloute, ¼ puree, ¼ stock or white consommé used to dilute the mixture of puree and veloute to the correct consistency. Eg chicken veloute, celery veloute etc.
Bisques:
These are shellfish puree soup, thickened with rice or cream. It is a slightly thick rice cream type soup with small particles of cooked shellfish in it, to add flavour and colour. A small amount of wine is added to enhance the flavour. Eg crayfish bisque, lobster bisque etc.
Chowder:
They are thick heavy soup, owing their consistency to potato. Chowders consist of potato, onion, piece if bacon, various seasoning and seafood. They can be milk or tomato based. Crackers are generally added just before serving. Eg clam chowder, seafood chowder, oyster chowder etc.
Cold soup:
Chilled soups include those that are jellied by the natural gelatin in the meat stock or by addition of gelatin powder or those that are thickened with a starch or puree. Eg vichyssoise, Madrilene. Borscht etc.
International soups:
There are many varieties, cold or hot, thin or thick soups. They have been placed in a special category, as they have different origins. Eg minestrone, mulligatawany, cock-a-leekie etc.
5.4 Accompaniments and garnishes
Accompaniments are dishes such as sauces, salads or vegetables which are used to make a dishes complete. They add to the bulk of the dishes and give greater satisfaction, improve the satiety value and enhance the taste. Eg roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast pork with apple sauce, fish and chips with tartare sauce or tomato sauce etc.
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Food items Accompaniments
Grapefruit Castor sugar
Oyster Tobasco sauce, brown bread and butter, lemon
Caviar Hot butter breakfast toast.
Smoked salmon red pepper, pepper mil, brown bread and butter.
Puree soup Croutons
French onion soup French bread, Parmesan cheese
Minestrone Parmesan cheese
Fried fish Tartare sauce, lemon slice
Fish orly Tomato sauce
Grilled fish Tartare or Hollandaise Sauce
Fish meuniere Tomato sauce, Noisette butter
Roast beef Yorkshire pudding, horse-radish sauce, roast gravy
Roast lamb Mint sauce, roast gravy
Roast pork Sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce, roast gravy
Roast chicken bread sauce, roast gravy, roast potatoes
Roast duck Sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce, roast gravy
Roast turkey herb stuffing, chestnut stuffing, chipolatas,
Canberry sauce, roast gravy
Vegetables served hot hollandaise sauce, melted butter
Vegetables served cold mayonnaise or vinaigrette sauce
Garnish:
Garnishes can be defined as “food items placed around or on top of a principal dish for adornment or relish”.
There are two type of garnishes, simple and composite. Simple garnishes consist of a single element, eg tomato soup with croutons. Composite garnishes are made from number of ingredients, eg chicken Maryland with corn galettes, bacon rasher, banana fritters, potato croquette and grilled tomatoes.
Mushroom creamy soup
Shrimp bisque soup.
Fish chowder soup
Method Roast Sirloin of Beef
Place the beef, just as it is, upright in a roasting tin, tucking in the half onion alongside it. Combine the mustard powder and flour, then dust this all over the surface of the fat, and finally season with a few twists of freshly milled pepper. This floury surface will help to make the fat very crusty (for those like me who want to eat what I call the 'crispies'), while the onion will caramelise to give the gravy a rich colour and flavour.
Place the joint in the oven – it will have plenty of fat so don't add extra. After 20 minutes turn the heat down to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C), and continue to cook for 15 minutes per lb (450 g) for rare, plus 15 minutes extra for medium-rare or 30 minutes extra for well-done.
While cooking, baste the meat with the juices at least three times. To see if the beef is cooked to your liking insert a thin skewer and press out some juices: the red, pink or clear colour will indicate to what stage the beef has cooked.
Remove the cooked beef to a board for carving and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving (while it's resting you can increase the heat in the oven to finish the roast potatoes if you're serving them).
This resting period allows most of the juices which have bubbled up to the surface of the meat to seep back into it, and the meat itself firms up to make it easier to carve. Some of the juices will escape, though, and these should be poured into the gravy. Serve with Yorkshire Pudding and gravy.
Place the joint in the oven – it will have plenty of fat so don't add extra. After 20 minutes turn the heat down to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C), and continue to cook for 15 minutes per lb (450 g) for rare, plus 15 minutes extra for medium-rare or 30 minutes extra for well-done.
While cooking, baste the meat with the juices at least three times. To see if the beef is cooked to your liking insert a thin skewer and press out some juices: the red, pink or clear colour will indicate to what stage the beef has cooked.
Remove the cooked beef to a board for carving and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving (while it's resting you can increase the heat in the oven to finish the roast potatoes if you're serving them).
This resting period allows most of the juices which have bubbled up to the surface of the meat to seep back into it, and the meat itself firms up to make it easier to carve. Some of the juices will escape, though, and these should be poured into the gravy. Serve with Yorkshire Pudding and gravy.
Ingredients |
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 9, 475°F (240°C) |
