Chapter 8

C H A P T E R EIGHT

MISE EN PLACE

“ When you become a good cook,you become a good craftsman, first.
You repeat and repeat and repeat until your hands know how to move

”
without thinking about it.
– Jacques Pepin, French chef and Teacher (1935 – )

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel

After studying this unit 2

MISE EN PLACE
 You will be able to:
– Organize and plan your work more efficiently
– Understand basic flavoring techniques
– Prepare items needed prior to actual cooking
– Set up and use the standard breading
procedure


Mise en Place 3

MISE EN PLACE
French term, which literally means
“Everything in its place.”

Organize and plan your work.
Gather and prepare your ingredients.
Assemble your tools and equipment.


The Prep List 4

MISE EN PLACE
 A blueprint for how food production is going to be
achieved during the work day
 An overview of what needs to be done and how
long it will take to do it
 The order in which assignments should be
completed
 How each cook may interact with each other in the
kitchen


Writing a Prep List 5

MISE EN PLACE
 A prep list is not just a rewriting of recipes
 It is reading through recipes and composing a
written map of how to accomplish the tasks
necessary to prepare the recipes
 The first step in organizing your work is to read
and understand the recipes you will be using
 Once each item is identified and quantified, the
next step is to schedule your tasks through
prioritization


Selecting Tools and Equipment 6

MISE EN PLACE
 All tools, equipment and work surfaces must be
clean and sanitized
 Knives should be honed and sharpened
 Measuring devices should be checked for
accuracy periodically
 Ovens and cooking surfaces should be preheated,
as necessary
 Mixing bowls, saucepans and storage containers
should be the correct size for the task at hand


Selecting Tools and Equipment
(cont.) 7

MISE EN PLACE
 Serving plates, cookware, utensils, hand tools and
other necessary small wares should be gathered
and stored nearby
 Foods should be gathered and stored conveniently
at the proper temperature
 Expiration dates on foods should be checked
periodically for validity
 Sanitizing solution, hand towels, disposable gloves
and trash receptacles should be conveniently
located


Measuring and Preparing
Ingredients 8

MISE EN PLACE
 There are a number of steps and procedures
commonly used in Mise en Place discussed in this
chapter
– Weighing and measuring all ingredients
– Clarifying butter
– Toasting nuts and spices; making bread
crumbs
– Preparing bouquet garni and sachet
– Marinating meats and poultry; preparing rubs
and pastes
– Steeping dry ingredients


Using a Balance Scale 9

MISE EN PLACE
To use a balance scale
to weigh an ingredient,
place an empty container
on the left, then set a
counterbalance to that
container on the right;
use weights and the
sliding beam weight to
add an amount equal to
the amount of ingredient
needed


Balance Scale (cont.) 10

MISE EN PLACE
Place the ingredient on
the left side of the scale
until the two platforms
balance


Clarifying Butter 11

MISE EN PLACE
Slowly warm the butter
in a saucepan over low
heat without boiling or
agitation
As the butter melts,
milk solids rise to the top
as a foam and the water
sinks to the bottom
When the butter is
completely melted, skim
the milk solids from the
top


Clarifying Butter (cont.) 12

MISE EN PLACE
When all of the milk
solids have been
removed, ladle the
butterfat into a clean
saucepan, being careful
to leave the water in the
bottom of the pan
The clarified butter is
now ready to use


Toasting Nuts and Spices 13

MISE EN PLACE
 Toasting nuts and spices before using brings out
flavor
 Toast nuts or spices on the stovetop or in the oven
– Spread them in a single layer
– Watch so they do not burn
– Light color and fragrant aroma determines
doneness


Flavoring 14

MISE EN PLACE
 A bouquet garni and sachet are used to introduce
flavorings, seasonings and aromatics into stocks,
sauces, soups and stews
 Marinating is a process of soaking meat and
poultry in seasoned liquid to flavor and tenderize it
 Rubs are finely ground mixtures of dry herbs and
spices used to season meat and poultry


Bouquet Garni 15

MISE EN PLACE
A selection of herbs
(usually fresh) and
vegetables tied into a
bundle with twine; a
standard bouquet garni
consists of parsley
stems, celery, thyme,
leeks and carrots


Sachet 16

MISE EN PLACE
Made by tying
seasonings together in
cheesecloth; a standard
sachet consists of
peppercorns, bay leaves,
parsley stems, thyme,
cloves and, optionally,
garlic


Preparing to Cook 17

MISE EN PLACE
 Some procedures are done very close to cooking
time
– Breading and battering foods
– Blanching and parboiling foods


Setup for Standard Breading
Procedure 18

MISE EN PLACE

Standard Battering Procedure 19

MISE EN PLACE

Blanching and Parboiling 20

MISE EN PLACE
 Vegetables and other foods can be parcooked by
blanching or parboiling.
– Looses the peel, removes undesirable flavors,
softens firm foods, sets color, shortens final
cooking time
– Blanching shorter than parboiling
 Blanch or parboil foods then submerge them in ice
water to refresh.


Making an Ice Bath 21

MISE EN PLACE
 To ensure food safety,
cool hot foods quickly in
or over an ice bath to a
temperature below 41ºF
before storing in the
refrigerator.


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