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 Differentiate varieties of rice and state applications for each
 Describe and methods of cooking pilaf rice and risotto methods
 Differentiate between waxy and starchy potato varieties and state
applications of each
 Properly method of cooking various potato
 Identify select varieties of grains and legumes and state appropriate method
of cooking for each
 List the proper method for cooking pasta
 Characteristics of green, red, yellow, and white vegetables
 Appropriate Method of cooking for each vegetable category
Learning Objectives

 Composition
Rice is the seed from a grass plant
Over 2,500 varieties
Amylose
Long, straight-chained starch
When cooled, the starch sets and hardens
Amylopectin
Smaller branched shaped starch
Does not harden when cooked and cooled
Rice Composition

Top row:
parboiled rice,
rice flour, cream
of rice
Second row:
Carnaroli rice,
Spanish rice,
Bhutanese rice
Third row:
long-grain rice,
long-grain brown
rice, wild rice
Fourth row:
Jasmine rice,
Popcorn rice,
Basmati rice
List of rice varieties

Long-Grain Medium-Grain Short-Grain
Dimensions
3 to 5 times longer
than wide
Shorter and
rounder than
long-grain
Only slightly
longer than it is
wide
Composition
High Amylose
Low Amylopectin
Equal amounts of
Amylose and
Amylopectin
Low Amylose
High Amylopectin
Finished
Product
Separate fluffy
grains
Individual grains
with discernable
creamy texture
Grains very
sticky and moist
Culinary
Applications
Pilafs, Paellas,
and Curries
Risottos
Sushi, Puddings,
Breakfast
cereals,
Casseroles
Examples
Basmati, Carolina,
Jasmine, Texmati
Arborio,
Carnaroli and
Vialone Nano
Glutinous, Sweet,
Sticky, Sushi
Rice Classification
Size = ration of how thick to how long

 Brown Rice
 Least processed
 Only the inedible outer hull is removed
 With germ and bran intact
 Most nutritious
 Provides fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins
 White Rice
 Outer husk, bran. and most of germ removed
 Polished with a wire brush, removing a layer of fat that
 would limit shelf-life
 Artificially fortified with vitamins
Rice Classification
Processing

 Converted or Parboiled Rice
Partially steamed, dried and milled, removing the outer
hull and bran
Process gelatinizes the starch
 Produces separate, fluffy grains
 Infuses some vitamins and minerals, creating a more nutritious white rice
 Instant or Pre-cooked rice
Milled completely
Cooked and dried
Only requires rehydration to serve

1. Sweat aromatics in fat or oil until
softened
2. Add grains and sauté, stirring frequently,
until well coated with fat
3. Heat liquid and add to grains; bring to a
simmer
4. Stir grains once or twice, cover, and finish
cooking in a moderate oven or over low
heat on stovetop
5. When done, remove pot from heat and
let pilaf rest, cover, for 5 minutes
6. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and adjust
seasonings
Rice Cookery
1. Pilaf Method

1. Sweat aromatics in fat or oil until softened
2. Add grains and sauté, stirring often, until
well coated with fat
3. Heat liquid and add to grains in 3 to 4
additions, stirring constantly over medium
heat; allow liquid to absorb in between
each addition
4. Stir constantly until entire amount of liquid
has been incorporated, and risotto is
creamy and thick
5. Vigorously stir in butter and grated cheese
or other finishing ingredients into risotto
over low heat until well blended
2. Risotto Method

Types
Moisture
Content
Starch Content
Starchy vs. Waxy
Cooking Method
Idaho or Russet Low
High
(mealy, low
sugar)
Bake, Purée, Fry
Chef's,
All-purpose,
Yukon Gold
Moderate Moderate
Boil, Sauté, Steam,
Roast, Braise,
Stew
New Potatoes High
Low
(waxy, high
sugar)
Boil, Steam,
Roast, Stew
Red Bliss Moderate Low Boil, Steam
Sweet Potatoes,
“Yams”
Moderate to
High
High
Boil, Bake, Purée,
Roast
Composition and Cooking Methods

 Enzymatic browning
Occurs after potatoes have been cut
Enzyme in the potato reacts with air - turns tissue brown or grey
Prevent by holding cut potatoes in water or acidulated water
 Solanine - Green discoloration
Poison found in potatoes
Can be removed by peeling under green skin
Potato Science

1. Sort through grains, removing dirt or debris
2. Rinse in cold water until water runs clear
3. Presoak whole, hard grains (i.e. whole barley, oat groats or
wheat berries) to soften and reduce cooking time
4. For most grains, bring water or stock to boil, then add the
grain
5. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until done -
grain will have a slight chewiness
6. Drain if needed
7. Fluff with fork but do not stir, otherwise starches will create a
pasty texture
Grain Preparation

Top row: quinoa
Second row:
teff, barley flour
Third row:
millet, amaranth,
kasha
Fourth row:
spelt, pearl
barley
List Wheat and Grain

Grain Grain: Liquid Ratio
(cups*)
Yield
(cups)
Cooking Time
(minutes)
Amaranth 1:1½-2 2 20-30
Barley, pearled 1:2 4 35-45
Barley, groats 1:2½ 4 50-60
Buckwheat groats
(Kasha)
1:1½-2 2 12-20
Couscous** 1:2 2 20-25
Hominy, whole*** 1:2½ 3 150-180
Hominy, grits 1:4 3 25
Millet 1:2 3 30-35
* From one cup of uncooked grain
** Grain should be soaked briefly in tepid water and then drained before it is steamed
*** Grain should be soaked overnight in cold water and then drained before it is cooked
Grain Cookery

Grain Grain:Liquid Ratio
(cups*)
Yield
(cups)
Cooking Time
(minutes)
Oat groats**** 1:2 2 45-60
Polenta/Cornmeal 1:3-3½ 3 35-45
Quinoa 1:1 2 15
Teff 1:3 3 15
Triticale 1:2½ 2½ 60
Wheat Berries**** 1:3 2 60
Bulgur Wheat, soft^^ 1:4 2 120
Bulgur Wheat, pilaf^^ 1:2½ 2 15-20
Cracked Wheat 1:2 3 20
Kamut 1:3 2½ 60
Spelt 1:3 2½ 60
**** Grain benefits from presoaking
^^ Grain may be cooked by covering it with boiling water and soaking it for 2 hours or cooking
it by the pilaf method

 The term legume, is derived from the Latin word legumen (with
the same meaning as the English term), which is in turn believed
to come from the verb legere "to gather." English borrowed the
term from the French "légume," which, however, has a wider
meaning in the modern language and refers to any kind of
vegetable; the English word legume being translated in French
by the word légumineuse.t grow in special fruits known as pods
 Legumes – pods
 Pulses – edible dried seeds within the pods
Legumes & Pulses

Top row: French
lentils, black lentil
red lentils
Second row:
brown lentils,
green split peas,
yellow split peas
Third row: rice
beans, canary
beans, Great
Northern beans
List of Legumes & Pulses

Top row:
garbanzo beans,
great Peruvian
beans, fava
beans
Second row:
black/turtle
beans, soybeans,
northern kidney
beans
Third row:
flageolets, pigeon
peas, cranberry
beans

 Short-Soak/Boil Method
Boil legumes for 3 minutes in a heavy-bottomed pot
Remove from heat and cover
Steep for 1 hour
 Soaking longer will neither hurt nor accelerate the process
Draining soaking water, at this point, will reduce hard to
digest sugars (ogliosarccharides) by about 80%
 Long-Soak Method
Soak beans for 4 hours or up to overnight
Long soak method does not remove the ogliosaccharides as
well as the short soak/boil method
Legume Preparation

1. Use soaking liquid or add fresh water, as desired
2. Cover legumes with liquid, 1 inch above beans, in a large
pot*
3. Gas-reducing remedies such as epazote, bay leaf, cumin,
fennel, kombu, or beano, may be added at this time
4. Bring beans to a boil for 15 minutes
5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed
and beans are tender
*Do not add salt, soy sauce, or sugars until beans are soft, as these make the skin
impermeable and liquid will not absorb; do not add acidic ingredients (i.e. tomatoes,
wine or lemon juice) until beans are tender - the acid will prevent beans from
softening
Legume Cookery

Top row:
fusilli, farfalle
Second row:
penne, shells,
radiatore
Third row:
orecchiette,
orzo, tubetti
Bottom row:
couscous,
Israeli
couscous,
acini de pepe

1. Pasta is cooked in boiling water until al dente, or firm to the tooth
2. Cooking times depend on whether pasta is dried or fresh, as well as size
and shape of pasta
3. Cook pasta in a large amount of boiling salted water, using a min. of 4 qt. of
water and 1 – 2 Tbsp. salt for every lb. of pasta
4. Stir occasionally to keep pieces separated
5. Cook al dente or a little less if pasta is being held - it should be slightly
chewy and firm but with no taste of raw flour
6. Drain; if pasta will not be used immediately: lightly coat with oil, spread in
a single layer on a sheet pan and refrigerate until completely cooled*
7. Transfer to a holding container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve
8. To serve reheat in simmering water
*Do not rinse in cold water, as that washes away starches which help sauce
Pasta Cookery

 Chlorophyll
 Pigment in green vegetables
 Fat soluble
 When cooked, vegetables release acid into cooking water
 5 – 7 minutes for acid to effect the color
 Will turn a drab, olive green
 To prevent discoloration
 Cut “stalkier” vegetables into smaller pieces for quicker
cooking
 Dilute acid by cooking in large quantities of water
 Cook uncovered so evaporated acids can escape
 Steam, so the acids are steadily cleansed away
Green Vegetables

Technique Reason
Cook in a large amount of water Dilutes acids
Salt the water Cooks slightly faster and adds flavor
Bring to a rolling boil Minimizes loss of Vitamin C
Keep uncovered Acids evaporate
Cook quickly Color lost after 5 – 7 minutes
Replace the cooking water after using
a few times
Acids will build up
Avoid aluminum, iron or tin Dulls color
Minimize holding time Retains color and structure
Green Vegetables cookery

 Edible leaves of certain plants
 Beet leaves, collard, dandelion, turnip, mustard, kohlrabi,
chard, amaranth, broccoli raab/rabe and kale
 Fibrous texture
 Cooking method
 Exception to rules of green vegetable cookery
 Prolonged cooking to tenderize and bring out flavor
 May be cooked in a covered pot
 Steamed, sautéed or braised
“Braising” Greens

Red Vegetables
 Red Pigments
 Anthocyanin
 Found in red-blue and violet colored vegetables
 Red cabbage
 Betalains
 Found in beets
 Water soluble
 Colors leach out into the cooking liquid
 To preserve the color
 Cook in little water
 Cook in acid
 (base will turn color blue/gray)
 Cook with a lid
 Cook beets unpeeled

Technique Reason
Cook in small amount of water Minimized loss of color
Keep covered Contains beneficial acids
Add acidic ingredients
(lemon juice, vinegar, wine)
Helps maintain color
Keep beets unpeeled and uncut Minimizes loss of color
Prepare and cook red cabbage in non-
reactive containers
Iron or aluminum will discolor
Red Vegetables Cookery

Yellow/Orange Vegetables
 Carotenoids and lycopene
 Pigments
 Red in tomatoes
 Orange of carrots
 Yellow of corn
 Relatively stable
 Less impacted by acidic or alkaline
 Fat soluble
 Tolerant of longer cooking methods

Technique Reason
Cook in water Minimizes loss of fat-soluble
pigments
Cook covered or uncovered Maintains color, unless too much
acid
Longer cooking methods Maintains color
Avoid overcooking Loses structure and color
Yellow/Orange Vegetables
Cookery

White Vegetables
 Anthoxanthin
 White flavonols pigment
 Water soluble
 Maintains better in acid
 Cauliflower, celeriac, cardoons, salsify, onions and potatoes
- Often cooked in blanc
- Water, flour, onion, lemon juice
- Adds flavor
- Preserves color

Technique Reason
Keep covered Contains beneficial acids
Add acidic ingredients Helps maintain color
Avoid too much acid Toughens
Avoid overcooking Loses color, creates undesirable
smell and taste
White Vegetables

Mushroom
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Portobello
A
fi
m

Oyster

Hen of the Wood

Shiitake

Crimini (crimino)

White button

Porcino (porcini)

Morel
Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible sac fungi closely related to
anatomically simpler cup fungi in the order Pezizales (division Ascomycota).
These distinctive fungi have a honeycomb appearance, due to the network
of ridges with pits composing their cap. Morels are prized by gourmet
cooks, particularly in French cuisine.

Truffles grow wild, underground, usually at the base of an oak
tree.
The black truffle or black Périgord truffle (Tuber
melanosporum), precious species, named after the Périgord
region in France and grows with / around oaks and hazelnut
trees.
Black truffle harvested in the late fall and winter
Truffle

Shimeji

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