Cooking Techniques: Flavorful Possibilities
March 1, 2000
Cooking Techniques: By: Matthew Walter A sound knowledge of basic cooking techniques is one of the key factors contributing to a good performance in the kitchen or when developing commercial products. Even extremely creative individuals will be limited in expressing their ideas to the fullest if they haven't mastered basic techniques. As an artist can blend paints to create any color or hue, it's technique that gives form and depth so we appreciate the work. The same holds true for chefs. We can purchase the same quality of foodstuffs, spices and equipment, but understanding technique separates master from novice. A chef creates a dish by a series of small processes. If done well, the resulting dish is greater than the sum of its processes and ingredients. Doing one of these processes incorrectly can detract from the whole dish. These processes, or cooking techniques, are the keys to unlocking the potential within food. Technique choice impacts both flavor and texture. This article covers two areas of techniques, one pertaining to the cooking of meats, fish, poultry and vegetables, and the other to making sauces. It would be difficult to discuss one without the other, as they complement each other. Let's get cookingCooking methods for meats, fish and vegetables can be grouped into three categories - dry heat, moist heat and a combination of the two. Within these main categories, varying the technique results in characteristic, unique flavors and textural qualities. Dry heat. Cooking with radiant, direct or indirect heat results in a highly flavored exterior with a moist interior. Because dry heat does not provide a tenderizing effect, the item selected should already be tender. • Rotisserie (spit-roasting) is the oldest cooking technique known to man. Food items are skewered and placed over an open fire and slowly turned. Generally, foodstuffs such as whole fish, poultry and large cuts of meat are cooked in this fashion. In some cases, a sauce can be made from the drippings. • Tandoori refers to a dish cooked in a tandoor. This process is similar to rotisserie, as the items are cooked on a skewer and exposed to high heat. The items chosen should be tender; generally, a marinade is used to produce this effect. The marinade often causes the final dish to be confused with the technique, because people sometimes associate a certain taste profile with this cooking method. • Grilling means cooking by radiant heat from below. The fuel source is generally wood or charcoal. Using different woods and moderating the temperature achieves different nuances. Generally, grilled items are chosen for tenderness and ability to cook quickly. Sauces for grilled items are usually prepared separately. • Broiling means cooking by radiant heat from above. This method generally is much faster then grilling, and typically uses a gas or electric fuel source. Again, tender food items are best. As with grilling, careful selection of food items determines the time and temperature needed to unlock the food's true potential. • Sautéing involves rapid cooking over high heat with a little fat. "Sauté" literally means "to jump." Food items should be tender and cut small so that they cook quickly. Sautéing does not mean browning; in fact, sautéed items should have very little color, in my opinion. However, to satisfy everyone, I offer two variations on sautéing - sweating, which uses much lower heat and slightly more fat, and coaxes flavors from certain foodstuffs, usually vegetables; and searing, which produces a crust or an appetizing brown - not black - color, and is generally used for protein items. • Stir-frying is similar to sautéing in that this technique cooks tender, bite-sized items very quickly. The shape of the wok and the ability to cook an entire dish in the same vessel are the only differences between stir-frying and sautéing. |