BOILING

Question 1

Definition of boiling …

Answer 1

Boiling is the process of cooking food that mainly requires rapid movement of the cooking liquid

Food is cooked by bringing liquid to the boil quickly and maintaining it at a temperature of 100° degrees celsius

Question 2

Associated culinary terms of boiling

Answer 2

Boiling = 100˚C

Simmering:
Occurs at just below boiling point between 95-98˚C. The movement of the water is slower, with small, delicate bubbles appearing in the liquid.

Blanching:
Process where food is brought rapidly to the boil in salted water and boiled for a short period. The food is refreshed by plunging it into iced water or rinsed to stop the cooking process.

Doneness:
Describes the degree to which an item should be cooked. E.g. beef can be cooked to the varying degrees of doneness e.g. rare, medium or well done. Pasta → al dente

Question 3

Suitable foods and recipes for boiling

Answer 3

Cold start vs hot start eg pasta → potatoes

• Green vegetables→ start the cooking process by adding to already boiling water. Refresh in cold water to retain colour and texture. Refreshing stops the cooking process and helps the vegetables retain vitamins and minerals.
• Root Vegetables: start the cooking process in cold water. Lid on.
• Fresh meat and vegetables→ Start in cold water and cover during cooking process
• Cured meats→ cooking started in cold water- keep meat fully submerged during the cooking process.
• Farinaceous foods (rice, pasta and grains) → adding to boiling water. Stir occasionally- lid off.
• Bones for stocks→ start in cold water. Skim off any scum (froth that must be constantly skimmed). Simmer only
• Gnocchi
• Stock → bring to boil

Question 4

Characteristics of food/dishes prepared using boiling

Answer 4

• Tougher/ cheaper cuts of meat can be used, as the boiling process breaks down the meat giving it a more palatable taste.
• Transference of heat is rapid and efficient
• Food is moist and does not dry out and become tough and hard.
• Food will not burn unless the water evaporates completely
• Flavour and colour may be lost from the food into the liquid. → temperature may have been to high, food not correctly prepared (trimmed or washed prior to use), scum was not skimmed correctly.
• High- loss of water-soluble nutrients.

Question 5

Utensils and equipment required for boiling are …

Answer 5

• Stove
• Stockpots
• Electric stockpots
• Ladles
• Colander

Question 6

Potential safety and/or hygiene issues whilst boiling are …

Answer 6

• Follow correct personal hygiene rules prior to cooking
• Ensure cooking utensils/ containers are clean
• Take caution when removing lids from saucepans when contents are boiling
• Remove lid away from body -> to prevent steam burn
• Heat proof gloves or oven mitt to prevent burns
• Correct manual handling techniques when transporting a stock pot, or trying to strain the stock pot → you may need the use of a manual aid or a secondary person.
• PPE → full chefs uniform with long sleeve chefs jacket to prevent burns from splashed water
• Using a utensil such as a slotted spoon to lower the food into the pot, to prevent splashes and liquid burns to an employee

Question 7

Principles and practices of boiling are …

Answer 7

• Determine whether it needs a cold or hot start
• A lid on the saucepan will conserve energy (re-using water) and bring liquid to the boil faster
• Keep lid on when boiling root vegetables
• Food being boiled should be fully immersed throughout the cooking process (ratio of liquid to food must be appropriate)
• Allow for evaporation of the cooking liquid (compensate for wastage)
• Pasta = 10 parts liquid: 1 part pasta
• Skim off any scum forming on the surface of the water to prevent discolouration of the liquid.

Question 8

Effect(s) on the nutritional value of food whilst boiling

Answer 8

• High loss of water soluble vitamins B and C

- Re-using boiling water in stock, soups and gravies is a good way of retaining the lost vitamins

Question 9

Problems in the cooking process whilst boiling are …

• Causes
• Indicators
• Corrective action(s)

Answer 9

• Cloudy stock→ boiled to vigorously or not skimmed effectively
• Pasta too soft→ over-cooked or held too long before service → checking firmness of pasta, to ensure it is at el dente, ensuring temperature was correct before adding the food
• Low levels of liquid → Ensure adequate amount of liquid is added in conjunction with food, e.g when preparing gnocchi ensuring 10 parts liquid to 1 parts pasta and that it is completely submerged or immersed in the liquid
• Food is soft or soggy → result of overcooking → time management
• Visually inspecting liquid (ensuring liquid is boiling), selecting correct method to cook the food e.g cold start - root vegetables, boiling start - pasta

Question 10

Environmentally friendly work practices whilst boiling are …

• Efficient use of resources, water and energy
• Management of kitchen waste

Answer 10

• Re-using boiled liquid

- Eg after boiling 6 eggs, reusing water unless water is cloudy you must make a visual decision in relation to hygiene