Potatoes and Grains

1. Potatoes and Grains

2. Potatoes • Native to North and South America Select potatoes that are… • Firm • Smooth Avoid… • Green areas • Mold • Dark Spots • Large cuts

3. Potatoes Storage • Cool in dry places • 30 days for Russet or all-purpose • No longer than 1 week for New Potatoes • Ventilated containers Solanine is… • Natural toxin, harmful bitter tasting substance • Developed by exposure to light

4. Potatoes Safety tips – preparing potatoes • Wash potatoes thoroughly • Cut away sprouts and green spots • If in doubt about freshness or safety, discard potatoes

5. Grains • Grasses that grow edible seeds • Whole grains are grains that have not been milled.

6. Grains Matching a. Hull 1. Great source of fiber, surrounding endosperm b. Brain 2. Germ, Bran, & Hull removed or polished c. Endosperm 3. Smallest part, trace fat rich in Thiamin d. Germ 4. Protective Coating e. Milling Process 5. Largest part, major source of protein & carbohydrates

7. Grains • Grains that are ground and broken down are called stone ground. • The germ, bran and hull are left intact on the stone grains. • Wheat is classified as hard and soft depending on the protein content. • Durum and Semolina are hard wheat's used for making pasta Tips – selecting and storing grains • Bags, boxes and all containers should be intact and clean. • Store dry grains above floor level on shelves in dry ventilated area. • Whole grains stored in freezer. • Brown rice stored in refrigerator.

8. Legumes • Legumes are seeds from pod-producing plants. Examples of Legumes • Yellow split peas • Great Northern beans • Kidney beans • Pinto beans • Lintels • Navy beans

9. Legumes • Legumes are known as the meat alternatives because of their high protein content. Tips – Storing Legumes • Cool, dry, well ventilated area away from light and heat. • Discard any moldy, damp or wrinkled legumes • Keeps for 1-2 years. Best if used in 6 months.

10. Pasta • One of the most versatile and convenient foods to prepare. • Dried pasta and noodles are considered an essential food because they store well, cook quickly, used as base or accompaniment for popular dishes Tips – Storing Pasta • Dry, well ventilated area • Above floor level on shelving • Be sure dates can be easily seen on packaging

11. Cooking Potatoes

12. Potato Types • Most popular vegetable because it is inexpensive and versatile. • Varieties differ in starch and moisture content, shape, and skin color • Those suitable for baking, pureeing and frying (sweet potatoes, yams, and russet) are high in starch and low in moisture • Sweet potatoes and yams can be used interchangeably • Sweet Potatoes- thick skin ranges in color from light tan to brownish red, orange mealy flesh that is high in sugar • Yams- similar to sweet potatoes but range in color from creamy white to deep red, less sweet than sweet potatoes • Tubers are fat underground stems capable of growing a new plant

13. Potato Differences • Russet/Idaho – Standard white baking potato. Skin is brownish red, flesh in mealy white, any sized, excellent for baking and frying • Chefs/All-purpose – Drier, less starchy, less expensive, irregularly shaped, most suited to preparation in which final stage not visually important • New – Small, immature red potatoes, less than 2 in. in diameter, high in moisture and sugar low in starch, use where potato must keep shape

14. Cooking Potatoes • Single stage technique – Directly from raw state to finished state by using one cooking method • Boiled and baked potatoes • Multiple stage technique – Prepared by using more than one cooking method before they are a finished dish • Lyonnaise technique – potatoes are precooked, sliced, then fried • Easiest method and often 1st step is boiling Tips – Boiling • Start potatoes in cold water with enough liquid to cover • Test for doneness by piercing with a fork • Can be served immediately or held up to an hour.

15. Cooking Potatoes • Steaming is the best way to cook new potatoes because of their high moisture content Tips – Steaming • Steam until very tender • Serve right away or held and served with another dish • Baked potatoes are always served in their skins. Idaho or Russets are the best baking potatoes

16. Cooking Potatoes Ways to bake Potatoes • Wrap in foil – soft skin, less fluffy • Rubbed with oil – soft skin, fluffy inside • No foil or oil – skin crisp Tips – Baking • Scrubbed clean • Pierced with fork – allow heat and steam to escape • Cook directly on rack or sheet pan • Serve immediately

17. Cooking Potatoes • En casserole potato dishes combine peeled and sliced raw potatoes with heavy cream, sauce, or uncooked custard and slowly baked in a buttered pan • Sautéed potatoes should have crisp, evenly browned exterior with tender interior, never greasy or soggy • Russet potatoes are best for deep frying • Blanching is done by cooking briefly in a lower temperature frying fat (325) and refrigerate • Another name for potato pancakes is Latkes • Pureed potatoes are important as the basis of many popular dishes, such as mashed potatoes • Potatoes should be cooked in their own skin to retain nutrients • Ct and peeled potatoes should be in liquid to prevent discoloring

18. Cooking Legumes and Grains

19. Cooking Legumes Grains and legumes must be cooked… • To change their texture – can be chewed and digested easily • To develop their flavor • To remove dirt, dust, or other natural substances harmful to humans • Grains and legumes must be rinsed carefully and in some cases soaked before cooking. Rinsing and soaking grains and legumes • Rinsed well in cold water • Placed in large pot with cold water • Discard any grains or legumes that float to the surface

20. Cooking Legumes • Rice is never soaked before cooking. • Soaking grains and legumes shorten cooking time Methods for soaking legumes • Overnight in cold water • Quick method – boiled briefly then soaked in hot water for one hour

21. Cooking Grains • Many grains should be soaked before they are cooked • The water softens the outer layer or bran when whole grains are soaked Methods for cooking grains • Steaming – tender to bite, good flavor • Pilaf – Tender remain separate, pleasing nutty flavor • Risotto – Sticky and creamy • Arborio is a special short grain rice used in the risotto method

22. Cooking Pasta and Dumplings

23. Cooking Pastas • Fresh pastas cook quickly and have a short shelf life • Dried pastas take longer to cook and have a long shelf life • The most important stage in mixing pasta dough is the resting stage. This period should be 15-20 minutes • The purpose for resting the dough is to relax the dough and make it easier to roll Ingredients used in pasta dough • Bread flour • Eggs • Olive Oil • Salt

24. Cooking Pastas Tips – storing pasta • Fresh uncooked under refrigeration 1-2 days • Frozen • Stored for long time – should be dried • Sauce served with pasta should be right consistency to complement the type of pasta • Long flat pastas are best with smooth light cream sauces. Tube and twisted pastas are best with heavier sauces. • Pair sauce with a pasta’s particular flavor. Fresh pasta pairs well with light cream or butter based sauces. Dried pasta pairs well with heartier meat sauces

25. Cooking Dumplings Ways to cook Dumplings • Simmered • Steamed • Poached • Baked • Pan – fried • Deep – fried • Broiled • Dumplings are made from dough or batter • Spaetzle are small German dumplings, tasty in stews • Gnoocchi are small potato dumplings served in Italian cuisine