Week 4 – Concepts

The Art Institute of Dallas

Vegetables
 Long overcooked and underrated,
vegetables are enjoying a surge in
popularity
 The term vegetable refers to any
herbaceous plant that can be partially or
wholly eaten
 The plant has no woody tissue
 The portions include leaves, stems, roots,
tubers, seeds, and flowers
 Vegetables contain more starch and less
sugar than fruits
Identifying Vegetables
 This chapter represents vegetables the
way most people use them. Although
produce such as tomatoes, peppers, and
eggplants are botanically fruits, they are
prepared and served like vegetables
 Nine Categories or Botanical
Relationships
 Cabbages; fruit-vegetables; gourds and
squashes; greens; mushrooms and truffles;
onions; pods and seeds; roots and tubers;
stalks,
Cabbages
 The Brassica Family refers to a large
number of vegetables used for their heads
or flowers
 Bok Choy Broccoli
 Brussels sprouts Cauliflower
 Head cabbages Red cabbage
 Kale Kohlrabi
 Napa cabbage Savoy
Fruit-Vegetables
 Avocados
 Eggplants
 Asian and Western
 Peppers
 Sweet peppers
 Hot peppers
 Tomatillos
 Tomatoes
 Sun-dried tomatoes
Gourds and Squashes
 Chayote
 Cucumbers
 Squashes
 Winter squashes
 Summer squashes
Greens
 Mustard
 Collards
 Sorrel
 Spinach
 Swiss chard
 Turnip greens
Mushrooms and Truffles

 Mushrooms

 Truffles
Onions
 Bulb onions
 Garlic
 Leeks
 Scallions – Green Onions
 Shallots
Pods and Seeds
 Corn
 Legumes
 Dried beans
 Fresh beans
 Shelling peas
 Edible pea pods
 Okra
Roots and Tubers
 Beets
 Carrots
 Celery roots
 Jicama
 Parsnips
 Radishes
 Rutabagas
 Turnips
Stalks
 Artichokes
 Asparagus
 Celery
 Fennel
 Hearts of palm
 Bamboo shoots
 Nopales
Baby Vegetables
 Baby globe carrots
 Baby zucchini with blossoms
 Baby yellow squash with blossoms
 Chiogghi beets
Fresh Vegetables
 Grading
 Purchasing
 Ripening vs. Maturity
 Storing
Preserved Vegetables
 Dried vegetables
 Frozen vegetables
 Irradiated vegetables
 Canned vegetables
Applying Various Cooking
Methods
 Acid/Alkali Reactions
 Texture
 Color
 Dry-Heat Cooking Methods
 Broiling
 Grilling
 Baking and Roasting
 Sautéing
 Frying
Applying Various Cooking
Methods
 Moist-Heat Cooking Methods
 Blanching
 Parboiling
 Boiling
 Steaming
 Combination Cooking Methods
 Stewing
 Braising
Day 1
Beef Stock, p 202
Broccoli Almandine, p655 --1/2
Glazed Pearl Onions, p677--1/2
Glazed Carrots, lecture
Grilled Vegetable Skewers, p647--1/2
Grean Beans, lecture
Broiled Tomato, p662
Mushroom Duxelle, p667 -- 1/2
+Veloute+Liason = Mushroom Soup
Fried Green Tomatoes/Tomatillos, lecture
Day 2
White Chicken Stock, p202
Brussel Sprouts, p653 --1/2
Butternut Squash, p648
+Veloute = Butternut Squash Soup
Ratatouille, p669 --1/2
Braised Red Cabbage, p681 --1/2
Creamed Corn with Basil, p688 --1/4
Sautéed Spinach, lecture
Beer Battered Onion Rings, p650 -- 1/4
Glazed Beets, lecture
 Broccoli Almandine
 -------- ------------ --------------------------------
 2 lb Broccoli – whole or florets
 2 oz Whole butter
 1 oz Almonds -- sliced
 1 Garlic clove -- minced
 2 oz Lemon juice
 1. Boil one gallon of water and add in ¼ cup salt.
Add in the broccoli and cook until the stalks just
yield to pressure when squeezed.
 2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan. Add the almonds
and garlic and cook just until the nuts are lightly
browned.
 3. Arrange the broccoli on plates for service and
sprinkle with the lemon juice. Drizzle the almonds
and butter over the broccoli and serve immediately.
 Glazed Pearl Onions

 1 lb Pearl onions – peeled and

“X-ed”
 1 1/2 oz Whole butter
 1 Tbsp Sugar
 Salt and pepper -- to taste
 1. Place the onions, butter and sugar in a sauté pan
and add enough water to barely cover.
 2. Boil the onions, allowing the water to evaporate.
As the water evaporates, the butter-and-sugar
mixture will begin to coat the onions. When the
water is nearly gone, test the doneness of the
onions. If they are still firm, add a small amount of
water and continue to boil until the onions are
tender.
 3. Sauté the onions in the butter-and-sugar mixture
until they are glazed.
Glazed Carrots
 1 # Carrots Cut larger than 1/3” thick
 2 Tb Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, White Sugar
 2 Tb Butter, Softened
 1 Tsp Parsley, Cilantro, Basil, etc…, minced

1) Boil carrots in seasoned water until almost done, but still a

little crunchy.
2) Drain away water and briefly saute in the sugar mixture
clings to the surface of the carrots.
3) Toss in the butter and mix until melted.
4) Sprinkle parsley or other herbs and toss until well coated.
 Grilled Vegetable Skewers
 -----MARINADE-----
 4 oz Rice wine vinegar
 8 oz Vegetable oil
 1 oz Garlic -- chopped
 2 tsp Dried thyme
 1 Tbsp Salt
 1/2 tsp Pepper

 6 oz Zucchini
 6 oz Yellow squash
 12 Broccoli florets -- large
 12 Cauliflower florets -- large
 24 pieces Onion -- large dice
 12 pieces Red bell pepper -- large dice
 12 Mushroom caps – medium

 1. Combine all ingredients for the marinade and set aside.

 2. Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into 1/2-inch (1.2-centimeter) thick semicircles.
 3. Blanch and refresh the zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets,
onions and red bell pepper.
 4. Drain the vegetables well and combine them with the marinade. Add the mushroom
caps to the marinade. Marinate the vegetables for 30-45 minutes, remove and drain well.
 5. Skewer the vegetables by alternating them on 6-inch (10-centimeter) bamboo
skewers.
 6. Place the vegetable skewers on a hot grill and cook until done, turning as needed. The
vegetables should brown and char lightly during cooking. Serve hot.
Green Beans
 French Beans (Haricot Vert) – can be left
whole, most prefer both ends cut off.
 American Green Beans – usually too long
and must be cut into 2” or shorter
lengths.
 Rapidly boil in salted water until al
dented.
 Toss with butter and serve immediately.
  Broiled Tomato

 1 large Tomato
 2 tsp Granulated sugar
 1 oz Whole butter -- melted
 1 Tbsp Fresh parsley --
chopped
 1. Core and halve the tomato.
 2. Sprinkle sugar on top of each half. Place
on a broiler platter and broil until tender.
 3. Drizzle with butter and garnish with
parsley.
Duxelle
 1 lb Mushrooms
 1 Tbsp Whole butter
 2 Tbsp Shallots -- minced
 1 tsp Garlic -- chopped
 Salt and pepper -- to taste
 1 Tbsp Fresh parsley -- minced
 1. Chop the mushrooms very finely.
 2 Sweat the shallots and garlic in butter until tender. Add
the mushrooms and sweat until dry.
 3. Season with salt and pepper and add the parsley. Cool
and then use the duxelles as a stuffing for vegetables or as
a flavoring ingredient in other recipes.
Fast Mushroom Soup
 1 Qt Veloute + 8 oz Mushroom
Duxelle  simmer for 30 minutes.
 Can be pureed or strained prior to
finishing with a liason of 2 Yolks and
6 oz Cream.
 Season to taste with Salt and White
Pepper.
Fried Green Tomatoes
 Cut into rounds, semi-circles or wedges.
 Season the tomatoes.
 Pass through standard breading
procedure using cornmeal as the
breadcrumbs.
 Freeze until solid.
 Pan-Fry or Deep-fry until slightly golden
brown.
Brussels Sprouts in Pecan Butter

 1 lb Brussels sprouts
 2 oz Whole butter
 4 oz Pecans -- chopped
 Salt and pepper -- to taste
 1. Trim the Brussels sprouts and mark an X in the bottom of
each with a paring knife to promote even cooking.
 2. Boil the sprouts in salted water until tender,
approximately 10 minutes.
 3. Drain and hold the sprouts in a warm place.
 4. Heat the butter in a sauté pan until it turns nut brown;
this is called beurre noisette. Add the pecans and toss to
brown them.
 5. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to reheat and blend
flavors. Adjust the seasonings and serve.
Baked Butternut Squash

 1 lb Butternut squash -- medium dice

 Salt and pepper -- to taste
 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
 1/8 tsp Cardamom -- ground
 2 Tbsp Brown sugar
 2 Tbsp Lemon juice
 2 oz Whole butter -- melted
 1. Place the squash in a buttered pan. Season with salt,
pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and brown sugar.
 2. Drizzle the lemon juice and butter over the top of the
squash.
 3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven until tender,
approximately 50 minutes. Toss every 15 minutes to
maintain even cooking.
Butternut Squash Soup
 Take and puree the butternut you
prepared with 1 Qt of Veloute.
 Strain and bring to a simmer. Finish
with a liason of 2 yolks and 6 oz
Heavy Cream
 Season to taste with Salt and White
Pepper.
Ratatouille

 12 oz Onion -- medium dice

 1 Tbsp Garlic -- chopped
 4 oz Olive oil
 6 oz Green bell pepper -- medium dice
 6 oz Red bell pepper -- medium dice
 12 oz Eggplant -- medium dice
 8 oz Zucchini -- medium dice
 24 oz Tomato concassée
 1 oz Fresh basil -- chiffonade
 1 oz Salt
 Pepper -- to taste
 1. Sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil.
 2. Add the peppers, eggplant and zucchini and sauté until tender,
approximately 10 minutes.
 3. Add the tomatoes, fresh basil and seasonings. Stew for for 25 minutes.
Adjust the seasonings.
Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
and Wine

 3 lb Red cabbage
 12 oz Bacon -- medium dice
 8 oz Onions -- medium dice
 Salt and pepper -- to taste
 8 oz Red wine
 8 oz White stock
 2 Cinnamon sticks
 12 oz Apples -- tart, cored and
 diced
 1 oz Brown sugar
 * 1 oz Cider vinegar
 1. Shred the cabbage.
 2. Render the bacon. Add the onions and sweat in the bacon fat until tender.
 3. Add the cabbage and sauté for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the
wine, stock and cinnamon sticks. Cover and braise until the cabbage is almost tender,
approximately 20 minutes.
 4. Add the apples, brown sugar and vinegar and mix well.
 5. Cover and braise until the apples are tender, approximately 5 minutes.
Creamed Corn with Basil
 12 ears Corn
 2 oz Whole butter
 4 oz Onion -- small dice
 8 oz Heavy cream
 2 Tbsp Basil leaves -- chopped
 Salt and white pepper -- to taste
 1. Cut the kernels from the ears.
 2. Sweat the onions in the butter without browning.
 3. Add the corn and sweat until hot.
 4. Add the cream. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly.
Add the basil and season with salt and white pepper.
Sauteed Spinach - wide diameter
pan
 1 Tb Olive Oil
 2 Tb Bacon, minced
 1 Tb Shallots
 1 Tsp Garlic
 1 # Spinach
1) Render the bacon in the olive oil
2) Sweat the shallots and garlic
3) Raise heat to high and add the spinach. Cook rapidly
until all of the spinach is soft.
4) Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
 Beer-Battered Onion Rings
 10 oz Flour
 2 tsp Baking powder
 2 tsp Salt
 1/4 tsp White pepper
 1 ea Egg
 1 pt Beer
 as needed Flour -- for dredging
 4 lb Onions – whole

 1. Sift the dry ingredients together.

 2. Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Add the beer to the beaten
egg.
 3. Add the egg-and-beer mixture to the dry ingredients; mix until
smooth.
 4. Peel the onions and cut in 1/2-inch (2-centimeter) thick slices.
 5. Break the slices into rings and dredge in flour.
Glazed Beets
 1 # Beets – unpeeled, stem and root end trimmed
 2 Tb Red Wine Vinegar
 3 Tb Salt
 2 Tb Butter, softened

1) Put beets in a pan and cover with 1” of water. Add red

wine vinegar and salt.
2) Bring to a boil and then simmer covered until tender (use
same test as potatoes)
3) Remove from pot, drain water and cool slightly at room
temperature.
4) Remove skin using paring knife.
5) Toss with butter until glazed or use a sugar based glaze
like we did with the carrots.
Break for 10 Minutes
Videos on Vegetable Cookery