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MISE-EN-PLACE
MISE-EN-PLACE
Mise en place (Meez on plahs) is a French culinary word which means "everything put in place". IT refers to the pre-preparation before cooking, which involves a series of steps and stages that require extended hours due to the complexities of the tasks. It encompasses food pre-preparation, including par cooking and blanching; cutting and trimming of all the meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables; and breading and battering that will be needed during the meal service.
Also part of the mise en place is the setup of the work station, which includes assembly of tools and small wares needed for the preparation, assembly, and preparation of ingredients , as well as the preparation of the equipment, such as preheating of the oven and line baking sheets, etc.Â
Preparing quality food is essential, and it is necessary to prepare food ahead of time that will help the operation run smoothly and serve appropriate meals on time.
Practicing mise en place has several benefits:
Any missing ingredients can be spotted before it's too late for a quick trip to the store or your neighbor next door.
Special preparation for ingredients -- such as toasting nuts, letting certain ingredients come to room temperature, etc. -- can be handled BEFORE cooking rather than in the midst of another preparation step when time delays may affect food quality.
There is time to clean the mixing area as you go along rather than face a counter full of mixing equipment when you're done.
You can group ingredients or place them in the order used to assure all recipe steps are included.
It makes complicated recipes more fun to prepare when you're no longer doing a juggling act, trying to complete several tasks simultaneously.
Hint: You may find it helpful and that it brings out your "inner chef" to buy a set of 4 or more "pinch" or "mini" bowls.
They come in different sizes and may hold from about 1 to 3 ounces. You often will see TV chefs using these to hold smaller amounts of such ingredients as spices, a single egg, a couple tablespoons of cornstarch, etc. As another option, a set of smaller-sized custard cups may work as well for you.
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