4.02

Steaming

What: With steaming, the rising steam from a hot liquid does the cooking. You may choose steaming from your repertoire of cooking methods to showcase the natural, nutrient-rich flavors of seafood and vegetables, and allow the food to keep its texture, shape, and color.

*How: Bring water to a boil in a pot or saucepan. Place your food in a steamer basket and set the basket above the boiling water inside the pan. Steaming time depends on what is cooking.

Poaching

What: Poaching is an ideal cooking method for delicate foods like fish, fruit, eggs, or even poultry and requires submerging and cooking food in a liquid at a temperature below simmering.

*How: Heat liquid (water, stock, juice, milk, butter, etc.) to between 160° to 180° Fahrenheit. Submerge your food in the liquid and ensure the temperature stays within that range. Most food will be ready in under 10 minutes.

Simmering

What: Simmering is a method of cooking where food is gently cooked in a liquid just below a boil. This is commonly used to cook soups or sauces. Simmering will help make meats and vegetables become tender and flavorful.

*How: Heat ingredients (carrots, celery, onion, chicken, pork, etc.) in water, chicken stock, beef stock, cream, ect. at 185° to 205° F until your meats or vegetables reach the desired texture.

The simmering cooking method is used in HOT POT. This is a traditional Chinese meal where there is a simmering flavorful broth that meat and vegetables are cooked in.

Boiling

What: Boiling involves submerging food in water that has been heated to the boiling point of 212° Fahrenheit. The boiling water produces large bubbles, which keep foods in motion while it cooks. Because it is aggressive, boiling is not commonly used in the cooking of many foods since it will break down most vegetables too quickly and make meat chewy and tough. Boiling is reserved for pasta, eggs, and tough root vegetables like carrots and potatoes. The most common food to be boiled is pasta. Pasta is cooked until it’s “al dente,” which means “to the tooth” in Italian. This means that the pasta still has some bite to it and it is not mushy.

*How: Bring the water to a boil (212°F). Once boiling, gently place your ingredients into the boiling water, and cook until the food reaches desired texture.

Blanching

What: Blanching is another quick cooking method that produces tender yet crisp vegetables, with their vibrant color and much of their nutrients still intact. Scald the food in boiling water for a quick moment and then place it in cold water to stop the cooking process.

*How: Bring salted water to a boil. Add vegetables, return to a boil quickly, and cook vegetables for 2-7 minutes without a lid. Then, drain the water and stop the cooking by immediately dunking your produce in ice water or rinsing them in cold water.