Technology and

Livelihood
Education
10

Prepare Vegetable
Dishes
 Lesson

1 Prepare Vegetable Dishes

Learning Objectives:

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. select various kinds of vegetables according to a given menu;
2. identify and discuss appropriate cooking methods of vegetables in the
locality to preserve optimum quality and nutrition following standard
procedures; and,
3. develop traits such as ingenuity in preparing and selecting
appropriate cooking methods, sauces and accompaniments of
vegetables.

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 What Is It

Market Forms of Vegetables

Dried
Fresh

Dried vegetables are vegetables that have

been dehydrated using different methods
Fresh vegetables include all produce such as freeze drying, drum drying, air
that are newly harvested. They have drying and sun drying to prolong their
not been processed. shelf life and to concentrate their flavor.

Canned
Frozen

Frozen vegetables are vegetables that Canned vegetables are vegetables that
had their temperature reduced and have been canned after picking to ensure
maintained below their freezing point best flavor and nutrient quality. Canning is
for storage and transportation a convenient way of preserving vegetables
purposes for consumption when they are not readily
 First, they are washed thoroughly.
available and helps keep vegetables last
 Some vegetables are then
blanched, or cooked quickly in longer like freezing and drying. Also, it
boiling water, and then shocked in makes cooking with vegetables easier and
ice water to stop the cooking more convenient.
process. Before vegetables or any food are canned,
 The vegetables are then sorted and they undergo, some form of processing.
inspected to remove those that are Heat is applied to the vegetables to kill any
not safe to eat.
harmful microorganisms before they are
 Lastly, they are packaged and
shipped off to the market. sealed in airtight containers such as cans
or jars. The canned items are then heated
under steam pressure before being packed
into boxes or crates.

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Factors in the Selection of Vegetables Used for Culinary Arts

There are a number of factors considered in selecting vegetables used for

culinary arts. Examples of these are

1. Season – some vegetables are seasonal; therefore, one must remember

to choose vegetables that are in season to make sure that they are fresh
and at their best.
2. Ways of Cooking/preparation –consider how the vegetable is for (salad,
soup, sandwich, etc.)
3. Storage – choose vegetables according to the type of storage that is
available as veggies have different shelf lives.
4. Budget/price – select vegetables that are within the budget.
5. Color – Pick vegetables that are brightly colored and not bruised
6. Firmness – fresh vegetables should not be withered
7. Nutritional Value – the benefits of certain veggies should also be
considered with regards to the person eating the prepared food

General Rules of Vegetable Cookery

 Don’t overcook.
 Cook as close to service time as possible, and in small quantities.
Avoid holding for long periods on a steam table.
 If the vegetable must be cooked ahead, undercook slightly and chill
rapidly. Reheat at service time.
 Never use baking soda with green vegetables.
 Cut vegetables uniformly for even cooking.
 Start with boiling, salted water when boiling green vegetables and
other vegetables that grow above the ground. Roots and tubers are
started in cold, salted water for more even cooking.
 Cook green vegetables and strong-flavored vegetables uncovered.
 To preserve color, cook red and white vegetables in a slightly acid (not
strongly acid) liquid. Cook green vegetables in a neutral liquid.
 Do not mix a batch of freshly cooked vegetables with a batch of the
same vegetable that was cooked earlier and kept hot in a steam table.

Standards of Quality in Cooked Vegetables

1. Color.
 Bright, natural colors.
 Green vegetables, in particular, should be a fresh, bright green, not
olive green.

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2. Appearance on plate.
 Cut neatly and uniformly. Not broken up.
 Attractively arranged or mounded on plate or dish.
 Not swimming in cooking water.
 Imaginative and appropriate combinations and garnishes are always
well received.

3. Texture.
 Cooked to the right degree of doneness.
 Most vegetables should be crisp-tender, not overcooked and mushy, but
not tough or woody either.
 Vegetables intended to be soft (potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes,
tomatoes, vegetable purées) should be cooked through, with a pleasant,
smooth texture.

4. Flavor.
 Full, natural flavor and sweetness, sometimes called garden-fresh
flavor. Strong flavored vegetables should be pleasantly mild, with no
off flavors or bitterness.

5. Seasonings.
 Lightly and appropriately seasoned. Seasonings should not be too
strong and should not mask the natural garden flavors.

6. Sauces.
 Butter and seasoned butters should be fresh and not used heavily;
vegetables should not be greasy.
 Cream sauces and other sauces should not be too thick or too heavily
seasoned.
 As with seasonings, sauces should enhance, not cover up.

7. Vegetable combinations.
 Interesting combinations attract customers.
 Flavors, colors, and shapes should be pleasing in combination.
 Vegetables should be cooked separately and then combined to allow for
different cooking times.
 Acid vegetables (like tomatoes) added to green vegetables will discolor
them.
 Combine just before service.

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Ways of Cooking Vegetables

1. Boiling and steaming

 Boiling or steaming are the two most used methods of cooking

vegetables because they are easy, economical, and adaptable to a
great variety of preparations.
 In most cases, additional steps are required after the basic cooking
is completed such as adding butter, seasonings, flavorings, and
sauces in order to make the product ready for serving.
 Unless they are to be served immediately, boiled or simmered
vegetables are drained as soon as they are cooked and then cooled
quickly under cold water (shocking or refreshing) to prevent further
cooking. The vegetables are then sautéed in butter or other fat. At
this stage, you can add seasonings and sauces if preferred.
 The ideal method for cooking certain vegetables, such as broccoli, that
easily break or turn watery or mushy when simmered is by steaming.
 A useful technique that combines boiling and steaming is called pan-
steaming wherein the vegetables are cooked in a covered pan in a
small amount of water. Remove the vegetables from the pan once
they are cooked. The flavorful cooking liquid may be reduced to a
glaze or made into a sauce.

2. Sautéing and Pan – Frying

Sautéing is a dry heat cooking method use to cook vegetables in hot pan
and a small amount of fat to cook food quickly. The vegetables are tossed or
flipped in the pan over high heat.

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Pan-frying is a dry heat cooking method use to cook vegetables in a larger
amount of fat, usually for a longer time at lower heat, and the product is
not tossed or flipped.

The two methods are usually used to finish-cooking precooked or blanched

vegetables and for completely cooking vegetables that are raw.

Stir-frying is similar to sautéing but the pan is left steady and the items
being cooked are stirred not tossed in hot fat with spatulas or other tools.

3. Braising

Braising, is a slow, moist-heat cooking method which calls for a small

amount of liquid, low heat and a covered pot.

Characteristics of Vegetable Braising Procedures

1. Fat is added to a braising or baking pan or a saucepan and heated. Finely

diced mirepoix or other flavoring ingredients may be cooked briefly in the
fat. The fat contributes to flavor and eating quality.
2. The vegetable (blanched or raw) is placed in the pan. It may or may not
be cooked in the fat before the liquid is added, depending on the recipe.
3. Liquid is added—stock, water, wine, or a combination of liquids. The
liquid generally covers the vegetable only partway.
4. The pot or saucepan is covered and the vegetable is cooked slowly in the
oven or on the range top.
5. The flavorful cooking liquid is served with the vegetable. It is sometimes
drained off and reduced over high heat before serving in order to concentrate
flavor.

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4. Baking

When we talk about baking vegetables, we usually mean one of two things:

1. Cooking starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, winter squash, and sweet

potatoes, and other moist, dense-textured vegetables such as tomatoes,
beets, eggplant, onions, and turnips, from the raw to the finished state.
Starch vegetables are baked because the dry heat produces a desirable
texture. Baked potatoes, for example, do not have the same texture as
boiled or steamed potatoes.
In some areas, it is fashionable to refer to baked vegetables as roasted.
In theory, any vegetable with enough moisture can be baked like potatoes,
but the drying effects of the oven and the long cooking time make it
undesirable for most small vegetables, such as peas and green beans.

2. Finishing certain vegetable combinations, sometimes known as

casseroles. The vegetables in these items are usually par cooked by
simmering or steaming before they are baked.

Vegetable casseroles are baked for either of two reasons:

• The slow, all-around heat allows the product to cook undisturbed. The
agitation and stirring of range top cooking is not always desirable. Baked
beans could be finished on top of the range, but they would be mushier
and more broken.

• The dry heat produces desirable effects, such as browning and

caramelizing of sugars. For example, you could put a pan of candied sweet
potatoes in a steamer, but the moist heat would not allow a glaze to form.

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5. Deep – frying

Deep-frying is a dry-heat cooking method wherein the vegetables are

completely submerged in hot oil.
Deep-fried vegetables may be divided into five categories:
1. Vegetables dipped in batter and fried.
2. Vegetables breaded and fried.
3. Vegetables fried without a coating (potatoes)
Other starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, which are cut thin, may be
fried without breading or batter.
Root vegetables, such as beets, celery root, and parsnips, can be sliced thin
and fried like potato chips (slice long roots like parsnips lengthwise).
Other vegetables, such as leeks and celery, can be cut into thin shreds or
julienne and fried.
These may be dusted in flour before frying.

4. Fritters or small vegetables or cuts mixed with a batter.

5. Croquettes: consist of thick vegetable purées or mixtures of small pieces
of vegetable which are formed into shapes and then breaded and deep-fried.

Vegetables for Deep-frying

Most vegetables large enough to coat with breading or batter may be fried.
Tender, quick cooking vegetables can be fried raw. Others may be precooked
by simmering or steaming
briefly to reduce the cooking time they need in the frying fat.
Raw vegetables for frying in breading or batter:
Eggplant Onion rings Tomatoes Cucumbers
Mushrooms Peppers Zucchini

Blanched or precooked vegetables for frying in breading or batter:

Carrots Cauliflower Okra
Beans, green and yellow Celery potatoes
Broccoli Celery root

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6. Broiling and Grilling

Grilled quick-cooking vegetables such as peppers, zucchini, large

mushroom caps, and eggplant are pleasant accompaniments to grilled and
roasted meats and poultry. The vegetables may be cut into broad slices,
brush with oil, and grill until lightly cooked and lightly browned. Grilled
vegetables are often dressed with vinaigrette.
Broiling is also used to finish cooked or partially cooked vegetables by
browning or glazing them on top. Bread crumbs are sometimes used to
give a pleasing brown color and to prevent drying.

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Cooking Frozen and Canned Vegetables

A.) Frozen Vegetables

 Examine all frozen products when received to check quality.
 Frozen vegetable requires shorter time in cooking because they have
been partially cooked.
 Cook from the frozen state. Can cook directly into steamer or boiling
salted water.
 Corn on the cob and vegetables that freeze in solid block like squash,
should be thawed for even cooking.
 Add less salt. Most frozen vegetables are slightly salted during
processing.

B.) Canned Vegetables

 Drain vegetables and place half the liquid in a cooking pot, and bring
to boil.
 Add vegetables and heat to serving time. Do not boil for a long time.
 Season liquid before adding vegetables to blend flavors of herbs and
spices.
 Use butter to enhance the flavor of most vegetables.

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Sauces and Accompaniments for Vegetables

Sauces- a term used in cookery to describe a wide range of flavored liquids

that are served as part of the meal or dish.
 The addition of a sauce to a dish can be used to transform the overall
presentation of a dish by adding flavor, moisture, richness and visual
appeal.

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  Sauces come in a variety of different styles and consistencies.
 They can be thick or thin, rich and creamy, or light and delicate.
 Depending on the purpose, sauces can be strongly flavored, hot, and
spicy, or even sweet to be served with a dessert.
 The way in which the sauce is presented will depend very much on the
dish being served.
 The sauce may be served partially masked over the food, or served in a
separate dish or saucier

Accompaniments to Vegetables

Accompaniment Vegetables
Cream Carrots, mushrooms, spinach,
parsnips
Butter Asparagus, carrots, cauliflower,
broccoli
Melted butter and sprinkling of Broccoli, cauliflower
parmesan cheese
Glazing(water, sugar and butter) Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant,
carrots, zucchini, mushrooms
Stuffing made from ingredients Tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms,
such as rice, cheese, breadcrumbs zucchini, capsicum
and herbs

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Lists of Major Sauces and the vegetables that they are served in

Name of Sauce Vegetable Accompaniment

Bretonne Red kidney beans
-a brown sauce containing
delicately browned fried red
onions
Crème Spinach, green beans,
-a sauce consisting essentially of cauliflower
a roux with milk, cream, or stock
and seasoning
Demi-glaze Braised cabbage,
-a rich brown sauce in French stuffed eggplant
cuisine, traditionally made by
combining one part brown stock
and one part Espagnole sauce (or
sometimes called brown sauce)
and slowly reducing by half
Hollaindaise Asparagus, cauliflower
-a creamy sauce of melted butter,
egg yolks, and lemon juice or
vinegar,
Italian Cauliflower Parmesan cheese,
-made primarily from tomatoes, breadcrumbs and
garlic, herbs and onions butter
Maltaise Asparagus,
-hollandaise sauce with a bit of broccoli, green beans
orange zest and juice added
Cheese Asparagus, Grated cheese
-made by adding an amount of cauliflower, broccoli, usually parmesan
cheddar cheese to Brussels sprouts
white sauce and then spiced using
English mustard,
Worcestershire sauce and pepper
among other ingredients
Mousseline Asparagus, cauliflower
-a sauce (such as hollandaise) to
which whipped cream or beaten
egg whites have been added
Persil Variety of vegetables Additional parsley
-is a mix of chopped parsley, including potatoes,
garlic, and vinegar cauliflower and carrots

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