The Mise en Place: Basic Food

Preparation and Techniques

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to...

1. recognize the significance and purpose of mise en place;

2. explain the importance of knives and knives skills in the kitchen;
3.list the different parts of a knife;

4. demonstrate how to grip and sharpen knives;

5.demonstrate and apply different cutting, measuring, mixing, and coating techniques;and

6.explain the purpose of preliminary cooking and flavoring in the food preparation process.

Mise en place (meez-on-plahss) 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
encompasse;food pre-preparation, including par cooking and blanching; cutting and

67
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 the
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.
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.

The following discussions will deal with the most fundamental skills required for a
mise en place. The most basic of these is knife skills. The principles, such as on how to hoId
the chef's knife, how to maintain a sharp edge, and how to make necessary cuts, are
presented.

Knife Skills
Knife skills are the most essential and basic skills that a
cook or a chef must learn. Because knives are the most
commonly used tool in the kitchen, a cook or a chef should
know the different parts of a knife.
The knife is divided into two main parts: the blade and
the handle. Each of the main parts can be subdivided into
different parts, as shown below.
Parts of the Knife

The Blade
The blades of different knives vary in length, thickness, shape,ad sizes for their specific
parts. The blade is the part of a knife used for cutting, mincing chopping, and other dividing
tasks. Different materials are used to make a blade. Blades nade of carbon steel or stainless
steel are usually used in the modern kitchen. There ire also more affordable knives made of
plastic and ceramic blades introduced in the maret.The use of metal knives, however, is still
dominant in professional kitchens.

67
 The best metal used for knives is the right mix of iron, chromium, carbo, and other
metals. This material combines the best features of stainless steel and carbon seel. It does not
rust or discolor and can be sharpened easily, but it is expensive. Stainless stel is a
hard,durable metal made of chromium and carbon steel. It does not rust or discolor. Stailess
steel also will not transfer or pass a metallic taste to foods. Unfortunately, the only
disavantage of this is that it is hard to sharpen.
Point-The point is the front part of the knife where the edge and spinmeet.The
point is often used for scoring and piercing.
Tip-This is the front part of the knife, which includes the knifepoint.
Belly-It is the part of the blade right after the tip. Knives with "curvy" belliesnd
small tips are usually better for slicing or chopping vegetables as they allow
qtk,smooth rocking motions on the cutting board.
Cutting edge - The edge is the cutting part of the blade that is used ir chopping
and slicing. The edge should always stay sharp and should be made materials that
are resistant against chipping or breaking.
Spine-The spine refers to the full thickness portion of the blade,opposite the knife
edge.
Heel-the rear part of the edge opposite to the point where it meets the handle

Bolster- the part in the middle of the knife which is thick enough to join the knife
blade to its handle. It provides weight and balance to a knife. At the same, it
protects the hand from getting away from the knife edge.
The Handle
The handle is the part where you hold the knife. It covers the tang, rivets for extra
security, and the butt. The handle can be made of different materials such as wood,
plastic,and ivory, or sometimes, it comes with one piece of solid metal. When buying a knife,
it is important to consider the fit of your hand grip to the handle-if it feels solid. The weight
should be even to the blades to some extent to save your energy in cutting.
How to Grip a Knife?

NO NO YES
Chop Chopping is the cutting of food in
small,uneven pieces with more or less 1/4
inch or a coarse chop with 1/2 to 3/4 inch
irregular pieces.
Source:notacook.com
A excellent way to hold a knife is to place the index finger and the thumb opposite each

67
 Minced
cher on either of the sides of the blade, whileMincing is cutting
the remaining intofingers
three tiny irregular
are sort pieces
of looso
curled around the handle. less than 1/8 Inch.

A good grip will enable the user to control the movement of the knife, avoiding slipage.

Part of the basic food preparation is

cutting techniques. Cutting techniques play a
vital role in training. Proper cutting
techniques ensure uniformity of food
Cube,Dice cuts.With
Cubing the
refers to regulaity ofofcuts,
the cutting foodcooking time
items into
Dice willsmall (about 1/2 inch)Precise
be predetermined. uniformcut
cubes.
also gives
Cube Dicing refers to the cutting of
an aesthetic appeal to the food.food items into
very small (1/8 to 1/4 inch) uniform cubes.
The different cutting techniques shown
below will provide you an idea of which is
the appropriate type of cut perfect for
thedish.

Cutting Techniques
The following arePare
the most common cuttingParing
techniques often
is cutting off found
a very in recipes:
thin layer of peel.

Slice Slicing refers to the cutting of food into large

or flat thin pieces.

Julienne Julienning refers to cuttinc into long,thin

strips, matchstick-like n shape. It is typically
used for a firm vegetable like carrots,
cucumbers, or célery. The exact
measurement of julienne should be 5 cm to
10 cm long, 4 mm wide, and 4 mm thick.

67
71

67
Shred-to cut food Jardinlere Jardiniere
Grate-to is typically
rub foods againstshorter
a than julienne
into narrow strips serrated surface
but much to produce
thicker; shredded
it is usually or in
used fine bits
dip
with a knife or a grater platters. Vegetables cut in this manner may
be used in soups, stews, or vegetable sides.

Quarter-to cut food with a knife into four equal

pieces
Paysanne Paysanne is a broad but thinner cut. To give
Puree-to mash or grind food until completely a chunkier texture in vegetables, this cut is
smooth,usually in a food used.
processor,blender,sieve,or food mill

Snip-to use a scissor to cut an object into pieces

to remove sections or to make slits or holes in a
product
Macedoine Macedoine is a cut with large,thicker cubes
based on the jardiniere. It usually is 1 cm in
size and is used in soups and sauces.To cut
macedoine, first, prepare your vegetable
jardiniere.Then lay the stick or sticks flat and
chop them into cubes.

Brunoise Brunoise is a tiny cube cut of5 mm on each

Other Cutting Techniques
side. Brunoise cut is often used in sauces
Flake-to break food into small thin pieces,usually because the small pieces cook down well
by using a fork
and release flavors quickly. Alternatively,a
brunoise can also be sprinkled on a dish as a
beautiful
Crush-to colorful
break garnish.
food into small pieces.
Rollingpin,mortar and pestle,blender and food
processor can be used in crushing food.

Mash-to crush into a smooth,evenly textured

mixture
Chiffonade To make a chiffonade cut, place the leaves to
be chopped in either a stack or roll them
Grind-to reduce food into tiny particles using a
grinder or a food processor tightly. Then use a smooth rock chop to slice
very thin strips.

72Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 3.Use the meniscus (or measurement line).
Lean down until you reach an eye-level on the
ACTIVITY measurement cup.When you see the light
concave curve in the surface of the liquid,
GROUP ACTIVITY make sure that the bottom touches the
meniscus.
1.Demonstrate how to grip a knife.

2. Demonstrate how to sharpen a knife.

3.SearchHow
for atorecipe and demonstrate
Measure the different
Liquid Ingredients cutting techniques applied in
Using Spoon
the recipe. Use pictures/videos to describe the proper grip of the knife and
cutting techniques used in the recipe. 1.Use a measuring spoon for a small
quantity of liquid. Use measuring spoon if
you're measuring less than a quarter cup
of a thin liquid.
Proper measurement of ingredients is essential to have a
successful food product. Too much or too little of certain
elements,such as salt, baking2.Tosoda,
catchbaking
the excess liquid,and
powder, hold the spoon
other hot or
spicy ingredients, can affectover a separate
the texture bowlofand
or taste the gently
food. pour in
the liquid until the spoon is full.

Measuring Equipment
There are different measuring methods and measuring
equipment used for liquids, dry ingredients, and fats.
How to Measure Small Amount of Liquid
1.Use a syringe in measuring a small amount
of liquid.This tool can also give an accurate
result of measurement for low volumes of
liquid.

1.Use a measuring spoon or measuring cup in

How to Measure Liquid Ingredients Using Liquid Measuring
measuringCup dry ingredients.
1.Use a liquid measuring cup for
accurately measuring thin liquids
such as milk, juice, and oil.

2.Deep and sweep method. This is the most

common 2.Put
way ofthe
Measuring Liquid Ingredients Using Different Measuring cup on dry
measuring
Equipment a flat surface to
ingredients. It
get an accurate
requires dipping your measuring cup into the
measurement.Then,pour
dry ingredient the liquid
with the cup overflowing. Take
in until it reaches the correct
the back of a knife or a flat spoon handle and
measurement
sweep the excessline.
across and off of the
measuring cup.

72Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 3.Spoon and sweep method. Some
recommend using a spoon in filling up
the measuring cup with dry ingredients
before sweeping the overflow.

Things to Remember
Read the list of ingredients and
corresponding instructions to give you a
clue on how to measure the ingredients.
·"1 cup of flour, sifted" means dipping
and scooping 1 cup of flour and then
sifting it.
·"1 cup of sifted flour" means sifting
flour and then measuring out 1
cup."1/2 cup of packed brown
sugar"means compressing the brown
Measuring Dry Ingredients
sugar into the 1/2 cup measuring cup
rather than scooping out 1/2 cup of
brown sugar and then packing it
down.

Dashes and Pinches

This is way smaller thumb and point finger
quantity;you can use the

76Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

Stick Method
There are some solid fat ingredients, such as
butter, where measurement is found in the
wrapper. Just simply cut off the amount you
need.

72Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 Dry Measure Method
Pack the solid fat into the measuring spoon
or cup then press firmly to remove air.Level the
top and use a rubber scraper to remove fat in
the measuring spoon or cup.

Water Displacement Method

Subtract the amount of fat which will be
measured from 1 cup marker in the measuring
cup.
You have the right measurement when the
water reaches the 1 cup level in the measuring
cup when you combine fat and water.

1.Get a weighing scale. This is measuring

Measuring Solid Fat Ingredientsby weight,which is more accurate
ingredients
than a volume measurement.
Solid fats are weighed in different ways, depending on what type of solid fat it is.There
are several methods, such as the stick method, dry measure method, and water displacement
method.

2.Turn on the scale and press tare.Place it on a

flat surface and turn it on.Press tare to put the
scale back to 0.
Creaming is also known as the "sugar- Beating means to rapidly stir a batter to
shortening" method; the sugar and incorporate the ingredients along with air
shortening fat are blended first then thoroughly.
creamed by added mixing.

3.Set your digital scale by pressing

mode.The digital scale offers a variety
of measurements.Press mode to select
ounces, grams, or pounds as mode of
measurement.

Measuring by Weight
4.Place an empty container on the
scale, then press tare. When the scale
is already 0, you can now add the
ingredients for weighing.

72Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 Mixing is a technique where two or more ingredients are
combined and mixed. All terms, such as mix, combine, and blend,are all
referred to mixing.
Mixing tools and techniques are used to blend foods in a variety of
ways and achieve an array of textures. Different tools and appliances are
used in this technique. It includes spoon, forks, blenders, and food
processors.
Mixing Techniques
The following are some examples of mixing techniques:

72Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 WhippingCut-in
is the processmixing
is another of beating an to Kneading is working the dough,clay,etc
method used
ingredientincorporate
vigorously to incorporate
butter or shortening into dry into a uniform mixture by
air,makingflour.
the ingredient frothy. or a pastry cutter pressing,folding,and stretching.
Apastry blender
(also called a dough cutter) is used. Folding means combining two mixtures of
different
thicknesses and weights into
one (relatively)
smooth mixture. This is accomplished by a
specific technique of using a spoon to lift the
two mixtures together,turning them over, so
they combine.

Tossing is to mix theingredients of a food

dish, such as salads and pasta, by lifting
Write the correct answer in the blank. and dropping the ingredients/mixture.The
food is turned over and mixed, enabling
1. It is used to incorporate butter or shortening into dry
sauces and foodflour.
items to be seasoned
with the flavors of eachitem.
2. _It is the process of beating an ingredient vigorously to incorporate
air, making the ingredient frothy.
3. It is to work dough, clay, etc. into a uniform mixture by pressing,
folding,and stretching.
4. Enumerate the measuring equipment used for dry ingredients.
5. Enumerate the measuring equipment used for liquid ingredients.

Stirring is to mix a substance(s) in a

ACTIVITY
circular pattern using a spoon, spatula, or
other
GROUP similar utensil.
ACTIVITY
Search for a bread recipe and demonstrate proper measuring and mixing.Use
video to describe the measuring and mixing techniques used in the recipe.

Coating food with a batter and breading is one of the conventional

techniques used in food prepoaration. The base usually used for
breading or batters are flour bases, such as wheat flour or a ground
product like bread or crackers. Some add seasonings to add flavor,and
some add sugar for browning.
Many dry breading has some type of binding agent to facilitate
cohesion of the breading during cooking, serving, and consumption.The
same is true for batters, which also contain water, eggs, and/or milk.To
facilitate adhesion of the dry breading to the base food, the
use of components, like milk, beaten egg, egg white, or a combination of these foods, is
often required.Chemical leavenings are added to get a"puffy" coating in battered products.

80 Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 Coatings on foods serve a variety of functions, which include:
keeping the base food moist;
adding flavor to the base food;and/or
enhancing sensory properties (e.g., flavor, texture) of the base food and the
final product.
Batters
A batter is a mixture of flour and liquid with other
ingredients, such as leavening agents, eggs, and various
flavoring materials. They are used in deep-frying to give a
crisp,flavorful, golden brown coating.
Thicker batters make thicker coatings.A batter that is
too thick makes a massive, unpalatable coating.

There are many formulas and variations for batters.

1. Liquids-milk,water,and beer.
2. Eggs may or may not be used.
3. Leavenings are frequently used to give a lighter product. These may be:
baking powder;
beaten egg whites;or
carbonation from beer or seltzer.
Breading
Breading refers to coating a product with bread crumbs or other
crumbs or meal before deep-frying, pan-frying, or sautéing. Breading
creates a golden brown color and crispness.

Source:youtube.com
The standard breading technique applies the following three steps:
1.Dredging in flour- It helps the breading stick to the product.

80 Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 2.Moistening in egg wash -a mixture of eggs and a liquid, usually milk or water.More
eggs give higher binding power but increase the cost. A small quantity of oil is
occasionally added to the egg wash.
3.Coating with crispy bread crumbs-combine with the egg wash to create a
crisp,golden coating when fried. Fine, dry bread crumbs are most often used and give
good results. Also popular are the Japanese-style dry bread crumbs called panko
(Japanese for "bread crumbs"). These coarser crumbs provide a pleäsing texture to
fried items. Other products used are fresh bread crumbs, crushed corn flakes or other
cereal, cracker meal, and cornmeal.

Procedure for Proper Breading

Setup the Station

Setting up the ingredients in an organized manner will simplify the process and create less
mess. (See figure below.) Right-handed cooks work from left to right. Left-handed cooks work from
right to left, with order of pans reversed, as well.

1.Pat dry the product. Extra moisture trapped under the coating will cause the food to
be soggy and not fry properly.
2.Season the product. Season each of the flour with a little salt and pepper.The
presence of salt in contact with the frying fat breaks down the fat and shortens its life.
3.Dredge the product in flour to coat evenly. Shake off the excess. Make sure that
there aren't any bare spots or areas where the flour is thick.
4.Transfer the product to the egg wash pan to coat thoroughly. Remove the product.
Let excess drain off, so the crumb coating will be even.
5.Toss the product in bread crumbs. Cover the product gently with crumbs and make
sure it is coated completely. Carefully drip off the excess, then transfer it to another
pan together with the breaded products.
6. Chill the breaded product for 15 minutes. This helps flour,egg wash,and
breadcrumbs stick together. This will prevent breading from falling off during
frying.

7. Fry until golden brown.

8. To hold for later service, place the breaded items in a single layer on a pan or
rack then refrigerate. Do not hold very moist items, such as raw clams or

80 Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

 oysters.The breading will quickly become soggy.

Some dishes require precooking and flavoring of ingredients to

ready the food in advance before the cooking procedure. A complete
cooking procedure, in such a case, is part of the mise en place or pre-
preparation.
Par Cooking
Par cooking refers to the partial cooking of food that can be
finished or reheated for later use. Par cooking is used to manage
cooking time.It is used to prepare and assemble several parts of a dish
that will be needed for later cooking. Large meat takes a longer time to
cook than vegetables, so it can be cooked ahead of time and be
finished later with
vegetables. This technique is the best way to prepare particular ingredients that come
together in the end.

Blanching
Blanching refers to a cooking technique in which food is briefly immersed in steam or
boiling water or fat. It is a process where heat is used as a pretreatment to inactivate
enzymes that cause browning, as well as textural changes and off-flavors. Blanching helps
the vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes and peaches, as well as some nuts, almonds, or
pistachios, soften and loosen the skin that can be easily removed later.
Marinating
Marinating is a process of soaking food in
a seasoned liquid. Acids (such as vinegar,lemon,
juice, or wine) and enzymes (such as pineapple,
papaya, or ginger) are popularly used as they
help enhance flavors and tenderize the food
during marination.

Although acid and enzymes both work on

the food surface, it works in different ways.
Highly acidic marinades can toughen food, while
enzymatic marinades can make the surface of
the food mushy.Too much acid in the marinate
makes the protein bonds
tighten, squeezing out the water and making the tissue tough. To avoid tough meats,use only
low acid for marination. On the other hand, the enzymes work almost too well,turning tough
meat muscle into mush without passing through any intermediate stage of tenderness. The

80 Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

longer the meat is marinated, the greater the breakdown of proteins and the mushier the
texture. If you want to have tender meat, the most effective marinades contain dairy
products. Dairy products, such as buttermilk and yogurt, are mildly acidic.With these
characteristics, it will not toughen meat the way a robust acidic marinade does.Moreover,it
quite clear that calcium in dairy products activates enzymes in meat that break down
proteins, a process similar to the way that aging tenderizes meat.
There are three necessary components of a marinade.
1.Fats- Fats, such as olive oil, canola oil, coconut milk, full-fat yogurt, or other
vegetable oil, help in the preservation of the food's moisture. The fat-soluble
flavors are absorbed by the meat during marination, making the meat more
flavorful. More often, fat is not used because it only floats on top, especially
during long marination.

2.Acids-Be cautious when using acid in marinating. Strong acids make the meat
tough.Strong acids can be used in marinades if they are in small quantities or if
the meat is marinated only for a few hours.
3.Seasonings-Garlic,onion, salt, chili, peppers, sugars, and aromatics are some of
the seasonings that release flavors and add life to the marinades.Whole spices
release flavors mnore slowly, so they are more suitable for long marination.

Kinds of Marinade
1.Cooked-used when long keeping quality is important. Modern refrigeration has
made cooked marinades less widely used. An advantage of prepared marinades is
that spices release more flavor into the marinade when it is cooked.

2.Raw-most commonly used for long marination under refrigeration

3.Instant-The range of flavors and purposes is wide. Used for marinating a few
minutes up to several hours or overnight.
4. Dry- A dry marinade, also called a dry rub or a spice rub, is a mixture of sah
spices, and herbs that are rubbed or patted onto the surface of the meat,poultry
or fish. In some cases, a little oil or a wet ingredient, such as crushed garlic,is
mixed with the spices to make a paste. The item is then refrigerated to allowi
time to absorb the flavors.The rub may be left on the item or scraped off before
cooking. This technique is widely used for barbecued meats.Dry marinades are an
effective way to flavor meats.

Brining
A brine is a high concentration solution of
salt in water. For others who would want to add
more flavor to the dish, sweeteners, (such as
brown sugar, maple syrup, etc.) herbs, and spices
are added.
Brining is used to preserve and enhance the
tenderness and flavor of the food. Meat fish,and
vegetables are set in brines as a form of
marination to cure or pickle the food to extend
its shelf life.The salt solution dissolves the
proteinin muscle, and the salt and protein reduce
moisture

80 Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation

loss during cooking, making the food tender and juicy. As the food soaks in salt and other
seasonings,the solution penetrates the food and enhances its flavor.

Write the correct answer in the blank.

1. It is a cooking technique in which food is briefly immersed in steam
or boiling water or fat.
2. It is a process of soaking food in a seasoned liquid.
3. It refers to partial cooking of food that can be finished or reheated
for later use.
4. It is used to preserve and enhance the tenderness and flavor of the
food.

5. Enumerate the three components of a marinade.

80 Kitchen Essentials and Basic Food Preparation