Unit 26: Starches

1. Unit 26: Starches Starches cover a wide range of ingredients that are accompaniments and main courses American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

2. American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

3. Types of Starches • Potatoes, grains, pasta, and legumes are the basics • A significant source of nutrition • Some cuisines need them to temper heat in spices or capsaicin • Combinations offer full complements of proteins American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

4. Potatoes • Potatoes have many degrees of starch and moisture • Moderate- or high-starch potatoes are all-purpose, chef’s, Yellow Finn, Yukon gold, certain fingerlings, Maine potatoes, new potatoes • They hold their shape when cooked • Used in soups, salads, or boiled American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

5. Equipment • Assemble all equipment • Peelers and paring knives • Holding containers with water; potatoes brown after peeling • Large cooking pots • Slotted spoon or colanders or both • Holding containers for cooked product American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

6. Ingredients • Each potato variety has a unique flavor and texture after cooking • Cooked with or without skins • Cook uniform sizes • Remove green spots • Enough water to submerge potatoes • Salted water • Finishing ingredients American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

7. Cooking • Bring water to a simmer and maintain • Done potatoes can be pierced with a fork or skewer • Drain immediately, return to pot and cook away moisture (or place in oven) • If skins still on, remove them immediately • Evaluate: should be cooked but not fall apart • Sweet flavor • Served hot American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

8. Potato Purées • Whipped are classic • Gather equipment • Heat water • Prep potatoes and cut evenly • Place into water and bring to a simmer • Coot till very soft and puree them while very hot in a mill or ricer, season • Reserve for service American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

9. Baked Potatoes • Gather equipment, preheat oven • Gather ingredients (low-moisture and starchy potatoes such as russets) • Scrub potatoes and pierce with a fork • Rub potatoes with butter and season with salt • Bake until tender, reserve for service • Bake progressively in an á la carte situation, so they always come out fresh American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

10. Oven-Roasted Potatoes • Low-moisture and high-starch potatoes • Gather equipment; preheat oven while in preparation • Scrub and peel (you may not need to peel new potatoes) • Potatoes may be parcooked • Oil them and season them as per the recipe • Place on sheet pans and roast until fully cooked and golden brown American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

11. Casseroled Potatoes • Potatoes need to be peeled and sliced evenly • They may be parcooked • Low-moisture potatoes are best • Layer potatoes in a buttered pan • Pour hot liquid over them, season, cover them • Place immediately into a hot oven • Remove the cover the last 10 or 15 minutes for nice browning American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

12. Deep-frying • Low-moisture potatoes • Cut gaufrette, sliced, batonnet, julienned • Gather equipment • Prep potatoes as the recipe or mis en place calls for • In a preheated fryer, blanch the potatoes at 300˚ to 325˚F (150˚ to 162˚C), until tender and almost translucent • Drain and cool • Deep-fry to golden brown when ready at 350˚ to 375˚F (176˚ to 190˚C) American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

13. Sautéing • Home fries, Anna, potato pancakes, rösti, and Lyonnaise • These techniques provide a browned exterior and a soft, moist interior • Heavy-gauge pan • Paring equipment • Service utensils and holding containers American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

14. Ingredients • Moderate-moisture, moderate-starch potatoes • Oil, onions, peppers • Prep in standard fashion • Slice or cut evenly • Add to hot oil and sauté till tender and golden brown • Add the garnish, seasoning, and evaluate the flavor, color, texture American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

15. Cooking Grains • Whole grains are prepared by boiling like potatoes except water is brought to a full boil before adding the grain • Stir while adding and occasionally during cooking • When tender, drain and let steam in the covered pot • Do not stir with a spoon when cooked, use only a two-tined fork • Delicately fluff them with the fork American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

16. Pilaf • Heavy-gauge pot with lid • Preheated oven • Wooden spoon • Fork • Serving utensils and holding containers American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

17. Ingredients • Long-grain rice; most other grains can be used • Stock or broth, hot • Aromatics • Suitable cooking fat or oil • Seasoning American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

18. Method • Sweat aromatics in the oil or butter • Add the rice to coat with oil, stirring only with the fork • Add the seasonings, hot stock, bring to a boil, fluff, cover and simmer till done • Or, place in a 325˚F preheated oven • When done, fluff with the fork, turn into a holding pan • Evaluate quality of flavor, texture, eye appeal • Grains should all be separate and fluffy American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

19. Risotto • Short-grained rice is parched like pilaf, in a thick-bottomed pot • Seasonings are added and a hot, well-seasoned stock added in 3–4 stages, stirring constantly • This will produce a creamy, smoother, and delicious texture • This does not hold well, so must be served fairly soon • Risotto can be brought two-thirds of the way and finished as it is ordered • Butter and parmesan are very complimentary to this recipe American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

20. Evaluation • Risotto should be tender and creamy, not pasty or gummy • Seasoning appropriate • Garnish should be cut properly, flavorful, and risotto served very hot American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

21. Cereals and Meals • Polenta, oatmeal, cream of wheat, and cream of rice are cooked similar to grains • Cook in rapidly boiling and slightly salted water, in a heavy pot • Bring the water to a boil, add the salt, and stir in the cereal, bring to a boil, simmer and cook until the water is absorbed and the cereal is creamy • NOTE: it is best to stir oatmeal in with a spoon, as a whisk will turn the oats to mush • Pour into holding equipment and hold for service American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

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23. Pasta, Fresh and Dried • Cooked in plenty of boiling salted water • Stir in pasta, use a fork and be careful not to break it up • Fresh takes only 1 to 3 minutes • Dried takes 2 to 15 minutes • Turn into a colander, drain, and use immediately or rinse and cool (In Italy, they do not rinse their pasta, they use it immediately) • Store for service American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

24. Sort and rinse legumes Some will need to be soaked from 4 to 12 hours, depending on the type Cook in simmering water or they will become tough Add acids and salt during the final third of cooking time as these ingredients make legumes tough Two methods for soaking: quick soak and long soak Long soak: rinse and sort, place in a pot, cover with cold water, cover and refrigerate overnight Short soak: place beans in a pot, covered with about 2 inches of water Bring to a boil, remove the pot, cover it and let sit for about 1 hour Proceed with the cooking method Legumes American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.

25. American Culinary Federation: Culinary Fundamentals.