(1) Heat the pan enough to melt the fat.
(2) Put in just enough fat to keep the food from sticking, and let it run over the surface of the pan, and get smoking hot.
(3) Put in the food and let it brown on one side, then turn it and brown the other side.
(4) Serve on a hot dish.
3. Effects of sauteing:
(1) To sear the surface of the food.
(2) To brown the surface and develop a delicious flavour, while cooking to the centre.
(3) To make the surface slightly fat-soaked with fat which has been very highly heated.
(4) To make the surface indigestible.
BAKING
1. Definition:
Baking is a method of cooking in which the heat is brought to the food through the confined heat of an oven.
2. Kinds of ovens:
(1) Slow.
(2) Moderate--white paper browns in ten minutes.
(3) Hot--white paper browns in five minutes.
(4) Very hot--white paper browns in one minute.
3. Rules for baking:
(1) Heat the oven according to the recipe.
(2) Put the food in the oven, usually on the lower shelf, to get an under heat first, then toward the last of the cooking, set it on the top shelf to brown.
(3) Watch carefully during the baking, but in opening the oven door, be gentle and quick.
(4) If the oven gets too hot, set a pan of cold water in it, or leave the door slightly open.
If browning too quickly, cover the surface with brown paper.
(5) Cook the food according to the time required by the recipe, or until it is done, as shown by some test.
FRYING
1. Definition:
Frying is a method of cooking in which the heat is brought to the food by immersing it in smoking-hot fat.
2. Temperature for frying:
(1) For cooked foods which have only to brown and warm through--about 400 degrees.
(2) For raw foods which have to cook--about 350 degrees.
3. Rules for frying:
(1) Use a deep iron, steel, or granite kettle, which will hold the heat.
(2) Put in sufficient fat to cover the food well, but never fill the kettle more than two-thirds full.
(3) Heat the fat to the desired temperature.
(4) Have the food as dry as possible and not very cold.
(5) When the fat begins to give off a small quant.i.ty of _white_ vapour, test it for the required heat, as follows: (_a_) For raw food, put in a small square of bread, and allow it sixty seconds to brown.
(_b_) For cooked food, allow a square of bread forty seconds to brown.
(6) Put the food carefully into the hot fat, and only an amount which will not cool it too much.
(7) When the food is nicely browned, lift it from the fat with an open spoon or lifter and drain over the pot until it stops dripping.
(8) Lay the food on crumpled brown paper or blotting paper, to absorb any fat still clinging to the surface.
(9) Strain the fat through cheesecloth and set it away to cool.
4. Effects of frying:
(1) To sear the surface and prevent it from absorbing fat.
(2) To cook or heat the food to the centre.
(3) To brown the surface of the food and make it crisp.
(4) To develop a delicious flavour in the browned surface.
(5) To make the browned surface indigestible, because it has absorbed highly-heated fat.
NOTE.--As frying requires the fat used to be at a very high temperature, it is dangerous to let young children take the responsibility in this method of cooking. For this reason, it may be wise to defer lessons on frying until the Fourth Form, or even later.
For practice in the methods of cooking, the following is suggestive: