Principles of cooking

Recipe for Saratoga Chips.— Wash and pare two medium-sized potatoes. Slice lengthwise in thin slices and cover with cold water until ready to use. Drain, cover with boiling water, and boil two minutes to partially cook the starch. Drain again, pour cold water over, and then dry as thoroughly as possible because water lowers the temperature of the fat. Fry in deep fat and keep the potatoes in constant motion so that they will fry evenly. Drain on paper that will absorb the excess fat and then | sprinkle with salt. Calculate cost. At what meal do you serve Saratoga chips? Are they a cheap food? BROILING ANIMAL FOOD. PRINCIPLES WHICH APPLY TO THE COOKING OF PROTEINS — TENDER MEAT Meat consists of bone, fat, and muscle fiber. The bone and fat form but a small part of the meat as it is prepared for the table, though they are purchased with it at the market. The part of meat that is usually prepared and eaten is the muscle fiber. Muscles, or muscle fiber, consist of cells held together by a substance called connective tissue. All substances, whether animal or vegetable, are made up of cells that are alike in structure, but different in composition. An animal cell, like a vegetable cell, consists of a network or protoplasm, and a nucleus, or life center. The nucleus and protoplasm are sometimes surrounded by a cell wall. The nucleus grows, divides, and produces other nuclei, and these in turn become new cells. The nucleus gets its nourish- © ment for its growth and reproduction from the protoplasm ; the protoplasm gets it from the blood. The protoplasm, then, must contain all the substances that are needed for the building up and growth of muscles and other tissues. The protoplasm and nucleus in animal cells consist of protein, mineral matter, extractives, and sometimes fat. Animal cells are held together by a substance called connective tissue. It is called a protein, but it does not build tissue, and heat does not affect it in the same way that it affects other proteins. Extractives are the flavor in meat. They are formed by the breaking down of proteins during muscular’ exercise.) ainey are soluble in’ water; and if meat is placed in a cool or slightly warm pan and allowed to heat slowly, extractives are drawn out, and Fat Tissues (magnified). } Connective tissue cells form pockets in which the the meat will be dry and iquid fat is stored. acne Recipe for Broiling Meat. — To broil steak in a broiler it is necessary to have glowing coals without flame or smoke. It is nearly impossible to always have such a fire, and a pan broil is equally good and always possible. The best cuts for broiling are porterhouse, sirloin, and short steaks. The next best are chuck and round steaks. The cuts should be at least one inch thick. | Have the frying pan smoking hot, rub it lightly with a piece of suet from the meat, and then remove the suet so that no fat remains in the pan. Place the steak in a pan and turn it when one side is seared. ‘Turn it often to pre- vent burning. Steak is broiled from 8 to 10 minutes, the time depending upon the thickness of the steak and individual taste as to rareness. Remove the steak from the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spread with butter or pour the juice from the pan over the meat. The pan is hot in starting to sear over the outside and retain the juices. If the pan is not hot enough, the juices will escape, and the meat will be tasteless. Meat is turned often to prevent burning, to prevent juice from escaping from the exposed side, to secure even cooking throughout. Calculate cost. How many people would the steak serve? Is steak a cheap meat? Give your reason. STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN BROILING STEAK.