The Young Chef: Recipes and Techniques for Kids Who Love to Cook

By The Culinary Institute of America

Learn how to cook and think like a chef from the best of the best—the experts at The Culinary Institute of America

Aspiring chefs turn to The Culinary Institute of America for top-tier training—and now younger cooks can too. Coauthored by chef-instructor (and parent) Mark Ainsworth, this book is for kids ages ten to fourteen who love to cook or who want to learn how, from the perspective of the nation’s best culinary college. It begins with techniques—from key cooking methods to staying safe in the kitchen to how food fuels your body—then augments those lessons with more than one hundred recipes for dishes that kids (and their families and friends) will love, from Chinese “Takeout” Chicken and Broccoli to Mexican Street Corn Salad to DIY Hummus to Raspberry Shave Ice. These recipes are easy enough that beginners can try them with confidence, but are loaded with insider tips, fun facts, kitchen vocab, and other teaching moments so that more adventurous junior cooks can use them as a springboard to take their skills to the next level, express their culinary creativity, and have fun in the kitchen!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9780544648050

The Culinary Institute of America

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world's premier culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership development for the foodservice and hospitality industry, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts; bachelor's degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied food studies; and executive education through its Food Business School. Its conferences and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry in the areas of health and wellness, sustainability, world cuisines and cultures, and professional excellence and innovation. The college also offers certificate programs and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its worldwide network of 48,000 alumni includes leaders in every area of foodservice and hospitality. The CIA has campuses in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by The Culinary Institute of America

Photography copyright © 2016 Phil Mansfield

All rights reserved

The Culinary Institute of America

PresidentDr. Tim Ryan ’77, CMC

ProvostMark Erickson ’77, CMC

Director of PublishingNathalie Fischer

Editorial Project ManagerLisa Lahey ’00

Recipe Testing ManagerLaura Monroe ’12

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to [e-mail] or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.

hmhbooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request.

ISBN 978-0-470-92866-0 (paperback)

ISBN 978-0-544-64805-0 (ebook)

Book design by Tai Blanche

Ebook design and production by Rebecca Springer

Illustrations by Joel Holland

v2.0421

Introduction and Acknowledgments

Learning the Basics

Safety First

Equipment Essentials

Essential Techniques

Cooking Methods

How to Cook Flavorful Food

How Food Fuels Your Body

Recipes

Breakfast

Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches

Main Meals for Lunch and Dinner

Simple Sides and Sauces

Savory Snacks

Sweet Snacks and Desserts

Index

When I was growing up, it was a real treat to go out to a restaurant. Mom was the one who cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner and she never got a break. We had to help chop vegetables, set up, and clean the table, but she was the boss of the kitchen. Dad was lucky that he worked, and aside from heating up a can of sardines on top of the stove (yuck), he never ventured into the kitchen until much later when I chose cooking as my profession.

When my mother returned to college to get her master’s degree while I was still in elementary school, she announced that each of the four kids would be responsible for cooking dinner one night a week. After the initial shock of having to do more work wore off, I realized that I could do this. Mom helped by writing a recipe book of family favorites for us to work from. On Sunday night, we had to meet with her and review our game plan for cooking. It was important to her that we prepared a balanced meal that everyone would enjoy. My seven-year-old brother would almost always prepare fancies, baked hot dogs slit down the center and stuffed with relish and cheese. My older sister was good at almost everything, while my younger sister and I specialized in macaroni and cheese and tuna melts.

Those early times in the kitchen paved the way for years of great eating and ultimately a profession to which I owe those lessons instilled in me by my mother. With great encouragement from my entire family, I choose to study at The Culinary Institute of America. It was an excellent choice and after working in the industry for many years, I returned to my alma mater to teach.

For years, as a father myself, I have wanted to write a kids’ cookbook. All the skills we learn in school are used in the kitchen. Reading, math, nutrition, science, and craftsmanship can enthusiastically be practiced when using this book.

All the administration, staff, students, and faculty of The Culinary Institute of America have contributed to this book through their enthusiasm and love of food. The beautiful photographs have been crafted with great intensity and humor by one of the best, Phil Mansfield. Keeping it all organized has not been easy, and Lisa Lahey has persevered throughout the entire project. Thanks also go out to Maggie Wheeler and Ryan Welshhon for helping with the recipe testing, and to Nathalie Fischer for steering the ship throughout the long journey.

Lastly, a shout out to Patrice and especially the two best food critics I know, Darby and Kaleigh Ainsworth, my kids. These two girls tasted, tested, critiqued, and cooked all the recipes in this book and even had to work a few days during summer break on the photo shoot. Thanks, girls, I hope you like the book.

The basics of any skill, craft, or art —such as cooking —are always the most important to learn. Once mastered, these basics will allow for unending creativity and variation. As you become more comfortable with your skills, you’ll enjoy cooking more and the quality of the food you cook will increase.

Safety First

Working in the kitchen is fun, but it is not without hazards. You work with sharp objects and machines that can cause injury if you’re not careful. It is important to ask for help or guidance from an adult if you are using equipment you are not familiar with or anything that could potentially cause injury. Food itself can also be a hazard in the kitchen. It is important to work clean, keep hands washed, and handle and store food the right way.

Keeping Food Safe

Foods are handled many times in their journeys from farm to table. But when foods are exposed to contaminants along the way, they can cause people to get sick. Simple steps in the kitchen can reduce contamination and keep food safe.

Microorganisms are small living things that can be seen only through a microscope.

Some are good for us:

Yeast for bread

Mold for blue cheese

Bacteria for yogurt

Some can be harmful, and these are called pathogens:

Viruses, like the flu

Bacteria, like salmonella

Parasites, which live in the bodies of animals

Fungi, such as molds that spoil food

Certain types of harmful microorganisms can make us sick. When cooking, it’s important to prevent harmful microorganisms from contaminating the food we eat. How we prepare and store foods can limit their exposure to pathogens in the first place, and we can also control conditions so that pathogens will not grow.

Four Ways to Keep Food Safe

1. Keep foods clean

The spread of pathogens between hands, countertops, food, cutting boards, and utensils is called cross-contamination and can be prevented by regularly cleaning all work surfaces, as well as by frequently washing your hands.

2. Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat

Foods that will not be cooked are considered ready to eat and should be kept separate from raw eggs, meat, poultry, and seafood to avoid cross-contamination. Some ready-to-eat foods include bread; raw vegetables and fresh fruits; cereal; chips, pretzels, and other snacks; and milk.

3. Cook foods thoroughly

All meats, poultry, and seafood should be cooked until they reach recommended safe minimum internal temperatures in order to kill any pathogens. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature (see chart, below). Foods cooked in a microwave can have cold spots and should be stirred or rotated to ensure even cooking.

4. Keep foods at a safe temperature

Cooked foods are safe when they are stored in a cold refrigerator or freezer, or when they are cooked and still hot, but they are in danger of spoiling when they are kept at room temperature, between 40 and 140°F, for more than 2 hours. (This is known as the temperature danger zone.)

Keep all cold foods stored at 40°F or below. Your refrigerator is probably set to about 35°F, which is just about right, and the freezer temperature should be at 0°F.

Don’t leave cooked foods sitting out at room temperature, or even in a warm oven, for extended periods of time while you wait to eat it.

If you’re not going to eat cooked foods immediately, place them in small containers and refrigerate, then reheat when ready to eat.

How to Use a Thermometer

Checking the temperature with a thermometer is an easy way to make sure your food is done cooking. Insert the thermometer into the center of the food, or for poultry, into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone. Some thermometers are oven-safe, but many are not, so read the directions first. After using the thermometer, it is important to wash it to avoid possible cross-contamination the next time you use it.

Keeping Yourself Safe

Remember, the kitchen is full of things that are hot, sharp, or otherwise potentially dangerous. Always make sure an adult is nearby and get used to the following good habits to keep yourself safe:

Wear the right clothing when cooking: Wear close-toed shoes in case a knife falls from the counter or your hand, and don’t wear clothing that is very big or baggy —especially in the sleeves.

Be careful around the stove. Always keep pot handles turned in —away from the front of the stove —so you, or someone else, can’t bump into them.

If your family has a fire extinguisher (it’s a good idea to have one), learn how to use it.

Be as careful around steam as you are around fire. Both can easily burn you.

Keep your pets out of the kitchen while you are cooking. It is easy for them to get underfoot and cause you to trip and fall.

Work clean. Clutter on your work surface can easily cause a knife to fall or an ingredient to spill. Wipe up spills quickly and thoroughly to make sure no one will slip.

Take your time and concentrate. Keep your head about you. Keeping focused and undistracted allows for better judgment and is your best defense against mistakes and injury.

Washing Your Hands

Wash your hands for a full 20 seconds using soap and hot water:

Before and after handling food

After using the bathroom

After touching pets

After being in contact with a sick person

After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

After handling uncooked eggs or raw meat, poultry, or fish and their juices

Washing Fruits and Vegetables

Rinse fruits and vegetables under cold running water.

Do not use any soap or chemicals to wash fruits or vegetables.

Even fruits and vegetables that are going to be cut need to be washed to prevent microorganisms from getting inside when you cut them.

Scrub firm produce such as potatoes or melons with a produce brush.

Dry all fruits and vegetables to reduce the bacteria that may still be present.

Tips to Avoid Cross-Contamination

Place raw foods in separate plastic bags at the grocery store.

Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood on a lower shelf than ready-to-eat foods in the refrigerator to avoid dripping juices.

Don’t use the same cutting board for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.

Never place cooked food back on the same plate from which it came raw.

Equipment Essentials

Take a look around your kitchen —it’s most likely stocked with a treasure trove of pans, tools, and gadgets your parents have accumulated over the years. When it comes to mastering the culinary basics, however, there are only a handful of items you’ll need. Take some time to scope out what you have available and use this guide to help.

Pots and Pans

Sauté Pans and Skillets

These are used to cook tender items such as chicken, fish, eggs, and vegetables. Their sloped sides make it easy to turn the food over with a spatula or spoon.

Saucepans and Stockpots

These versatile pots can be used to boil vegetables and pastas, to cook hot cereals and grains such as rice, and to make sauces and soups.

Roasting Pans

Roasting pans are rectangular and have high sides. If you were cooking a large piece of meat, like a turkey, the juices from the food would accumulate in the bottom of the pan. These juices could then be thickened with flour or cornstarch to make a gravy or sauce. You can also use a roasting pan to roast smaller things like vegetables or small pieces of meat.

Baking Dishes

Though they are usually rectangular or oval, baking dishes can be of almost any shape and have high sides. These are used for baking foods such as macaroni and cheese or lasagna.

Baking Pans

Cookie sheets, cake pans, and muffin tins are types of baking pans used to bake things like cakes and cookies. Cookie sheets that have shallow sides are very versatile and can be used not only for cookies, but also to make thin cake layers or even to roast savory items like vegetables. Cake pans come in a variety of shapes and sizes but are most commonly round and between 7 and 9 inches in diameter.