Prepare fruit and vegetable cuts

Fruit Flan

The fruits we used to make the fruit flan were fresh. We know this because they smelled fresh and had no bruises or blemishes on the skin. We used kiwifruit, grapes, strawberries, and rockmelon. We cut all the fruit relatively the same size so the presentation didn't look sloppy. When the pastry was cooked and cooled, we topped it with custard and decorated it using the fruits we cut. We diced the rockmelon and sprinkled it onto the flan. We cut the kiwifruit into paysanne and left the grapes whole. Lastly, we drizzled melted milk chocolate over the fruit. The fruit flan was served on a small round plate. We used a paring knife to skin the kiwifruit and cut it. To cut all the other fruits we used a green chefs knife.

Vegetable Baskets

 In our vegetable baskets, we used pumpkin, potato, carrot, capsicum, and broccoli. We cut the potato, pumpkin, and capsicum into chunks, the carrot into paysanne, we cut the broccoli into florets. All of the vegetables smelled and looked fresh, they had no bruises or blemishes. We cooked the pumpkin and potato first as they are starchy and take longer to cook than the rest of the vegetables. When all the vegetables were cooked we placed them into the prepared muffin tin with the pastry in the grooves. We then covered the vegetables with the excess pastry and placed them in the oven to cook. We presented the vegetable baskets on a small round plate. To cut the vegetables we used a green chefs knife.

Prepare and present salads for service

Fruit Kebabs

Our fruit kebabs included strawberries, watermelon, grapes, banana, and marshmallows. To ensure our fruit was of the best quality we checked the smell, texture, and appearance. All of the fruit smelled fresh as they were all brought the day before consumption. The fruits were bright in colour and had no visible blemishes. Before we cut the strawberries we rinsed them under water to remove any dirt or bugs. We cut all of the fruits roughly the same size and threaded them as well as the marshmallows onto a skewer. The marshmallows were fresh, we knew this because they weren't stale. We plated them on a round white plate and drizzled melted milk chocolate on top. It was better to plate them on a flat plate as the skewers are straight.

Caesar Salad

In our Caesar salad, we had lettuce, bacon, chicken, croutons, a poached egg, Parmesan cheese, and a Caesar dressing. To ensure the lettuce was of the best quality we washed it and checked for any blemishes. We cut the lettuce chiffonade style on a green chopping board using a green knife. When preparing the chicken we cut it into small chunks on a yellow board with a yellow knife to prevent cross-contamination. The bacon was cooked on a lined baking tray in the oven until golden brown. To cook the croutons we cut whole grain bread into small cubes and cooked them until golden brown on the stove top. To cook the poached egg we cracked the egg into a measuring cup and carefully placed it in a pot of simmering water for approximately 5 minutes. We plated the Caesar Salad in a deep white plate as it was able to hold more than what a regular dinner plate would. We topped the lettuce with the chicken, diced bacon, grated Parmesan cheese, poached egg, and the Caesar dressing. 

Couscous Salad
In the couscous salad, we had pearl couscous, pumpkin, feta, basil pesto, and pine nuts.
The pumpkin had no blemishes and wasn't rotten on the inside.  When we cut the pumpkin we had to ensure they were all cut similarly so they would cook at the same rate. We cooked them first on a baking tray in the oven as they take the longest to cook. Using a white chopping board and a black handle knife we cut the feta into cubes. In a pan, we lightly toasted pine nuts. When the couscous, pumpkin, and pine nuts were cooked we left them to cool down before placing them into a bowl along with the feta. We added approximately 3 heaped tablespoons of basil pesto and gently tossed everything together so the feta and pumpkin don't get mushy. We served the couscous salad in a large bowl as there was a large quantity. 

Steaming Assessment

Dumplings
1. The type of steaming we used for the dumplings was low-pressure steaming.
3. To check the quality of the ingredients are suitable for cooking we checked the appearance, smell, and expiry date of the meat, cabbage, crushed garlic, and dumpling wrappers. The pork mince looked slightly pink and smelled fresh. The cabbage was bright green and had no blemishes and smelled like fresh cabbage. The crushed garlic was pre-packaged and was well within its expiry date. The dumpling wrappers were soft to the touch and had no cracks indicating it was fresh. It also was well within its expiry date.
4. Each person had approximately 8 dumplings, which had 50g of pork mince, 1 tablespoon of cabbage, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed garlic, and 8 dumpling wrappers.
5. We washed the cabbage to ensure any dirt or bugs weren't in it. To prepare the dumpling wrappers we put them on a floured surface and got a bowl of water ready to fold the dumplings.
6. We steamed the dumplings for about 6-10 minutes in a bamboo steamer in a pot of water. Once the dumplings were cooked the wrappers went slightly transparent. When steaming it is important to remember to open a lid away from you as the steam is very hot and can burn.
7. We presented our dumplings on a square, white plate. We layered 6 on a plate so they were resting on each other. On the plate, we also had a small dish with soy sauce in it to dunk the dumplings in.
8. People said our dumplings were very flavourful and that they were good.

Lemon Fish and Vegetables
1. The type of steaming we used to cook the fish and vegetables was low-pressure steaming.
3. The fish smelled and looked fresh. There were no visible signs of it being bad quality. The carrots and beans were fresh and bright with no blemishes.
4. Each person had roughly 100g of fish and 1 cup of beans and carrots.
5. To prepare the fish we ensured there were no bones, placed it in some baking paper, sprinkled with salt and pepper, green onion and lemon and folded it up. To prepare the carrots washed then top and tailed them, peeled the skin off, and cut it into small strips. To prepare the beans we washed them, then top and tailed them.
6. We steamed the fish for approximately 5 minutes. We could tell it was cooked because the fish was white and fell apart.
7. We presented the fish in a tin container with the beans and carrots on the side.
8. Some comments we got was that the fish had good flavour and was well cooked.

Vegetable soup
1. To cook the vegetable soup we used a pressure cooker. This type of steaming is high-pressure steaming.
3. To make our vegetable soup we used pumpkin, kumara, potato, carrot, and onion. We knew these ingredients were of the best quality because they had no blemishes and they had no bruises.
4. Each person had roughly a cup of vegetable soup and two pieces of garlic bread.
5. To prepare the carrot, potato, and kumara, we washed, peeled, and cut them into chunks. We also removed the outer layer from the onion and finely diced it. To prepare the pumpkin we removed the skin and chopped it into chunks the same size of the carrot, potato, and kumara.
6. We cooked the vegetable soup in the pressure cooker for about 15 minutes. Once it was cooked it was mushy looking and after it had been blended together it looked smooth.
7. We served our soup in a recyclable cup.
8. We were told the vegetable soup tasted like it had equal parts of each vegetable. They also said the garlic bread was delicious.

Recipe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PK784dwlFs



Prawns and Couscous 

1. We steamed the prawns using low-pressure steaming.
3. The prawns smelled slightly salty which is an indication that the prawns are fresh. The shell was also clean, translucent, and glossy. The eyes were not sunken. These are all indicators that the prawns were fresh. The couscous was good to eat because it was still within its expiry date.
4. We served up 4 prawns on each plate. There was approximately 1 cup of couscous mixed with rocket and capsicum.
5. To prepare the prawns we removed the head, shell, legs, tail, and 'dirty track', and rinsed them off with water before placing them in a bamboo steaming basket.
6. We steamed the prawns for about 5 minutes in the steaming basket. To cook the couscous we lightly toasted it, then boiled it with water and chicken stock until the liquid was all evaporated. We then lightly toasted some pine nuts.
7. To serve our food we first placed the couscous, rocket, capsicium, and pine nuts into the plate. Then we topped it with 4 prawns and drizzled it with our dressing.
8. Some comments we got were that the prawns weren't rubbery and the portion sizes were perfect.

Grilling Assessment

Grilling

Bacon
The food item we grilled was shoulder bacon. To ensure the bacon was safe to eat, we checked the appearance and the smell. It was a pink colour and it smelled fresh. If the bacon was not safe to eat it would have been a brownish colour and would have smelled bad. To prepare the bacon we cut off the excess fat and placed it on a lined baking tray ready to grill in the oven.

We cooked the bacon in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 150.C using the over grilling technique. We knew the bacon was cooked because it was golden and crispy looking.

To accompany the bacon we served it with pancakes and banana slices. We also had maple syrup to drizzle over once we had dished everything up. We each had 2 pancakes, 2 slices of bacon, and one banana - sliced.


Tomato
The second food item we grilled was a tomato. To ensure the tomato was eatable we checked for any discolouration or blemishes. The tomato was a nice red colour with no blemishes or discolouration. The tomato smelled fresh and delicious. If the tomato was not fresh and ready to eat it would be squishy with blemishes or bruises on the skin. To prepare the tomato for consumption we washed it, removed the leaves and cut it in half. Before grilling we preheated the grill and sprayed it with cooking oil. We grilled the tomato using the under grilling technique.

We grilled the tomatoes for about 10 minutes on a medium heat. We knew when the tomato was cooked because it was hot and had grill lines on the part we grilled.

When we presented our dish we served it with breakfast sausages, toast, and scrambled eggs. We seasoned it with salt and pepper, and served it with tomato sauce. We each had one half of a tomato, two breakfast sausages, one slice of bread and a quarter of a cup of scrambled eggs.

Boiling Assessment

Boiling 

Definition of boiling: Having reached boiling point; steaming or bubbling under the action of heat. To change from a liquid to a gaseous state, producing bubbles of gas that rise to the surface of the liquid, agitating it as they rise.

Part 1: Before boiling it is important to inspect the quality of all ingredients by checking the appearance, smell, and date of expiry. When checking the appearance you need to look for any bruises, blemishes or pest infestations. It is also necessary to prepare the food items using the correct procedures that meet the dish requirements, such as washing, peeling, and cutting off the ends of a carrot. When using eggs it is important to check the freshness of eggs to prevent salmonella and upset stomachs, You can do this by placing the eggs in a bowl of water. If they sink they're fresh and if they float it means there is a large air bubble and it is not good to eat.

Part 2: The degree that water boils is 100.C. The best way to hard boil eggs is to place them in a pot of cold water, bring to boil on medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat, and set aside for 8-10 minutes. After the desired time place them in cold water and remove the shell. When boiling vegetables such as carrots they need to be soft enough to eat but not so soft that they fall apart when picked up. To boil vegetables you put them in a pot of cold water, cover, and place on a medium-high heat. When the water starts to boil turn the heat down and cook the vegetables till soft.

Part 3: In the hospitality industry it is important to dish up the food the exact same, using the same garnishes, sauces, and dishing up the same portions. 2 large eggs (120g)  is 1 serving, 1/2 cup of cooked green or orange vegetables such as broccoli and carrot is considered 1 serving. 65g of cooked red meat is 1 serving.

1. When boiling, it is important to keep the handles of the pot to the side. If the handle is towards the front of the stove you can brush past it and spill hot food or water on yourself.
2. When lifting the lids off pots we need to lift it away from us as the hot steam can cause burns.
3. Push your sleeves back when cooking over a stovetop 
4. Never leave your cooking unattended. 

One of the food items we cooked for this boiling assessment was scotch eggs. We boiled eggs. A scotch egg is a hardboiled egg encased in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried or baked. The second thing we cooked for this assessment was potato salad. We boiled potatoes and an egg.

Scotch Egg Ingredients

vegetable oil for deep frying

400g sausage meat or skinned sausages

¼ cup finely chopped onion

salt and pepper

4 hard-boiled eggs

1 egg, beaten

1 cup fine, crisp breadcrumbs

Potato Salad

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes
1 hardboiled egg
100g bacon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

Knife Handling Assessment

When handling knives is it important to maintain the sharpness of the blade. This can be done by sharpening the blade using a wet stone block or a steel. To ensure the whole blade is being sharpened the knife should be held at a 45-degree angle.

When handling knives it is important that
we hold them by the handle and have
the blade facing down to prevent injury to 
ourselves and others in accordance to
legislative and establishment requirements. 

We need to ensure before cooking
that our knife is clean and sharp
as using a blunt knife is unsafe and may
increase the risk of cutting yourself. It needs
to be clean to prevent the spread of
harmful bacteria.

When setting up your area for a practical
it is important to place a wet cloth under the
chopping board to prevent it from moving around
and causing injury.  To prevent cross-contamination
the corresponding knife and board should be
clean before use. 

When storing knives it is important to
store them in a safe manner that will
reduce the risk of injury. They need
to be stored in a place where children can't
reach them. 

The two practicals we practiced these knife handing techniques on were fruit salad and chicken stir-fry. 

Hospitality Assessment

TASK 3











When we cook we need to ensure we are wearing an apron to not only prevent our clothes from getting covered in food, but also prevent any dirt or bacteria from getting into the food. When we are finished with the aprons it is important to wash them so they are clean and ready for the next people to use them. Cuts and open wounds need to be covered as bacteria can get into these wounds and cause infection, Any bacteria from these wounds can also contaminate the food. 

When we are cooking it is important to wear covered shoes as sharp objects or hot liquids can cause injury or burns to people. 

When we are cooking we need to ensure our hair is tied up out of our faces as loose pieces of hair could get into the food which is a breach of health and safety. When cooking we need to avoid personal habits such as touching our hair and face, if we do carry out these personal habits we need to wash our hands using the 20/20 rule. 

When it comes to cutting food we need to ensure we don't cross contaminate our food as this can cause someone to become sick. For example, if someone used a knife to cut raw chicken, then used the same knife to cut fresh fruits or vegetables, the consumer is at risk of contracting salmonella. 

Nails need to be cut short and washed before cooking because hands are a breeding ground for bacteria and as we are working with our hands we need to eliminate it and prevent getting ourselves and others sick. It is important when cooking that all nail polish is removed. As small chips of nail polish can get into the food and can be ingested. All jewellery needs to be removed from the hands and wrists such as rings, bracelets and hair ties, as bacteria are carried on those objects and may cause illness if ingested through the food. When carrying out unavoidable tasks such as handling raw food or visiting the toilet, it is important to wash your hands using the 20/20 rule to prevent contamination. 





               TASK 5










It is important to dispose of rubbish in an enclosed bin to prevent the infestation of pests and rodents.
                             
When preparing food it is important to keep foods in separate bowls or dishes, especially when dealing with raw chicken and fresh produce as the juices from the chicken can cause salmonella.

When transferring cooked foods into holding cabinets it needs to be set to 70.C.

Before and after cooking we need to ensure we clean and sanitize the work area with an antibacterial spray prepared to the manufacturer's instructions to prevent bacteria from spreading. It is important to keep the workspace clean and sanitized to stop the spread of harmful bacteria when cooking.

When storing food it is important to store it in the correct place. When storing canned foods older stuff should be at the front to be used and the new stuff put to the back as it will have a longer shelf life. Foods such as raw meat should be stored in a freezer at a temperature of -18.C if the meat is going to be used within 2 days it can be stored in a fridge at a temperature between 2-4.C. 

It is important to check the best before date on food items before cooking because although it will still be good to consume, it may have lost some of its quality. 

Task 7

Cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of at least 75.C. Foods that are being reheated should be piping hot or have an internal temperature of 80.C.