Chapter 9 Appetizers and Hors d’oeuvre. Chapter 9 Objectives Compare and contrast appetizers and hors d’oeuvre Identify composed hors d’oeuvre including.

Chapter 9

Appetizers and Hors d’oeuvre

Chapter 9 Objectives Compare and contrast appetizers and hors

d’oeuvre Identify composed hors d’oeuvre including

canapés, profiteroles, tartlets, and barquettes Discuss the role of appetizers in à la carte, buffet,

and tasting menu situations Explain how to select and prepare appetizers Recognize the principles of presenting appetizers Understand the preparation of cold savory

mousses, sorbets, and espumas Classify types of caviar and its role in garde

manger

Distinctions Between Appetizers and Hors d’oeuvre Hors d’oeuvre are typically served as

preludes to a meal Hors d’oeuvre are small bite-sized items

Appetizers are served as the first course of a meal

Typically, appetizers are small portions of very flavorful items, meant just to take enough edge off the appetite to permit thorough enjoyment of an entrée

Hors d’oeuvre

Translates as “outside the work” Today it is increasingly common for clients

to request an entire menu made up of hors d’oeuvre to serve at a reception or cocktail party as a “standing meal”

Hors d’oeuvre There are a few precepts to remember in

general hors d’oeuvre preparation and presentation: Keep in mind the nature of the event, as well as the

menu to follow Ice carvings and ice beds are sometimes used to

keep seafood and caviar very cold, as well as for their dramatic appeal

Hors d’oeuvre served on platters or passed on trays butler style should be thoughtfully presented

Choose something eye-catching that will show off the design of the hors d’oeuvre

Composed Hors d’oeuvre Composed hors

d’oeuvre are built from two or more components

Can be served as: Tartlets Barquettes Canapés Profiteroles Spoons

Classic elements: Cured and smoked

foods Pâtés Foie gras Salads Vegetables Mousse

Barquettes and Tartlets

Pâté dough can be used to create small edible containers, known as barquettes or tartlets

They may be filled with a cold mousse or other savory fillings

Very moist fillings can quickly make the pastry shell soggy

These hors d’oeuvre are best when assembled as close as possible to service time

Barquettes and Tartlets

Some classic examples from around the world: Bouchées Empanadas Beurrecks and tiropettes Dim sum Spring rolls

Canapés

Canapés are small open-faced sandwiches

Elements of canapés: Small piece of bread cut to shape and

toasted Spread Filling or topping Garnish

Profiteroles

Profiteroles are small, round, hollow puffs made from pâté à choux

Can have sweet or savory filling They are very often baked, sliced in

half, filled, and garnished as desired Alternately, a hole can be made in the

bottom of the puff while they are still warm and then a smooth filling such as a mousse can be piped in

Spoons

Spoons are used as a base for an hors d’oeuvre so that you can layer a variety of items that have different flavors, colors, and textures

One of the biggest advantages to using the spoon as a base is that you can add a liquid element to the hors d’oeuvre in the form of a sauce or gelée

Spoons also offer the functionality of having the utensil built into the presentation

Appetizers on the à la Carte Menu When creating appetizers for the menu, it is

important to provide enough appropriate options that work with the main course offerings

In some restaurants, waitstaff may suggest an appetizer for the table to share and enjoy while their entrées are being prepared, both as a way to expose guests to something new or unusual as well as to “sell up the menu”

Grazing menus or degustation menus are produced by selecting a series of appetizer-size portioned items served in a logical sequence

Appetizer Tasting Menus

Allows the diner to taste a wide variety of dishes because the plates are only a few bites each

The chef decides on the appetizer that will help build a menu that has complementary flavors through the entrée and dessert

A disadvantage for this type of tasting menu is the limited amount that the customer gets to choose from

Appetizer Tasting Menus

Tapas restaurants offer the patrons their choice of little dishes

Classically, tapas were small pieces of bread that were used to cover glasses of sherry

Tapas in Spain evolved as bar and restaurant owners began to feature their regional products alongside their Sherries and wine

Seasonality is very important in Spanish tapas

Appetizer Tasting Menus

Other cuisines’ small dishes: Russia: Zakuski table features smoked and

pickled fish, blinis with caviar, and a host of special salads

Mediterranean region: Mezzes feature olives, nuts, dips, spreads, and highly seasoned items such as grilled kebabs of meat or fish

Scandinavia: A smorgasbord showcases special dishes, hot and cold, including herring, cheeses, and pickled foods

Appetizers for a Banquet

Banquet menus frequently call for one or more appetizers

The chef does have the ability to “build” a menu, progressing from one flavor and texture experience to the next

Appetizers should be served in sensible portions, perhaps smaller than you might offer on an à la carte menu, so that guests can sample a few appetizers and still enjoy their main course and dessert

Selecting and Preparing Appetizers Classic hors d’oeuvre can usually be

served as appetizers if you increase the portion size slightly and take into consideration the plating of the appetizer

Examples: Smoked fish or meat Sausages Salads Small portions of pasta Cooking an item more than one way on a plate

Principles for Presenting Appetizers Basic principles for selecting, preparing,

and plating appetizers: Serve all appetizers at the proper

temperature Season all appetizer items with meticulous

care; appetizers are meant to stimulate the appetite, so seasoning is of the utmost importance

Slice, shape, and portion appetizers properly Neatness always counts, but especially with

appetizers

Principles for Presenting Appetizers Basic principles for selecting,

preparing, and plating appetizers: When offering shared appetizers, consider

how they will look when they come to the table

Color, shape, and “white space” play a role in the overall composition of your plate

Consider the garnish for the appetizer carefully and be sure that it adds something to the plate

Cold Savory Mousses

The French word mousse literally means “foam” or “froth”

Mousses are always served cold Three basic elements of a mousse:

1. Base2. Binder3. Aerator

The Base

Savory items are pureed until very smooth

May need to add a liquid to adjust consistency

Base consistency should be that of a pastry cream before adding binder and aerator

The Binder

Gelatin is the binder used in a mousse In some cases, the base product has

enough body and bind to hold the mousse together without an additional binder

The key is to have the proper balance of binder and base so that the mousse will keep a distinct shape when chilled without melting or sagging but also without being rubbery because there is too much binder

The Aerator

Aerators give mousses their frothy texture

For maximum volume, add about one-third the total amount of aerator first to make it easier to fold in the remaining two-thirds

Aerators include: Beaten egg whites Whipped cream

Basic Formula for a Mousse

Base – 2 pounds Binder* – 1 ounce (*if required by

recipe) Liquid* – 1 cup (*to bloom gelatin) Aerator – 2 cups

Savory Waters, Jellies and Sorbets Flavored waters that can either be used as

broths for meats, poultry, fish, and vegetable entrees, frozen as sorbets and granitas, or thickened with a variety of agents to make jellies

Jellies can add a luscious texture contrast to most dishes; for gelatin in jellies use 1% to 3% of total weight

Savory sorbets and granités have been used for some time to tease the palate as an intermezzo or to add a contrasting frozen element to an entrée or appetizer

Alternative Thickeners

Other thickeners in lieu of gelatin: Agar agar Carageenan Alginate

Savory Foams and Encapsulations Cold and hot foams use methods such as

agitation and nitrous oxide canisters to create foam out various products

Vegetable and fruit purees are especially appropriate for foams because the carbohydrates in their cell walls prevent the bubbles from disintegrating too quickly

Encapsulations take the concept of the foam to the next level

Makes spherical shaped items such as small orbs of fruit puree to look like caviar or a tea sphere

Caviar

A delicacy made from the roe of a sturgeon

Was described by Aristotle in the 4th century B.C.E.

Today caviar remains among the most expensive and exclusive of all preserved foods, partly because of overfishing and pollution and partly because caviar is labor-intensive to produce, and extremely perishable

From Roe to Caviar

The roe sac must be harvested from the sturgeon while it is still alive

The roe sacs are carefully rubbed over a sieve

The eggs (or berries) are caught in a container

Washed in fresh water Drained Graded

Grading Caviar Master grader looks for:

Consistency of grain Size Color Fragrance Flavor Gleam Firmness Vulnerability of the roe skin* The bigger and lighter in color the eggs, the more

rare and expensive the finished caviar.

Preparing Caviar

Eggs of the highest quality are prepared by a method called “molossal” or “little salt,” indicating that salt is added at a rate of less than 5 percent of the egg’s weight

Lesser-quality caviar will be processed with greater amounts of salt

Salt both preserves the caviar and gives it its texture and flavor

True Caviar

Beluga: The most expensive and least readily available caviar; color is light steel gray to dark gray

Osetra: Brownish color with a golden tinge; strong nutty flavor

Sevruga: Dark brown, the smallest of the true caviars, with a strong flavor

Other Types of Caviar

Roe from these fish is also used as caviar: Salmon Paddlefish Whitefish Lumpfish Cod Carp Tuna

Buying and Storing Caviar

Fresh sturgeon caviar should be: Plump and moist Shiny, smooth,

separate, and intact Savory flavor, slightly

nutty with a hint of the sea

Storing caviar: Under refrigeration at

28°F to 32°F Can be held unopen

for 4 weeks Can be held open for

2 to 3 days