Chapter 9 fruits and vegetables

Chapter 9
Fruits and
Vegetables

© Copyright 2011 by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF)
and published by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.


Fruits: Types and
Market Forms
A fruit is an organ that develops from the ovary of a
flowering plant and contains one or more seeds.
 The sweetness of fruits comes from fructose, a natural
form of sugar.
 Fruits and vegetables should be plump and free of
bruises, mold, brown or soft spots, and pest damage.
 Overall, the color and texture should be appropriate to
the particular type of fruit or vegetable.

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Fruits
 Fruits are grouped by growing season and location:
 Summer fruits include: (several drupes)

• berries: highly perishable

• cherries: Queen Anne or Bing
• peaches, nectarines: freestone or clingstone
• plums: dried are prunes
• pears: bosc or d’Anjou
• Grapes: used to make jelly, wine, raisins
• melons: crenshaw, honeydew
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Winter fruit
 Winter also offers a good selection of fruits that
provide plenty of nutrition and great taste.
Winter fruits include:
 apples: range from very tart (granny smith) to red
delicious
 citrus fruits: oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes,
and tangerines (all rich in vitamin C)


Tropical fruit
 Tropical fruits are named for the climatic conditions
under which they are grown.
 Tropical fruits include:
1. figs
2. Kiwis
3. mangos

4. bananas
5. papayas
6. pomegranates
7. star fruit
8. passion fruit


Purchasing Fruits
 Some fruits are available all year while others have a
specific growing season.
 During a fruit’s growing season, supply is plentiful,
quality is higher, and the price is usually lower.
 Quality grades are a rating system for fruit based on
quality standards—the better the quality, the higher the
quality grade assigned to it.
 Quality is based on a combination of size, color, shape,
texture, and defects.
 Canned products: highest grade is U.S. Grade A Fancy

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Storing Fruits
 Many ripe fruits, except for bananas, can be stored at
41°F or lower.
 Certain fruits emit ethylene gas, which causes fruits

to ripen (bananas, apples, melons, and avocados)
 Most fruits need to be kept dry because excess
moisture causes produce to spoil quickly.
 Fruits that need to ripen should be stored at room
temperatures of 65°F to 70°F.

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Preparing Fruits
 Cleaning is the first step in preparing fruit.
 Preparing fruit includes removing skins, removing cores,
removing seeds and stones, zesting, and removing
stems.
 Fresh fruit can be juiced and puréed.

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Cooking Fruits
 enzymatic browning occurs when the oxygen in the air
comes in contact with the flesh of cut fruit, causing the

fruit to turn brown.
 To keep cut fresh fruits from discoloring, coat them with
some form of acid, such as lemon juice, as soon as they
are cut.
 When fruit is cooked: add sugar or an acid to keep the
fruit firm
 Firm fruits that are poached are cooked in simmering
liquid (apples, pears, peaches)

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Cooking Fruits (cont.)
 Fruit has a rich, syrupy flavor when sautéed in butter,
sugar, and spices (Banana Foster)
 Some of the most popular fruit sauces include
applesauce, fresh berry coulis, and compotes
(simmering dried fruit, currants, and raisins)
 When baking fruits, choose firm fruits that are whole or
cut into large pieces.

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Vegetables: Types
and Market Forms
A vegetable is an edible, herb-like plant. The edible parts of
vegetables include the leaves, fruit, stems, roots, tubers, seeds, and
flowers.

 Vegetables are often categorized by their botanical
origins or by their edible parts:
 Flower vegetables include:
• broccoli: can be served raw or cooked
• cauliflower: served raw (crudites) or breaded and
deep fried (Japanese tempura)
• Brussels sprouts: miniature cabbages; steamed
• cabbage: eaten raw as coleslaw or stir fried
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Fruit vegetables
 Fruit vegetables include:
• avocados: use lime to prevent discoloring; guacomole
• cucumbers: mild flavor, eaten raw
• Eggplants: colors range from black (black beauty) to
green; always cooked (babaganoush – an eggplant
dip)

• Peppers: can be sweet (bellpepper) or hot (habanero,
cayenne)
• Squash: eaten raw or cooked
• tomatoes: a type of berry; best when vine ripened;
green ones are good for frying


Green leafy vegetables






Green leafy vegetables include:
various types of lettuce: iceberg, romaine, bibb
mustard greens: has a strong flavor
Spinach: can be eaten raw or cooked
Swiss chard: flavor similar to spinach


Vegetables: Types
and Market Forms (cont.)
 Seed vegetables include:
• corn: can be white, yellow or bicolored
• Peas: some can be eaten in the pod (sugar snaps)
• Beans: green beans, yellow wax beans

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Root/tuber vegetables
 Root vegetables include:
• carrots: raw (crudites), garnish, cooked
• Beets: originally grown for the tops, not the roots
• radishes: used as garnish, peppery flavor
• Turnips: peppery flavor; boiled or mashed
• Onions: many varieties (Vidalia, pearl, Bermuda)
• Shallots and scallions: mild flavor; pulled before
they are mature
• Leeks: mildest flavor of onion family
 Tuber vegetables (can regenerate it’s own plant)
include potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams


Stem vegetables

 Stem vegetables include:
• asparagus: tender stalks and tips
• celery: appetizer either stuffed or served with dip
• artichokes: immature flower of a thistle plant
• Mushrooms: member of fungi family; eaten raw or
cooked
 hydroponic farming, vegetables are grown indoors
year-round in nutrient-enriched water.
 during their growing seasons, vegetables are plentiful,

the quality is higher, and the prices are usually lower.
 The same USDA fruit quality grades apply to vegetables
as well.


Storing Vegetables
 Roots and tubers should be stored dry and unpeeled in a
cool, dark area (after removing leafy tops)
 Most vegetables need to be kept dry because excess
moisture causes produce to spoil quickly (only keep
produce for 4 days)
 Produce should not be peeled, washed, or trimmed until
just before it is used.
 Vegetables that need to ripen should be stored at room
temperatures of 65°F to 70°F. Once produce is ripe,
refrigerate it immediately or it will become overripe.

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Preparing Vegetables
 All fresh vegetables must be cleaned thoroughly.
 Dicing: refers to about a half-inch cube. This is a
common technique for use with vegetables.
 Mincing is a fine chop cut made by using a chef ’s
knife (garlic, fresh herbs, and ginger).

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Cooking Vegetables
 Vegetables must be cooked in a way that protects their
texture, flavor, color, and nutrients:
 Boiling: for hard, starchy vegetables.
 Parboiling/blanching: partially cooks vegetables in
boiling water.
 Steaming: best way to retain vitamins and minerals.
 leave vegetables whole, with the skin or peel intact, and
steam it with its own moisture to maintain nutrients
 Roast or bake vegetables in a hot or moderate oven.
This cooking method is best suited to vegetables with
thick skins (squash, potatoes, eggplants)
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Cooking Vegetables
(cont.)
 Sauteed: vegetables with little or no skin

 Glazing is a finishing technique that gives vegetables a
glossy appearance (cook with honey, sugar or syrup)
 Cook batter-dipped vegetables in oil or butter until their
exteriors are lightly browned and crisp (onion rings)
 To marinate vegetables, soak them in oil or vinegar,
herbs, and spices. This gives them added flavor and
helps to tenderize the vegetable.
 Sous vide: uses airtight plastic bags placed in hot water
 cook vegetables soon after purchase and then serve
them as quickly as possible to maintain freshness
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