Types of Vegetables:

Leafy Vegetables – Leaves of plants which can either be consumed raw or cooked. Used in
Salads, Gravies, Soups, and other food. Has high water content and can shrink if cooked.
Has short shelf life.

Tubers, Tuberous Roots, and Bulbs – Tubers are enlarged stems that grow underground with
reduced leaves. Tuberous Roots are swollen, fleshy edible storage roots with shoots produced
at one end and roots at the other end. Bulbs are formed by enlarged leaves which grow
underground and have longer shelf life than other vegetables. They have longer shelf life than
stem Vegetables.
Stem Vegetables – Edible stems of plants which grow aboveground. And can be eaten raw or
cooked. Has high mass and longer shelf life than Leafy Vegetables.
Culinary Fruits – Fruits of plants that are classified as fruits but are used as Vegetables when
cooking. Some can be eaten raw, or cooked.

Flower and Bud Vegetables – Flower Vegetables are edible flowers of plants. Bud Vegetables
are edible embryonic shoots that are normally found at the axil of leaves or at the tip of stems
which develop into flowers or short shoots. They appear as if unopened or bloomed.
Tools & Equipment’s
Chef’s Knife (Cook’s Knife) – Has Broad, Wedge-shaped blade about 6-12” long tapering toward upward
to a point. Can perform almost any task such as chopping, dicing, mincing, slicing.

Utility Knife – Smooth, Sharp, and slightly larger blade than a Paring Knife. Measures 4-7” in length.
Used for breaking down larger fruit or vegetables or cutting small food.

Paring Knife – Has a pointed for easier control when peeling, slicing, and coring Small Fruits and
Vegetables. Measures 3-4”, It’s different styles are named after the shape of the knife’s tips such as
Spear point, Sheep’s foot, Bird’s Beak.

Santoku Knife – Japanese Style Knife which is a blend between the meat cleaver and the chef’s knife and
is used for slicing, dicing, and mincing. Slightly shorter and thinner than the chef’s Knife and is
sometimes made with a hollow edge or dimples. Good for skinny slices due to the flat blade.

Nakiri Bocho – Another Japanese Style Knife, features long, and straight and wide blade with squared
tips. Designed for cutting and chopping vegetables, and making thin slices of cucumber, gourd, or
tomatoes.

Mandolin – comes in the form of flat, rectangular, plastic frame with a handle and a rectangular hole in
the center of the frame with a blade set on one side. Used to make thin slices. French Mandolin sits at
the counter-top of a kitchen, can make julienne cuts.
Vegetable Peeler – Reduce Prep Time, Comes in Y-Shaped or in Straight Swivel. Great for clearing,
cleaning vegetables of blemishes or peeling vegetables.

Spiralizer – Contains 3 blades, used for cutting zucchinis, potatoes, cucumber, carrots, and others. Into
linguine-like strands referred to as faux-noodles or zoodles. It’s like a giant pencil sharpener.

Food Processor – Used for quicker meal preparation. Can Grate carrots, slice cucumber, shred brussel
sprouts, and more.

Kitchen Shears – Pair of thick scissors with strong blades used for snipping herbs or cutting green onion.

Box Grater – Four-sided devices with different type of grating surface.

Micro-Plane – Grater with a long metal shaft covered with small, sharp, metal teeth. Used to cut food
precisely without ripping or tearing.

Colander – Looks like a bowl with holes and a handle. Good for straining Vegetables, Fruits and draining
Noodles.

Mesh Strainer (Sieve) – Used to strain stocks or sauces for a perfect Velvety texture or a smooth
consistency.

Steaming Basket – Inserted into a pot, where a bit of water is added. Steams vegetables.

Electric Steamer – Standalone cooking appliance.

Chopping Board – Durable Board. Vegetable is placed in board and is cut with a knife.

Salad Spinner – used to wash and dry or remove water from Salad Greens.

Garlic Press – Tool with small holes. Used for pressing garlic cloves to extract pulp, oil, and juices from
garlic.

Mixing Bowl (Nesting Bowl) – Used for mixing ingredients, Good for baking, serving, or for prepping
fruits and vegetables.

Vegetable Brush – Multi-Purpose Kitchen utensil, Used to clean vegetables from dirt.

Melon Baller (Parisienne Scoop) – Spoon-like utensil with a sharp edge used for cutting ball-shaped
pieces from vegetables.

Types of cutting

Slicing - Cuts vegetables into thin, uniform pieces. Quick downward strokes are used
Chiffonade Cut – used for slicing leafy green vegetables and flat-leaved herbs into long ribbons. Suitable
for Garnishing.

Shredded Cut – used for slicing vegetables into thin slices or pieces using a knife, grater, or food
processor.

Emincer Cut – refers to thin slices for an onion preparation.

Pont-Neuf Cut – Thick Cut or steak cut chips used for fried potatoes.

Jardinière Cut – French term meaning to cut a vegetable into thick, finger-shaped. Also refers to short
and thick baton cuts which is bigger than a julienne but is similar in shape.

Baton Cut – Largest Stick cut and is the foundation for the large dice.

Batonnet Cut - French term meaning “little stick”, Starting of the little dice. Used to gain height on dish.

Allumette Cut (Matchstick Cut) – Starting point of the small dice, used on firm vegetables. Allows the
vegetable to cook rapidly and evenly as well as integrate into the mix of other vegetables. Used to make
fine, delicate garnishes for salads.

Julienne/French Cut – also called as a shoestring. Starting point of the brunoise. Used for salad
ingredients and garnishes. Has a very thin stick shape.

Fine Julienne Cut – Ever finer than the Julienne and is the starting point for the fine brunoise cut.

Rondelle Cut – Circular cut used on cylindrical vegetables which can be steamed, sautéed, roasted, or
eaten raw.

Diagonal, Oblique, Roll Cut – used in cutting vegetables into Obliques by continuously rolling the
vegetables on the cutting board while being cut with a knife. Adds more visual interest than the
Rondelle Cut.

Tourner Cut (Turned Cut) – used for presentation for it’s shape which resemble a thumb-long
vegetables. Relies on a paring knife to be cut.

Paysanne – thinly sliced cut and is same shape as the vegetable

Lozenge – Diamond-Shaped Cuts prepared from from Vegetables.

Dicing – Cut vegetables into uniform cubes

Large Dice (Carré) – Square cut used for stew, long-cooking dishes, soups, and for mirepoix in stocks.
Carré means Square.
Medium Dice (Parmentier) – Derived from the batonnet, smaller version of the large dice. Used when
the size of dice isn’t specified.

Small Dice (Macédoine) – Smaller than the medium dice, bigger than the brunoise. Ensures even
cooking and flavor distribution.

Brunoise – Smallest size for dicing, ideal for strong-flavored vegetables.

Chopping – Cutting technique done with a straight downward cutting motion.

Cross Chop – used to cut small vegetables or herbs without regard for presentation.

Rock Chop – rocks the blade of a chef’s knife when chopping.

Accompaniments for vegetables

1. Pesto Sauces - Combination of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil
2. Fondue - Dish consisting of melted cheese served from a ceramic pot
3. Mushroom Gravy - Savory sauce composed of mushrooms
4. Charred Scallions - Drizzled on grilled vegetables
5. Cheddar Cheese Sauce - Sharp tasting, hard, off-white, natural cheese

Market Forms of Vegetables

Fresh - Raw Vegetables are harvested at the peak of freshness and sold immediately in markets while
fresh. Very Short Shelf Life.

Canned - Nicholas Appert is the father of Canning. Canning extends the shelf life.

Frozen - Clarence Birdseye invented the importance of Freezing Vegetables.

Dried - Dehydrated and dried using methods to preserve flavor and extend shelf life. Most kitchens
don’t use Dried Vegetables due to the taste, texture, and appearance.

Processed - Vegetables that have undergone procedures which altered their form from their Natural
State.

Thawing

- Process of warming frozen food

1. Cook from frozen - Cooking vegetables from their frozen state
 2. Thaw in microwave - (Self explanatory)
3. Thaw under running water - Frozen leafy greens and bulky vegetables is best thawed under
running water

Dry Heat Method

1. Deep Frying - Cooking in shallow fat or deep fat

2. Roasting - Indirect heat from an open flame, oven or another heat source
3. Sauteing - Small amount of fat or butter in a pan
4. Broiling - Brushed with oil or butter

Moist heat method

1. Blanching - Immersed in boiling water and immediately soaked in cold water

2. Steaming - Cooked by placing them on top of hot water past its boiling point
3. Simmering - Preserves the color and nutrients of vegetables
4. Poaching - Cooked in a hot but not boiling liquid

Combination Cooking Method

Braising - Involved light frying the vegetable then adding liquid to ⅓ of the height of the braised items.
Stewing - Just like Braising by starts with dry heat method then is immersed in liquid and is finished in an
oven or stove.

First In, First Out (FIFO Method)

- The FIFO Method is a method in which food are arranged and stored according to their
expiration date, and the food that should be consumed first should be the food that is the
earliest to go bad to avoid spoilage and wasting.