HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIAL

Welcome to the Module Prepare Appetizer. This module contains training materials and
activities for you to complete
The unit of competency "Prepare Appetizer" contains the knowledge, skills and
attitudes required for Cookery NC II. It is one of the specialized modules at National
Certificate level II (NC II).
The module, Preparing Appetizer, demonstrate an understanding the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes required principles of mise en place including the preparations, array of
ingredients, and mixtures that are commonly used in the professional kitchen, from
aromatics like mirepoix to thickens like roux.
In this module, you are required to go through a series of learning activities in order to
complete each learning outcome. In each learning outcome are Information Sheets, Self-
Checks, Operation Sheets and Task/Job Sheets. Follow and perform the activities on your
own. If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask for assistance from your facilitator.

Remember to:
 Read information sheets and complete the Self-checks. Suggested references are
included to supplement the materials provided in this module.
 Perform the task sheets and job sheets until you are confident that your outputs
conform to the Performance Criteria Checklist that follows the sheets.
 Submit outputs of the Task Sheets and Job Sheets to your facilitator for
evaluation and recording in the Accomplishment Chart. Outputs shall serve as
your portfolio during the Institutional Competency Evaluation. When you feel
confident that you have had sufficient practice, ask your trainer to evaluate you.
The results of your assessment will be recorded in your Progress Chart and
Accomplishment Chart.
 You must pass the Institutional Competency Evaluation for this competency
before moving to another competency. A Certificate of Achievement will be
awarded to you after passing the evaluation.

You need to complete this module before you can perform the module on
Facilitating Learning Sessions.
 MODULE CONTENT

QUALIFICATION TITLE : COOKERY NC II

UNIT OF COMPETENCY: Prepare Appetizers

MODULE TITLE: Preparing Appetizers

Introduction:

This module deals with the skills and knowledge and attitude required to prepare various egg dishes.

NOMINAL DURATION: 24 Hrs.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this module the student/trainees will be able to:
LO 1 : Perform Mise-en place
LO 2 : Prepare and cook egg dishes
LO 3 : Present egg dishes
LO 4 : Store egg dishes
EGG COOKERY

• Can be cooked to many stages of doneness, unless the customer makes a specific request, they
should be cooked to a safe temperature.

Prepare and cook egg based menu items

The average weight of an egg is 60 gm:
 Shell 12%
 White 58%
 Yolk 29%
 Other 1%

Eggs are high in protein and this protein coagulates when cooked:
They are very easily overcooked.
The temperatures below are when the different parts of the egg coagulate – cook:
 Eggwhite 60– 65C
 Egg yolk 65– 70C
 Whole egg 68C.

Shell Clean of all chicken dirt, be good shape & no cracks.

No blood spots, firm & translucent
Egg yolk
Should sit central in the egg white.
Thick, gelatinous & sit high
Egg white
Flat and runny indicates that it is an older egg
Should not smell off when cracked; Fresh eggs will keep at room temperature for at
Smell least 7 days but in warmer climates it is not so long. They must be chilled to below 5
degrees if they are to have a good period of freshness.
• Should be small
• This is hard to see but it can be used if you are suspicious if the supplier is
Air cell trying to give you old eggs. As the egg ages it loses moisture and absorbs air
through the shell
• If the egg floats the air is large and the egg is not fresh.
Storage of Eggs

Eggs are perishable and fragile

therefore should be stored using the following guidelines:

 In a cool humid temperature, they can be stored in the

fridge or the dry store
 Away from strong odours e.g. onions and garlic
 In their box with the point down
 Cracked eggs should be used immediately
 Kept dry.

1. Boiled Eggs

Eggs cooked in their shells.

Selecting and preparing the equipment and ingredients

• Select a pot large enough to hold the eggs and water to completely cover the eggs by at least 2
inches.
• Include an ice bath to cool eggs after cooking
• Colander to drain the eggs and remove excess water.
• Chose whole, fresh shell eggs for boiling.

Boiling eggs in the shell

Cold water start Hot water start

less chance of the shell cracking more precise timing needed

Soft boiled Hard boiled Soft boiled Hard boiled

3 min (once boiling) 7 min (once boiling) 4 min 10 min

You should refresh eggs once boiled

• To stop the cooking process
• To stop a grey ring forming around the yolk
• As they are easier to peel.
‘Refreshing’ is a term that means ‘to plunge into cold water’.
This reduces the temperature of the food and stops the cooking process.
2. Baked Eggs
• Shirred eggs is an example of a baked eggs.
• Since eggs is baked in a container, it can be combined with number of additional ingredients
(butter, cheese, and cream to vegetables, meats, and sauces)

Selecting the equipment

• Ramekin, soufflé dish, or gratin dishes
• Deep baking sheet
• Brush to spread the butter

Preparing the Ingredients

• Choose whole eggs in the shell, eggs appearance must be important
• Add butter as needed
• Add salt to taste
• Add pepper to taste
• Add other garnishes or finishing ingredients

Cooking techniques for Baked Eggs

1. Prepare and fill the ramekin
(warm the ramekin before you fill it, this reduces the overall baking time)
(butter the baking dish generously)
(add any additional ingredients in an even layer)
(add the eggs)
2. Bake the eggs in a bain-marie, if desired, until whites are set and milky appearance.
3. Quality of the finished baked eggs
(yolks should be barely set, thickened but still glossy)
(white should be set and milky in appearance)
(unmold the eggs, if desired, garnish, and serve while they are still very hot)

3. Poached Eggs
• Foundation of Eggs Benedict.
• They can be served as a toppings for hash, in baked potatoes, on croutons or toasted bread.

Selecting the Equipment

• Deep pot
• Slotted spoon, skimmer, or spider
• A cup to hold shelled eggs
• Absorbent towel to blot eggs and a perforated
hotel pan to drain eggs without breaking them
• Small knife or scissors to trim them
Preparing the Ingredients
• Choose fresh eggs (the fresher the egg the more centered the yolk will be and the less likely the
white is to spread and become ragged during cooking)
• Combine water, salt, and small amount of acid (typically white vinegar) which keeps the egg
whites from spreading.

Cooking Techniques for Poached Eggs

1. Bring water to simmer
(the water should be at least 6 inches deep for even cooking and good appearance)
(add ½ ounce of vinegar to each quart of water)
2. Add the shelled eggs to the simmering water
(break the egg into a cup first to make it easy to slide the egg into the simmering
water)
3. Remove the egg once the white is set and opaque and the yolk is barely set.
(use a slotted spoon, spider or skimmer)
(drain the excess water---blot with a paper towel)
(if necessary, trim the egg whites with a scissors to give a neat appearance
4. Serve the poached eggs
(serve poached eggs when they are very hot)
(serve on a heated plates)

Poaching eggs
• The white should be set and the yolk runny.
• Remember to add vinegar as this helps set the protein in the egg white.

However if you add too much vinegar:

• The eggs will taste strongly of vinegar
• The white will become tough & leathery
• The white will take on a grey shade.

4. Fried Eggs
• Typically American or English way of preparing and serving eggs.
• Egg yolks must be high and centered

Selecting the Equipment

• Sauté pan
• Spatula
• Cups to hold shelled eggs
• Heated plates
Preparing the Ingredients
• Choose very fresh eggs
• Butter, oil or other cooking fat
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Additional garnishes
Cooking Techniques
1. Heat the pan and the cooking fat over moderate heat.
2. Slide or break the egg into the hot fat
3. Cook the egg to the appropriate doneness

5. Scrambled Eggs
• Eggs are taken from the shell, mixed until blended, and then stirred over moderate heat until
they set into soft curds.
• Essential that scrambled eggs be served while they are very hot, fresh and moist.

Selecting the equipment

• Sauté pan
• Bowl and fork of whip for mixing
• Heated plates

Preparing the ingredients

• Whole fresh eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cream, milk, stock, or water
• Additional garnishes and
accompaniments

Cooking Technique for Scrambled Eggs

1. Blend the eggs just until the yolks and whites are combined.
(use a whip to blend them into homogenous mixture, do not whip in too much air)
Add a small amount of cream, milk, stock or water to beaten eggs for
additional lightness and moisture)
(add salt and pepper and herbs and spices)
2. Heat the pan and the cooking fat over the moderate heat before adding the eggs.
(stir and scrape the eggs as they cook to release them from the pan)
(add any appropriate garnishes or flavoring agents when the eggs are almost done)
3. Once the egg are properly cooked, served them immediately on heated plates.

3 BASIC OMELET STYLES

1. Rolled Omelets
• Or French style.
• The eggs are blended and then cooked over
moderate heat until set then rolled into an oval,
they often include a filling
Selecting Equipment
• Omelet pan, sauté pan.
• Bowl and fork
• Heated plates for service
Preparing the Ingredients
• Whole fresh eggs
• Salt and pepper
 • Cream, milk, stock, or water
• Additional garnishing and filling as required

Cooking Techniques for Rolled Omelets

1. Blend eggs until the whites and yolks form a homogenous
(pour or ladle an approximate amount of egg mixture into a properly heated and oiled
pan)
(cooked over moderate heat, just high enough to assure that eggs begin to set almost
immediately)
(keep the pan in constant motion as the omelets cooks)
2. Cook the eggs until soft curds begin to form and then spread the eggs in an even layer.
(continue to cook without stirring for a few seconds to have a smooth skin)
(add the filling at this point)
(filling should be properly cooked and at the correct temperature)
(cheeses will melt sufficiently from the egg’s heat)
(the filling maybe place on the omelet before it is rolled, or the omelet may be slit and
filled after it has been rolled)
3. Roll the omelet out of the pan, completely encasing any filling, directly onto a heated plate.

2. Flat Omelet
• Known as framer-style omelets, frittatas (Italian), or Tortillas (Spanish)
• Started over direct heat, just long enough to set the eggs on the bottom and sides of the pan,
and bake.

Selecting the Equipment

• Small sauté pan
• Bowl, fork or whip to mix eggs
• Heated plates,
Preparing the Ingredients
• Prepare the eggs as for scrambled eggs
• Add salt and pepper
• Add garnishes

Cooking Technique for flat Omelets

1. Heat the pan over direct heat and add oil or other cooking fat. Preheat the oven.
2. Add appropriate garnish ingredients and then the eggs to the pans.
(add garnish first to the pan in order to cook properly and heat them)
(add the egg mixture and cook over gentle heat without stirring until the edges are set)
3. place the pan in a hot oven and cook until the eggs are fully set.
3. Soufleed or Puffy Omelets
• Omelets with a light, fluffy texture that is achieved by incorporating air into the eggs.
• Done by separating the eggs, then whipping the egg whites to soft peaks the yolks and whites
are then folded together and baked until puffed.

Selecting the Equipment

• Sauté pan
• Containers for separated eggs
• Spatula

Preparing the Ingredients

• Separate the eggs and blend the yolks
until they are smooth
• Add seasoning or garnish ingredients
• Whip the egg whites to a soft peak and
fold them into the yolks

Cooking Technique for Souffleed Or Puffy Omelets

1. Thoroughly heat a buttered or oiled pan or hotel pan over moderate heat. Preheat the oven.
2. Place the pan in a hot oven to complete the cooking.