DEFINITION, TYPES/CLASSIFICATION AND USES OF THE FOLLOWING:

- Salad and Dressing,

- Stocks,
- Soups,
- Sauces,
- Sandwiches, Accompaniments and Garnishes.

SALAD AND DRESSING

Salad can be defined as combinations of cold ingredients, served with dressing. Salad are
extremely wholesome (nutritious) irrespective of the ingredients used as they provide essential
vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, carotene and so on. Salad consists of edible plants and
herbs sprinkled with salt. It is included in daily menus being offered to the customers in various
catering organizations due to its popularity among the dinners.

Types of Salad

There are two major categories of salad based on its composition or combination of ingredients
used. Hence, every salad falls into any of these two categories:

i. Single or simple salad, and

ii. Compound or composite salad.

Single or simple salad: this type of salad are produced with single food commodity. That is, only
one ingredient is used. This does not mean that other ingredients cannot be added for garnishing,
but in most cases, dominant ingredient determines the name of such salad. For example, egg
salad, tomato salad, beef salad, vegetable salad, etc.

Compound or composite salad: this type of salad involves the usage of many ingredients. These
ingredients are usually bound together with the dressing. A good example is mixed vegetables
salad, fruit salad, Russian salad, etc.

Salad Dressing

Dressing is usually done not only to make it palatable but to also beautify it. There are various
salad dressing often used in salad presentation. While some are locally made, some are
industrially made. However, the most commonly used ones are vinaigrettes, mayonnaise and
acidulated cream. Salad cream plays a vital role in the overall success of salad presentation. It
adds flavour, improves the palatability of salad, helps in digestion, enhance the holistic value of
the salad and in most cases act as garnishing.

STOCKS
Stocks are flavoured and nutritious liquids used as foundations for sauces, soups Stews, gravies,
etc. in French cooking. Another word for stock in the culinary circles is fond, which comes from
the word ‘foundation’. A fond provides the foundation for many culinary preparations. Stock is
prepared by simmering discarded bones and cartilage ( which contain albumen and gelatin) of
meats like chicken, beef, veal, mutton, fish, from 20 minutes to six hours (depending on the
stock being prepared) in sufficient water to cover the bones. It is flavoured by mirpoix, which
consist of diced vegetables of carrots or parsnip, celery, leek, and onions and Bouquet Garni,
which is fresh herbs of various types that are tied and used as flavouring agents. We also add
spices like garlic, clove, white peppercorns, etc.

Types of Stocks

There are four types of stocks:

A. White Stock (Fond Blanc): this is associated with white meats like chicken but can be
made from bones of veal (young cow) as well. The meat and bones are gently brought to
a boil and simmer for 5-6 hours for chicken and 8-10 hours for veal. Mirpoix of diced
vegetables is suated in butter or fat to a golden brown and added to the liquid for flavour
and colour. This stock is used for white sauce, blanquettes, fricassee, and poached
dishes.
B. Brown Stock (Fond Brun): this is made from red meats like beef, veal, mutton and
game and at times with chicken meat and bones. The bones are roasted to a golden
brown. The mirpoix is added when the bones are three quarters roasted. Tomatoes may
be added at this time before cold water is added and the mixture is slowly brought to a
boil and then simmered for several hours to complete the preparation. Brown stock is
used to make brown sauces, gravies, braised dishes and meat glazes.
C. Vegetable stock: this is a neutral stock composed of vegetables and aromatic herbs,
sautéed gently in a butter and then cooked in liquid. This is a new stock among the
health conscious and used in vegetarian cooking and veloutes.
D. Fish Stock (Fume de Poisson): this is the basis for fish preparations. The choice of fish
is essential to get the right flavour. Classical preparation calls for the bones of specific
fish like dover, sole, turbout, brill and whiting for superior flavours. The fish must be
fresh and trimmed.

SOUPS

Soup may be defined as a liquid food prepared from meat, fish or vegetable stock combined with
various ingredients and often containing solid pieces. It may also be defined as a liquid food with
or without solid particles made by cooking meat, vegetables, fish, etc, inside water, milk or the
like. The index in the definition shows that soup is a liquid food thickened by any thickening
agents such as roux, corn flour, arrowroot, egg yolk, etc.
It is pertinent to affirm the fact that all soup are expected to be smooth, glossy in appearance,
definite in taste and light in texture. Achieving the above features in soup required that the
thickener should be moderately used. Thus, soup may be served as first course or referred to as
opening course of a meal. They may also be served for luncheon, dinner or even for snack meal.
The characteristics of soup depend on its base that is whether it is passed or unpassed (sieved)
and the garnishes used on it.

Classification of soups

Soups

Cold Hot

Thin Thick Thin Thick

Cold/jellied consommés Cream Soups

Vegetable cream soups Fruit cream soups Unpassed Passed

Broths Consommés

Purees Cream Chowders Bisques Veloutes