Starches & Sauces Instructor Resources
A Special Note About This Unit
The first part of the Starches & Sauces unit is kind of like a cooking boot camp that might strike experienced students as a bit too simple. Basic mashed potatoes, basic rice, and basic grits may not exactly excite their culinary imaginations. Our goal is to create a firm foundation of knowledge and skills that students can use as a springboard for their own more elaborate creations in the future. Encourage them to pursue excellence with these simple preparations so they can move forward with confidence.
There are also more recipe preparations in this unit than usual, and many of them are side dishes. Plan to coordinate menu planning with your student so their contributions make sense with the other dishes on the family table.
Lesson 1
Your student’s model of amylose and amylopectin should look something like this. The information for the Comprehension Check 2.1 narration is pretty basic, but they must understand these two molecules to get the most out of the rest of the unit. Their explanation should mention the fact that amylose molecules cluster together tightly because of their linear form and that the more complex branched structure of amylopectin molecules prevents them from bundling closely.
Lesson 2
For Comprehension Check 2.2, students should reference their model of starch granules with and without a roux and paraphrase the following information:
When flour is added to a hot liquid, the granules’ exteriors absorb water, causing them to swell, get sticky, and clump together. The gelatinized surface starch creates a waterproof barrier that prevents the liquid from reaching the interior starch, creating lumps.
With a roux, the flour granules are coated with fat, allowing them to stay separate long enough to spread evenly throughout the liquid. As the fat coating melts off, the starch granules absorb water and swell individually, thickening the liquid without forming lumps.
Lesson 3
The Beurre Manié should be a smooth paste, free of large lumps. Students can either store the paste as-is in the refrigerator or form it into balls for the freezer.
Lesson 4
The thickness of Hollandaise Sauce is a matter of preference to some degree, but the particular use also plays a part. It must be somewhat fluid if it’s to be drizzled over a poached egg for eggs benedict. If it’s to be scooped up with a piece of shrimp or a bite of asparagus, a sauce with more body works better. Encourage students to pay special attention to the degree of acidity and the salt level. Minor adjustments in these two areas can take a Hollandaise Sauce from good to great!
Lesson 5
Based on the information in the lesson video, the student should predict that the Russet potato will sink to the bottom and the Red potato will float. If a Yukon Gold potato is used, they should predict that it will settle in the center of the vessel. The Potato Starch Content Float Test is generally reliable, but it’s not foolproof. If the results aren’t in line with your student’s prediction, double check to make sure the right amounts of water and salt were used, then remind them that no two potatoes are exactly alike, and factors like growing conditions, storage methods, and the age of the potato can affect the density of samples.
Lesson 6
The chunkiness or smoothness of the mashed potatoes is a matter of personal preference, but they should not be worked to the point of being gummy. Two batches of mashed potatoes may be more than your family needs for a meal, but leftovers will go great with the Velouté Sauces in Lesson 8.
Lesson 8
Both Velouté Sauces should be smooth and well-seasoned. The cornstarch-thickened sample will likely be thicker. The grade values for this experiment are 10 points for the cooking portion and 20 points for the lab report. This is the first lab report form in the course that doesn’t have any of the information pre-filled for the student. Be prepared to coach them through any rough spots, referring to the Writing Lab Reports section of Orientation if needed. Experiment 2.1 Lab Report Answer Key Note that this answer key is just one example of what the lab report could look like. Individual submissions will vary.
Lesson 9
The rice should be well-seasoned and tender all the way through. If it comes out with a browned or scorched crust on the bottom, the student probably didn’t manage the burner properly. If the grains have a hard center, the student should have cooked the rice a little longer, adding a bit of extra water if necessary.
Lesson 10
The Creamy Grits should not be runny, nor should they be solid enough to mound up like mashed potatoes. If you’re unable to source old fashioned or stone ground grits in your location, see if your grocery store carries their Italian cousin, polenta. (The Bob’s Red Mill section is a good place to check.) Different brands of polenta are milled to different specs, so have the student follow the cooking instructions on the package. If you can only find quick-cooking or instant grits, they’ll do in a pinch.* Be sure to have the student adjust the cooking time and grits-to-liquid ratio to match the package instructions.
* Imagine the difference between instant mashed potatoes and the real thing. The instant ones have nourished a lot of humans, and they can be somewhat tasty if you add enough other stuff to them, but it’s not the same.
Lesson 11
Letting the Macaroni & Cheese rest for a few minutes before serving improves the texture. The sauce should be creamy without being runny, and the pasta should be tender but not mushy. If the student needs to make substitutions for the cheese, keep in mind that aged/sharper cheeses tend to be grainier when melted than young cheeses.
Lesson 12
A fresh can of Play-Doh will give your student a very clear idea of what the actual gnocchi dough should feel like when correctly kneaded. Practicing the rolling process with this medium allows them to perfect their technique in advance so they don’t develop too much gluten while trying to get it right with the real thing. The practice gnocchi pieces should have distinct ridges on the front and a cupped sauce pocket on the back.
Lesson 13
The texture of the gnocchi the key to success in this dish, and that depends on proper kneading. If the dough isn’t kneaded enough, the gnocchi will fall apart or be mushy. If it’s kneaded too much, they’ll be tough and heavy. Students may be tempted to spread the ricotta into wider layers for more democratic distribution, but depositing it in little pockets here and there makes for a nicer presentation.
Lesson 14
We strongly recommend using freshly grated cheese for this recipe, as it melts better than pre-grated. The fresh pasta-making process can be a bit tedious, and students may be tempted to take shortcuts. Proper resting is essential, and so is rolling the pasta as thin as possible. It will probably be delicious even if it’s not perfect, so if the results fall short, just encourage your student to enjoy the meal and file off the rough edges next time.
Lesson 15
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