Chicken Picatta Lab

Lab Reflection
By: Gabriela Buria

Our lab went really well because we were all cooperative and were working as a team which made it easier to complete the lab smoothly. The lab could have gone better if we had kept cleaning our station as we went along because the cleanup was really overwhelming by the end of the lab, especially because we had dishes.  Moist cooking methods are ones in which the food is cooked using a liquid including water, stock, etc. We used boiling when we made the pasta which is a moist cooking method. A dry heat method we used was pan frying which we used to cook and brown the chicken on both sides. A combination cooking method we used was stewing which we used when we were making the sauce. We demonstrated proper methodology for each technique by making sure we had the different mediums at the correct temperature and cooked the food items for the correct amount of time as well. The sauce tasted really good and it really bound the taste of the pasta and the chicken together because without it the pasta would have been really plain and tasteless so it was a good flavoring agent. We used capers while cooking to enhance the flavor and add a little bit more of a salty taste to the dish. Also, after everything was cooked we tossed the pasta in parsley to add a small hint of flavor to an otherwise plain bundle of pasta. We also added a small complete parsley leaf to the top of the dish as well as a lemon slice for a garnish to add some color and cleanliness to the dish. Cooking made a raw and flimsy chicken cooked, browned, firm and the boiling water made the hard pasta soft and malleable. The dish was a little salty for my taste but I really enjoyed the taste because I like mushrooms and it added a more creamy and moist taste to an overall dry dish. Also, it smelled really good because of the garlic and mushrooms. I used my knowledge on the different cooking methods and herbs and spices in this lab to create a dish that was properly seasoned and well cooked. Outside of school, I will use my new found knowledge of herbs and spices to enhance the favor of my home-cooked meals.