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A la Broche
Cooked over a flame on a skewer.
A la Provencale
A dish prepared with olive oil and garlic.
Acidulated water
Water containing a small quantiy of lemon juice or vinegar, used to prevent discolouration in vegetables or meat.
Aging
A process for tenderising meats, by keeping them at a temperature between 0 and 2 degrees Celsius for a period of time, which allows enzymes to break down the tough connective tissues.
Aiguillettes
Strips of meat or fish.
Al Denté
Italian To cook pasta so that it is still firm to the bite. Pasta that shows a slight resistance when bitten. Italian for "to the tooth."
Allemande
A white sauce that contains egg yolk.
Amandine
Garnished or prepared with almonds.
Au Jus
Served with natural juices.
Au Lait
With milk
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Bain-Marie
French (double boiler) A vessel containing hot water in which another vessel containing sauces, soups, gravies and other dishes are gently cooked or kept warm. Double boiling foods greatly reduces the risk of burning.
Bake
To cook food by dry heat in an oven, or as if in an oven.
Bard
To wrap meat (particularly chicken and lean meats) with bacon or salted pork while roasting, to prevent it from drying out. The wrapper is removed towards the end of cooking, to allow the meat to brown.
Baste
To pour, spoon or brush a liquid (usually meat drippings, stock or fat) on food while it is cooking, to add flavour and prevent drying out.
Bechamel
A white sauce that is usually made with milk and cream.
Bercy
A sauce served with meat or fish, made from white wine, brown sauce, lemon juice and shallots.
Bisque
A thick and rich creamy soup, most often made from shellfish.
Boil
To cook food by heating liquid ingredients to boiling point and maintaining at that temperature. "Bring to the boil" heating a liquid until bubbles break the surface.
Bouchee
A small patty of creamed meat or fish, in a pastry shell.
Bouquet Garni
A small bundle of herbs used to enhance the flavour of a soup or stew. Any herbs may be used, but the most common combination is bay leaf, parsley and thyme.
Bourgeoise
Meats served with vegetables.
Braise
A technique of cooking in which meat or vegetables are first browned in oil and/or butter, then cooked at a low heat for a lengthy period of time in a covered pot in a small amount of liquid. This process adds flavour, and tenderizes the food by breaking down its fibres.
Brioche
A roll made of light sweet dough.
Brochette
Cubes of meat on a skewer.
Bronoise
Vegetables cut into fine, small cubes (usually made from julienne).
Brown
To cook quickly over high heat, thus causing the surface to become brown while retaining a moist interior.
Butterfly
To split meat almost completely in half with a knife and then spread it apart.
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Candying
Cooking fruits or vegetables in a heavy sweet syrup.
Cannellini Bean
A large white Italian kidney bean used to add flavour to soups and stews.
Canola Oil
The common term for rapeseed oil. The popularity of Canola Oil is growing because of its low saturated fat content and high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat. It is nearly tasteless, and is useful for cooking due to its high smoking point.
Caramelize
Slowly cooking sugar (or a sugar-heavy food) over low heat in order to convert the sugar into caramel.
Cartouche
Greased paper used to cover meats during cooking.
Casserole
A fire-proof cooking dish.
Cassoulet
A dish containing beans, pork, mutton, goose or duck.
Chantilly
Served or prepared with whipped cream.
Charred
Food that has been cooked until the outer layer has an attractive edible blackened appearance is known as charred, eg cook the salmon in a ridged griddle pan until it has seared, slightly charred lines running across it.
Chateaubriand
Double steak cut from the beef tenderloin.
Coddle
To simmer or cook at a temperature just below the boiling point for a brief period.
Cored
A fruit that has had the central inedible part removed, eg a cored apple or pineapple.
Cracklings
The crisp remains that are left behind after frying fat.
Cream
To blend or beat to the consistency of cream.
Crush
To press into very fine particles.
Cube
To cut food into 1 to 2 cm cubes.
Curdle
When a mixture separates into two distinct parts it curdles eg if beaten egg is mixed into a creamed sugar and fat mixture too quickly it will divide into two separate parts or if butter is added to a sauce too quickly or the cooking temperature of a sauce is too high it may split into two parts.
Cut in
To mix together a dry ingredient such as flour and a solid fat like butter until they form into small particles. It can be done with a food processor or by hand.
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Dash
A very small amount, less than 1/8 of a teaspoon.
Deep-fry
To cook food by completely immersing in very hot fat.
Deglaze
To add a liquid (such as wine, stock or water) to the bottom of a pan in order to dissolve the carmelized drippings so that they can be added to a sauce, for added flavour.
Dice
To cut food into cubes smaller than 1cm.
Dollop
An imprecise measurement, roughly a heaped tablespoon.
Drawn butter
Melted butter.
Dredge
To lightly coat food (typically with flour, cornmeal or breadcrumbs) that is to be pan fried or sauteed.
Drippings
The natural juices and fat that drips from roasted meats.
Dusting
To sprinkle with sugar or flour.
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Egg threads
Lightly beaten eggs that are poured into a hot broth, to create irregularly-shaped strings of egg for garnishing soups.
Entrecote
A steak cut from the rib section of beef.
Epazote
A pungent herb with a strong flavour, used in Mexican cooking.
Escalope
Thinly sliced meat, fish or vegetables.
Extract
A concentrated flavour, in solid or liquid form, usually obtained by distillation or evaporation. Also called essences.
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Filet mignon
Filets of beef tenderloin, usually without any fat.
Filet mignon
Small steak cut from the tenderloin of beef.
Fines Herbes
A mixture of parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon.
Fold
Combining ingredients using a gentle under and over motion, in order to prevent loss of air that may result from stirring or beating.
Fondue
From the French word for "melt". Can be used to refer to food cooked in a communal pot at the table, or to finely chopped vegetables that have been slowly cooked to a pulp and used as a garnish.
Forcemeat
Ground meat or meats, mixed with seasonings, used for stuffing.
Frappe
Refers to dessert items that are frozen or partially frozen to a mushy texture.
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Giblets
The trimmings from poultry, such as the liver, heart, and kidneys.
Glace
A stock that has been reduced to a syrup-like consistency and used to colour and flavour a sauce.
Goulash
A rich savoury brown stew, in which paprika is usually the main seasoning.
Grate
To reduce to very fine particles, usually with a grater.
Gratin
Browned surface of foods cooked in an oven or salamander.
Grease
To coat with a thin layer of fat or cooking spray.
Gremolada
An Italian garnish, most often used with osso buco, typically comprised of parsley, lemon rind, minced garlic, and sometimes shredded basil.
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Halibut
A large saltware fish with lean, mild-flavoured, white flesh.
Handful
An approximate measure for ingredients, eg add a handful of chopped spinach to the sauce.
Hard boil
To cook an egg until the white and yolk are solid. To hard boil an egg, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the eggs and simmer for 10-12 minutes. As soon as the eggs are cooked put them under cold running water to cool them quickly, this prevents a grey rim forming around the outside of the yolk.
Harissa
A spice mixture containing chiles, cumin, garlic, coriander and olive oil. It can be used as a condiment or a seasoning.
Haunch
Another name for a leg joint of meat, most often used to refer to venison.
Headspace
The amount of space to leave at the top of a container to allow for expansion of food when frozen or processed.
Heavy cream
A rich dairy product with a butterfat content of at least 36 percent. Also known as whipping cream and double cream.
Hoisin sauce
A thick reddish-brown sauce made from fermented soybeans or wheat, garlic, vinegar, chiles, and sesame seeds. It is used as an ingredient or a seasoning.
Hold a trail
The consistency of a mixture that has been whisked until it is thick enough so that when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl the mixture will leave an impression on the surface, eg place the eggs and sugar over a pan of hot water and whisk until the mixture holds a trail when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl.
Hollondaise
A rich creamy sauce, consisting mainly of butter, lemon juice and egg yolks.
Horseradish
A pungent, hot-tasting root sold fresh and whole, or grated and bottled (in a light vinegar) as a prepared sauce.
Hull
To remove the soft white calyx from the centre of soft fruit such as strawberries or raspberries, eg wash and hull the fruit.
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Ice
To chill a glass or serving dish so that a coat of frost forms on its surface.
Indian Pudding
A spicy cornmeal-molasses pudding which may be served with whipped cream or hard sauce.
Involtini
Thin slices of meat or fish which are stuffed and rolled. They may then be sauteed, grilled, or baked.
Italian green beans
Fresh green beans with a strong flavour, that are wider, flatter and longer than most other varieties.
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Jalapeno chilies
An extremely hot and sharp flavoured chili, usually dark green and about 5cm long.
Jicama
A root vegetable with a sweet nutty flavour. It has a thin brown skin and white chunky flesh.
Julienne
Cut into very thin long strips.
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Kaymak
A Turkish thickened cream used mainly in desserts.
Knead
To mix and work dough into a pliable mass, either manually or with a mixer or food processor. The technique for kneading by hand is to press the dough with the heels of the hands, then fold in half and give a quarter turn, and repeat.
Kumquat
A small citrus fruit having the peculiar characteristic of a sweet skin and bitter flesh. Mainly used in preserves, chutneys and pastry making.
Ladyfinger
A delicate spongecake shaped like a sausage, used for making desserts like Tiramisu and Charlottes.
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Larding
Strips of salted pork that are inserted into meat with a special needle, in order to add flavour and moisture to meat.
Liaision
A binding agent used for thickening soups and sauces; usually made up of cream and egg yolks.
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Macerate
To infuse food, usually fruit, with flavour by soaking it in a liquid. A liqueur is often used.
Marinade
A flavour-enhancing solution in which meat can be soaked prior to cooking.
Milanese
Foods that are dipped in egg and bread crumbs, and fried in butter.
Mince
To chop food into very small irregular pieces.
Mirepoix
A seasoning for soups and stews, generally comprised of diced onions, celery, carrots and herbs that have been sauteed in oil or butter.
Mirepoix
Diced vegetables and herbs used to flavour stocks, sauces and soups.
Miso
A paste made from fermented soy beans, used in Japanese sauces and soups.
Mollet
Soft boiled egg.
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Nap
To completely cover food with a thin even layer of sauce, forming a light coating.
Navarin
A rich brown mutton stew, garnished with carrots and turnips.
Nibbing
To crush an ingredient, most often referring to nuts, eg after nibbing the almonds add them to the cake mixture.
Non-stick
A thin, hard wearing coating that is applied to saucepans, frying pans, baking trays, dishes and tins to prevent food from sticking. Non-stick pans are especially useful in low fat cookery as they require little or no extra fat to prevent the base from burning, they are also easy to wash up but care should be take to prevent the non-stick surface being damaged.
Nozzle
Also known as piping tubes these are plastic or metal shaped tubes to fit in the end of a piping bag. Nozzles are available in a range of sizes from tiny plain nozzles that are used to pipe fine writing to large star nozzles for piping mashed potato or whipped cream.
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Osso Buco
Italian for "bone with a hole". A dish made with gelatinous veal shanks that are braised with rich stock and fresh vegetables. Often served with Gremolada.
Ovenproof
A container that can withstand high temperatures in the oven, ovenproof dishes can be made from metal, glass or ceramic and are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
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Paddle
A plastic attachment for an ice cream maker that churns egg, cream and flavourings in the ready-chilled bowl to form ice cream. Also A flat wooden spatula, popular in Japanese cookery, that is used to turn cooked rice, this helps to produce light and fluffy rice.
Pan Broil
To cook in an uncovered skillet, pouring the fat off during cooking.
Papillote
Cooked in foil or parchment paper to seal in flavour, then served and cut open at table.
Parboil
To cook partially, by boiling for a short time.
Pare
To cut the skin from a food. This is usually done with a short knife known as a paring knife.
Parmentiere
Soup containing potatoes or served with potatoes.
Patty
A small individual serving of food, often shaped into a flat, round shape eg ham or fish patties.
Persillade
Garnished with parsley.
Pesto
An uncooked sauce, also used as a condiment. Usually consists of garlic, pinenuts, olive oil, parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Pierce
To make a hole in food using a sharp, pointed tool usually a metal skewer or knife, eg pierce the thickest part of the roasted chicken, between the thigh and the breast. The bird is cooked when the juices run clear. To feed a rich fruit cake, wait until cold and pierce at intervals with a fine skewer and spoon a little brandy over the surface.
Pinch
An approximate tiny measurement of a powdered ingredient usually obtained by picking it up with the finger and thumb, eg add a pinch of cinnamon to taste.
Pipe
To force a smooth semi-solid mixture through a shaped nozzle to produce a decorative result, eg pipe the mashed potato on top of the fish mixture or decorate the trifle with swirls of piped cream.
Poach
To cook food in liquid, at or just below the boiling point. Meat, fish and eggs are usually poached in water or a seasoned stock.
Podded
Vegetables that have been removed from their pod, eg add the podded broad beans to the pan.
Preserve
To prepare foods for long storage. Methods of preserving include freezing, drying, canning, curing, drying, smoking and refrigeration.
Prick
To make a single small hole or several small holes, often with a fork, eg to bake blind, first prick the pastry base with a fork.
Primavera
A pasta sauce made with vegetables like celery, carrots and bell peppers.
Prove
A term used in bread making. Bread dough is usually left to rise twice during the bread making process, the second time it is left to rise or prove until it is doubled in size and then it is ready for baking.
Pulp
A thick smooth mixture, eg cook the apples to a pulp. Also the flesh of soft fruit, eg remove the pulp from the mango skin.
Pulse
The edible seed of a pod-bearing plants such as peas, beans and lentils eg add a selection of pulses to the soup. Also a pulse button on a food processor allows the processor to be operated in a start-stop action to control the texture of various foods. The motor keeps running for as long as the pulse button is pressed down, eg add the beaten eggs through the feeder tube and pulse until well combined.
Puree
Any food that is mashed to a thick, smooth consistency. Also the action of mashing the food.
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Queso
The Spanish word for cheese.
Quinoa
A grain which is rich in protein and unsaturated fat and lower than carbohydrates than most grains. It can be used as a substitute for rice.
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Reconstitute
To return a dried or dehydrated product to its original consistency by adding a liquid.
Reduce
To boil a liquid until its volume is reduced, in order to achieve a more intense flavour.
Render
To extract the fat from meat by cooking over low heat.
Roast
To cook uncovered in an oven without adding liquid.
Roe
Fish eggs.
Roux
A mixture of flour and fat cooked over low heat, used for thickening soups and sauces. There are three distinct types of roux - white, blond and brown, each having different flavours. The main difference is in the heating time, and in the fact that white and blond roux are usually made with butter, while brown roux can be made with drippings instead.
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Sachet bag
A cloth bag filled with select herbs, used to season soups or stocks.
Salamander
A small broiler used to brown or gratin foods.
Saute
To cook food in a small amount of fat over moderate heat, with stirring to prevent it from sticking to the pan or burning.
Scald
To heat to a point just below boiling.
Score
To make shallow cuts into the surface of foods such as fish, meat or chicken, in order to tenderize, decorate, or increase the absorption of a marinade.
Sear
To seal in the juices of a piece of meat by quickly scorching or charring the surface at high temperature.
Shred
To cut into long narrow pieces, generally by using a shredder.
Sifting
To work dry ingredients such as flour through a sieve to separate larger pieces from the fine powder. Used frequently in baking to aerate the ingredients.
Simmer
To cook food gently in a liquid at or just below boiling point so that the liquid quivers rather than bubbles.
Soft brown sugar
Soft and moist with a characteristic flavour from a film of molasses surrounding each crystal. Mistakenly called raw sugar, brown sugar is repeatedly boiled and re-crystalised. After each re-boiling the colour of the resulting crystals gets darker.
Suet
A hard and waxy fat around the kidneys and loins of sheep and cattle used in cooking.
sweat
To heat food, especially vegetables slowly in fat in a tightly closed saucepan until soft but not brown.
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Tagine
A traditional Morrocan stew made with lamb and flavoured with preserved lemons, spices and herbs.
Tangy
Food that has a sharp flavour, eg tangy lemon tart.
Tart dish
A shallow dish with straight sides and a fluted rim usually ceramic or glass for baking tarts or quiches. Tart dishes are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, round dishes are most popular.
Tempered
A term used to refer to a method of melting chocolate that has a high percentage of cocoa butter. The chocolate is melted, cooled and re-warmed and the finished result has a glossy appearance and it sets very hard, eg cover the cake with a coating of tempered chocolate.
Tender
The texture of a food after it has been lightly cooked, eg cook the fish until it is just tender and starting to flake.
Tenderise
To make meat tender by pounding it with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. The tissues in the meat are broken down by the pounding which helps to give a tender result.
Tepid
Approximately blood heat. Tepid water is a mixture of two parts cold water to one part boiling water and is frequently used in breadmaking, eg add the tepid water to the flour.
Terrine
A rectangular china or earthenware dish, often with a lid, used for pâtés and mousses. A terrine can be used as a mould and the pâté or mousse can be turned out and sliced vertically into individual portion slices.
Thaw
To allow food that has been frozen to come back to its original non-frozen state, eg allow the beef to thaw thoroughly in the bottom of the fridge, below and away from cooked foods and any ready to eat food, before cooking. Never re-freeze raw meat that has been frozen and then thawed.
Thicken
To increase the thickness of an ingredient or a mixture of ingredients by heating or freezing, eg heat the sauce until it thickens, freeze the mixture until it thickens and starts to turn solid.
Thin
To add a liquid to a thicker mixture to make it runnier, eg add enough milk to thin the mixture until it is a pouring consistency.
Thread
To pass a needle through meat, either threaded with a strip of fat (larding) or with string to truss poultry before cooking, eg thread the needle through the meat; the needle through the thickest part of the drumstick.
Toast
To cook under a grill or in a toaster without any moisture, usually referring to slices of bread or similar foods such as crumpets, muffins or teacakes, eg toast the crumpets until golden brown.
Torn
An ingredient that has been divided into rough pieces by tearing, eg add the torn leaves to the salad bowl.
Toss
To cover food completely in another ingredient, eg toss the liver in seasoned flour.
Translucent
An ingredient that allows light to pass through, eg cook the chopped onions and fry until translucent.
Trickle
A thin stream of liquid, eg pour a trickle of maple syrup over the waffles.
Trim
To remove the inedible or unwanted parts of food, eg trim off the fat from the chops; trim the tops and tails off the beans.
Trivet
A stand, usually made of metal with three legs for placing hot dishes or pans on, eg remove the casserole from the oven and place on a trivet.
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Unpeeled
A fruit or vegetable with its skin left on, eg add the unpeeled apples to the dish.
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Vegetable crudité
A French term for slices of raw vegetables such as peppers, celery and cucumber. Crudités are usually served with a dip such as salsa or houmous.
Vegetable mill
Also known as a mouli grater this is a hand-operated circular metal tool which is operated by turning a handle to break down cooked vegetables which are then passed over a grating disc. A vegetable mill gives a very smooth result and can be used instead of a food processor or blender for puréeing or for preparing baby food, eg place the cooked swede in a vegetable mill and process until smooth.
Vegetarian
An individual who follows a diet that excludes meat and fish.
Viscosity
The thickness of a liquid, eg the viscosity of the sugar and water will increase on heating.
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Washed
An ingredient that has been thoroughly rinsed and scrubbed to prepare it for cooking or eating, eg add the washed tomatoes to the salad.
Waxed discs
Circular pieces of waxed paper that are placed on the top of home-made jams or jellies to help exclude air and prevent deterioration, eg pot the jam and cover with a waxed disc while the preserve is piping hot or completely cold.
Wedges
Medium-sized chunks of an ingredient such as fruit or vegetables, eg dip the banana wedges in the chocolate dip.
Well done
Meat that has been thoroughly cooked for the maximum period before it becomes tough and inedible - the cooking time depends on the cut and type of meat, check your recipe for specific instructions.
Whip
To beat rapidly using a fork, hand or electric whisk to introduce air into a mixture or single ingredient to increase the volume, eg whip the cream until it has doubled in volume.
Whisk
To beat rapidly using a hand or electric whisk to introduce air into a mixture or single ingredient to increase the volume, eg whisk the egg whites until peaky.
White sugar
The most common white sugar crystals, larger than castor sugar but smaller than those contained in cube or lump sugar, often referred to as A1 sugar.
Whizz
To process for very short time in a food processor, eg whiz the butter and sugar in a food processor until pale and creamy.
Wilted
A food that has been briefly exposed to heat until limp or drooping, this usually refers to ingredients that require very little cooking such as spinach or rocket, eg stir the spinach into the cooked risotto until just wilted and serve immediately.
Wood fired oven
An oven which is fuelled by wood and can be heated to very high temperatures and is traditionally used in Italy to bake pizzas.
Wrap
To encase one food in another eg wrap the bacon strips around the chicken breasts. Also a flour tortilla which is filled, usually with a savoury filling, and rolled up.
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Zest
The thin outer coloured skin or rind on citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. It contains volatile oils that add fragrance and flavour to food. The white part of the skin of citrus fruit is bitter and is called the pith.
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