AL DENTE - Italian phrase meaning 'to the tooth.' Refers to pasta and vegetables cooked to perfection. Means still has some firmness felt between the teeth - tender but not completely soft.
ASPIC - A jelly made from the cooking liquids of meats. While the liquids will gel by themselves, they are typically strengthened with added gelatin. Aspic is used for coating cold foods, sometimes in a mold.
AU GRATIN - Covered with bread crumbs or grated cheese and browned (as under a broiler).
BAIN-MARIE - Also called a water bath. Usually a baking dish filled partially with water to protect food from direct heat. Often used for custards.
BAKE - To cook with dry heat in an oven.
BAKE BLIND - To bake an empty pastry before the filling is added, as with cream pies. Ensures the pastry is cooked through and not soggy.
BAKING POWDER - A mixture of one or more acidic salts and baking soda, an alkali. These two compounds react when they get wet and release carbon dioxide gas bubbles. These, in turn, cause baked goods to rise.
BAKING SODA - Baking soda is alkaline, and when mixed with acidic ingredients, it reacts and releases bubbles of carbon dioxide.
BARBECUE (BAR-B-QUE) - To roast foods over hot coals or open heat, basting with a sauce.
BASTE - To spoon or brush cooking juices, marinade or other liquids over food during cooking to add flavor and prevent dryness.
BATTER - A thin mixture of flour, liquid and/or eggs that can be poured or dropped from a spoon. A rich batter, such as for cakes, also contains sugar and is much thicker.
BEAT - To stir vigorously with a spoon or mixer.
BLANCH - To plunge raw foods quickly into boiling water then into cold water to stop cooking. Often a preliminary step in freezing foods or to loosen skins for easy removal. Vegetables are sometimes blanched to set color and taste.
BLEND - To mix two or more ingredients until uniform or smooth.
BOIL - To cook liquid, or food in liquid, at 212 degrees F (100 degrees C). Large bubbles will break on the surface.
BONE - To remove the bones from meat, fish or poultry.
BOUILLON - A clear soup made from poultry, beef or veal, with vegetables, seasoning and liquid.
BOUQUET GARNI - A small bunch of herbs used to flavor stocks, soups and stews. Should be removed before serving. A classic bouquet garni is made with 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 small sprig of thyme, and 1 small bay leaf. A piece of parsley and green leek may also be added.
BRAISE - To cook in a closed pot with fat and a little liquid. This can be done on top of the stove or in a slow oven.
BREAD - verb - To coat with bread crumbs or batter before cooking, usually by deep-frying or baking. noun - A baked, leavened food whose main constituent is flour or meal.
BROIL - To cook by direct dry heat under a broiler or on a grill.
BROTH - A clear soup made from poultry, beef or veal, with vegetables, seasoning and liquid.
BROWN - To fry food (usually meat) quickly so the outside is cooked and has changed color. When meat is cooked, the outside reaches a higher temperature than the inside, triggering this browning reaction and creating the strongest flavors on the surface. This is sometimes referred to as the Maiilard reaction.
CARAMELIZE - To melt sugar over low heat until it becomes golden brown. Also to cook onions or vegetables until their sugars begin to brown.
CASSEROLE - A deep, usually porcelain, dish in which food may be baked and served. Also, food cooked and served in such a dish.
CHOP - To cut into small pieces.
COAT - To cover with flour, crumbs or other dry mixture before frying.
COMBINE - To mix together two or more ingredients.
CREAM - To beat softened butter or butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
CRIMP - To pinch the edge of a pie crust together with your fingers or tines of a fork.
CRUMBLE - verb - To break between the fingers into small, irregular pieces. noun - A baked dessert consisting of a bottom layer of fruit and a sweet crumbly topping of oats, flour or other grains.
CUBE - To chop food into even cubes, usually bite-sized.
CUSTARD - A pudding-like, sweetened mixture made with eggs and milk.
CUSTARD CUP - Tall, slope-sided porcelain container used to bake and serve individual portions of custard or rice pudding. They can also be used to bake popovers.
CUT IN - To work shortening or other solid fat into a flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
DASH - A very small amount, typically less than 1/16 teaspoon.
DEEP-FRY - To cook in hot, deep fat at a consistent temperature.
DEFAT - To remove the fat or grease from a liquid, stock or soup. This is easily done by refrigerating the liquid and letting the fat solidify on top.
DEGLAZE - To loosen the browned bits in a roasting or frying pan by adding liquid while stirring and heating. The resulting glaze is used as a base for sauces and gravies. Wine or vinegar is an effective medium for de glazing.
DEVIL - To season with mustard, pepper and other spicy condiments.
DICE - To chop food into very small even pieces.
DOT - To scatter bits of butter, margarine or other ingredient over the surface of food.
DOUGH - A mixture of flour, liquid and other ingredients stiff enough to be kneaded or rolled.
DRAIN - To pour off liquid from food (usually with a colander or sieve). The food is kept and the liquid discarded unless specified otherwise. Also, to place fried foods on paper towels to soak up excess fat.
DREDGE - To drag a piece of meat through flour to coat prior to frying.
DRIZZLE - To pour melted butter or margarine, marinade or other liquid over food in a thin stream.
DUST - To sprinkle lightly with a dry ingredient such as flour or confectioners' sugar.
DUTCH OVEN - A heavy pot with a tight-fitting domed cover, traditionally cast iron and possibly enamel coated. Originally used for cooking and baking over an open fire.
EN CROUTE - Cooked entirely encased in pastry. Usually refers to meat.
ENTREE - French word indicating the third course in a dinner. In America the term designates the main dish of a meal.
ESCALOPE - French spelling for 'scallop.'
FILET (FILLET) - verb - To cut meat from the bones. noun - A cut of boneless meat.
FILLO - Anglicized spelling of 'phyllo,' a Greek term for a flaky, paper-thin pastry used in baklava, spanakopita and other Greek dishes.
FLAKE - To break up food, usually fish, into smaller pieces with a fork.
FLAMBÉ - French word meaning 'flaming.' To pour brandy or liqueur over food and set it afire.
FLUTE - To form a pinched design with the fingertips around the edge of a pie crust.
FOLD - To mix one ingredient into another very gently with a spoon or spatula. The idea is to combine the mixture without losing the air. To fold properly, cut through the center of the mixture, hen run the edge of the spoon or spatula around the outer edge of the bowl, turning the bowl as you go.
FREEZER BURN - Dehydration that results when air left in the storage container draws moisture from the food, forming frost inside the package.
FRICASSEE - verb - To simmer a chicken with vegetables in wine or water. noun - A chicken dish made by browning chicken in butter then simmering in liquid. A gravy made from the broth and served with the chicken.
GARNISH - To decorate with colorful and often fancily cut pieces of food, flowers or herbs.
GLAZE - verb - To coat food with a substance so it glistens. noun - A liquid brushed over food to give it shine and color (often beaten egg, honey, syrup warmed fruit jelly or jam).
GRATE - To shred into small particles by rubbing against a rough surface.
GRATER - A metal kitchen utensil with rough, raised bumps punched through a flat surface used to shred food such as hard cheese or vegetables. May be a flat instrument with a handle (often called a cheese grater) or pyramid-shaped (box grater) with four sides of varying coarseness.
GRATIN - A brown crust formed on food that has been cooked au gratin. Also, a dish so cooked.
GRATIN DISH - A low, wide, slope-sided dish exposing a maximum amount of surface for browning a crust.
GREASE - To lightly coat food or a baking dish with oil, butter or shortening to prevent food from sticking.
GRILL - To cook over open flame on a metal grate. Also to fry or toast on a griddle.
GRIND - To pulverize food into small pieces through a mill or food processor.
HULL - To remove caps and stems (green leafy parts) from berries or the outer layers of nuts, seeds and grains.
ICE - verb - To cover cookies, cakes, etc. with frosting (icing). noun - A frozen fruit-flavored dessert.
INFUSE - To flavor a liquid by heating it with aromatic ingredients (like spices) and letting it sit to allow the flavor to develop over time.
JIGGER - A bartender's measure of 1-1/2 fluid ounces.
JULIENNE - To cut into uniformly long, thin matchsticks (1-1/2 by 1/4 inches) for quick cooking. Often used for stir-fry or in French cuisine.
KNEAD - To stretch and fold dough to make it firm, smooth and springy. This develops the gluten in the flour and gives elasticity. Used for bread making to strengthen the loaf.
LEAVENING (LEAVEN, LEAVENER) - A substance that make batters and doughs rise and become light and porous. The most common leavening agents are air and steam. Others include yeast, baking soda and baking powder.
LINE - To cover the bottom and/or sides of a pan with paper, foil or a thin layer of food slices.
MARINADE - A seasoned acidic liquid used for flavoring and tenderizing meat, fish or vegetables. Marinades frequently have vinegar added for acidity but may also incorporate wine, Worcestershire sauce or fruit juices.
MARINATE - To tenderize and flavor food by leaving it in a marinade.
MASH - To reduce to a pulp.
MERINGUE - A stiffly beaten mixture of sugar and raw egg white.
MESQUITE - A thorny shrub found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. When burned as coals, wood chips from the plant give barbecued food a smoky sweet flavor.
MINCE - verb - To finely chop or grind meat or other ingredients. noun - A term referring to ground meat, suitable for fillings, meat loaves, burgers, meatballs, kebabs, etc.
MIX - To stir together two ore more ingredients.
MOCHA - A flavor for desserts usually made of a strong coffee infusion or a mixture of coffee and chocolate.
MOLD - To shape food into a desired form, esp. a gelatin or aspic.
MULL - To heat a liquid such as wine or cider with whole spices.
PARBOIL - To partially cook in boiling water before some other form of cooking is employed.
PARE - To remove the skin of a fruit or vegetable.
PASTRY - A stiff, unleavened dough made from flour, water and fat (butter or shortening). It is used for pie crusts, tart, turnovers and other desserts.
PHYLLO - Greek term for a flaky, paper-thin pastry used in many Greek dishes such as baklava.
PINCH - A small amount of a dry ingredient - as much as can be held between your thumb and forefinger. Less than 1/4 teaspoon.
PIPE - To push frosting, whipped cream, mashed potatoes or other soft mixture through a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to make an edging or garnish.
PLUMP - To soak raisins or other dried fruits in liquid until they are softened and almost returned to their natural state.
POACH - To cook food immersed in a gently simmering liquid.
PREHEAT - To bring an oven or broiler to the correct temperature before cooking food.
PROOF - To activate or test yeast by mixing with water and sugar and let it bubble and rise. Also, to let a formed dough piece rise in a loaf pan before baking.
PUNCH DOWN THE DOUGH - A term used in bread making. A yeast dough which is left to rise is then punched with one firm blow of the fist, to remove the air from it.
PUREE - verb - To whirl food in a food processor or blender or press through a sieve or food grinder to a pulp of smooth consistency. noun - Food so blended or processed.
RAMEKIN - Small porcelain container resembling a miniature soufflé dish used to prepare and serve individual portions. It is twice as wide as it is deep.
REDUCE - To boil or simmer liquid in an uncovered pan so that the liquid evaporates and the mixture becomes more concentrated in flavor.
RENDER - To melt solid fat.
REST - To allow unbaked dough or just-baked goods to sit undisturbed for a period of time. In unbaked dough this allows the development of cellular structure for proper rising. In baked goods this allows the food to cool and its structure to set before transferring to a serving dish or storage container.
RICE - To press food through a container with small holes (called a ricer).
RISE, RISING - The increase in size of bread dough before it is baked.
ROAST - To cook meat or poultry in the oven by dry heat.
ROLL - To press and shape dough or pastry with a rolling pin.
ROUX - A thickening base for many sauces and gravies comprised of fat (usually melted butter) and flour.
SAUTÉ - To cook food quickly in a small amount of hot fat in a skillet.
SCALD - To head liquid just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan but the liquid does not boil Used often to heat milk.
SCALLOP - verb - To bake small pieces of food in a casserole, usually in a cream sauce. noun - A thin, boneless slice of meat.
SCRAMBLE - To stir eggs or an egg mixture while cooking until the mixture sets.
SCORE - To make incisions with a knife that do not cut all the way through. Used often with fish or meat to ensure even cooking or with a dough piece to split the top of the loaf (the incisions on the top of a French baguette are an example).
SHIRR - To bake whole eggs in ramekins with cream and crumbs.
SHORT - Term used to describe bread, cake or pastry that has a high proportion of fat and is very tender or crisp.
SHORTENING - A solid fat, usually of vegetable origin, used to add tenderness to pastry, bread or cookies.
SHRED - To cut into small, thin slivers by rubbing food over the coarse holes of a grater.
SIFT - To shake dry ingredients (usually flour) through a sieve to aerate and remove lumps.
SIMMER - To cook liquid or food in liquid over low heat, below the boiling point. The surface of the liquid will be moving with a few small bubbles.
SKIM - To remove fat, film or scum that comes to the surface of a liquid.
SLIVER - To cut into long, thin strips.
SOAK - To let a substance stand in liquid to permeate, soften or fill the substance with liquid.
SOFT PEAKS - A term used when cream or egg whites are whipped. The peak will fold over on itself when the beater is lifted.
SOUFFLÉ - A dish that is made from a sauce, egg yolks, beaten egg whites, and a flavoring or puree (as of seafood, fruit, or vegetables) and baked until puffed up.
SOUFFLÉ DISH - A round, deep, straight-sided porcelain container for making souffles. The tall, straight sides support the expanding egg mixture of a soufflé.
SPIT - To skewer food on a long rod and roast over coals or under a broiler. Also, the rod so used.
STEAM - To cook food over a small amount of boiling water without submerging it in the water.
STEEP - To let food, such as tea leaves, soak in liquid until the liquid absorbs its flavor and/or color.
STEW - verb - To cook, covered, in simmering liquid. noun - Fish or meat, usually with vegetables, prepared by stewing.
STIFF PEAKS - A term used when cream or egg whites are whipped. The peak will hold its shape when the beater is lifted.
STIR - To mix with a spoon using a circular motion.
STIR-FRY - To quickly fry in a small amount of oil (usually in a wok) over high heat while stirring. To facilitate quick cooking, pieces of vegetables and meat are cut into small pieces or strips before frying.
STOCK - A flavorful liquid base of soups and sauces made by slow simmering of meat, poultry or fish with their bones, vegetables and seasonings. The solids are strained before the stock is used.
STRAIN - To remove solids from a liquid by pouring through a sieve. The solids are discarded unless specified otherwise.
STREUSEL - A crumbly mixture made from flour, butter, sugar and spices, often used as a topping or filling for cakes.
STUD - To press whole cloves, slivers of garlic or other seasoning into the surface of a food to be cooked.
THICKEN - To make a liquid thicker (denser), usually by adding flour, cornstarch or beaten egg, then cooking the mixture.
THIN - To lighten a liquid mixture by adding more liquid.
TOSS - To mix by gently turning ingredients over and over in a bowl, either with the hands or a large fork and spoon.
WHIP - To beat until frothy or stiff with an eggbeater or an electric mixer.
WHISK - verb - To beat with a quick light brushing or whipping motion to incorporate air and add volume, usually with a wire whisk. noun - A wire kitchen utensil used for beating food by hand
YEAST - Cells of a fungus (family Saccharo-mycetaceae),used especially in the making of alcoholic liquors and as a leavening in baking. The most common type is especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewer's yeast). Yeast is available in several forms: fresh or compressed, active dry and instant.
ZEST - The oily and aromatic colored skin of citrus fruits used as flavoring. Avoid using the bitter white pith below.
