Culinary Terms

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CULINARY TERMS AND COOKING DEFINITIONS A To Z, are often muddled and confused with colloquilisms and regional dialects; thus, this little guide shall unconfuse. 

Written by: Margaux Cintrano. 

Culinary Terms & Cooking Definitions A to Z

ALMONDINE: A dish prepared with shredded blanched almonds which have been browned in butter. EG:  Trout Almondine.

APPETISER OR APPETIZER:  A small serving of food and / or a beverate served before the 1st course of a meal. EG:  Aperitif. 

AU GRATIN:  A cheese topping or crust of cheese baked dish. 

BAKE:  To cook in the oven by dry heat.

BARBECUE:  To roast on a rack over coals or on a spit, usually basting in a sauce with a brush. 

BASTE OR BASTING:  To spoon a liquid or fat over a food item, while it cooks, to add flavor and prevent drying of the surface exterior. EG: Roast Turkey, Roast Milk Fed Baby Lamb, Roast Suckling Pig or Roast Kid.

BATTER:  A mixture of flour, liquid, etcetra, which can be beaten or stirred.

BEAT: To combine or mix with a brisk regular motion that lifts the mixture over and over making the mixture smooth and introducing air.

BLANCH:  To immerse in boiling salted water, then draining and rinsing with cold water, generally in order to loosen skin or set color. 

BLEND: To thoroughly mix two or three ingredients together. 

BOIL: To cook in steaming liquid in which the bubbles are breaking on the surface at approximately 212 degrees farenheit.

BRAISE:  To brown food in  a small amount of hot lard, then cooking tightly covered either in the oven or stove top, in a small amount of liquid.

BREAD: To coat food in flour, egg and bread crumbs; for example: chicken, shrimp or pork. 

BROIL: To cook over or under direct heat. 

BROTH: The liquid in which meat or poultry has been simmered.

CANAPÉ :  A tiny piece of bread or a cracker which is topped with an appetiser; for example, a slice of Prosciutto di Parma, or a piece of Spanish Omelette or Anchovy with Tomato. 

CAPON: A castrated male chicken, which grows large and has very tender meat.

CHILL:  To allow to become thoroughly cold.

CHOP: To cut fine or coarse pieces with a sharp knife. ( vegetables for example )

COAT:  To cover with a thin flim of flour, crushed nuts, or crumbs etcetra. 

COMPOTE:  Stewed fruit which has been slowly cooked in syrup and sugar to keep its natural shape. 

COOL: To let stand at room temperature until no longer warm.   

CREAM:  To work food elements until soft  and fluffy texture; and often applied to sugar and shortening.

CREOLE SAUCE: A tomato based sauce which is well seasoned & contains green pepper, onion, celery etcetra.

CROUTON:  Small bread cubes, sliced into pieces with 6 equal square sides.

CUBE: To cut into pieces with 6 equal square sides.

DEEP FRY:  To cook food in a deep layer of hot fat; for example: French Fries or Calamari. 

DEVILED:  Prepared with hot piquant seasonings or spices, for example, Deviled Hard Boiled Eggs.

DICE:  To cut into small dice or cubes.

DISSOLVE:  To mix  dry ingredients with liquid until it is in a solution. 

DOUGH:  A mixture of flour, liquids etcetra and which is stiff enough to be handled or kneaded.

DREDGE: To coat or dust with flour.

DRIPPINGS:  Fat and juices resulting from cooking meats, game or poultry.

EN BROCHETTE:  To cook on skewers. 

FILLET:  A long thin boneless strip of fish or meat.

FRY:  To cook in hot fat. 

GARNISH:  To decorate or adorn food for visual and taste appeal using a variety of colorful ingredients to pair with

GLAZE:  To coat a food with a jelly or syrup to give a luster 

GRATE:  To reduce an ingredient to small particles by rubbing against a grater ( Reggiano Parmesano or a carrot for example ).

GRIND:  To crush in a food chopper. 

JULIENNE:  To slice a product into match book stick shape 

KNEAD:  To work dough with a pressing motion accompanied by folding and stretching 

LEAVENING: Ingredients which make soda, baking powder and yeast.

MASHING:  To reduce to a purée state for example like Potatoes or Parsnip root. 

MELT: To liquidefy by applying heat 

MERINGUE:  A stiffly beaten mixture of egg whites, sugar and flavoring.

MINCE: To slice or chop into very tiny pieces ( for example: garlic or onion )

MIX:  To combine 2 or 3 ingredients usually by stirring 

PAN BROIL:  To cook meat on a hot dry surface pouring off the grease as it accumulates

PAN FRY:  To cook in a  small amount of fat in a skillet, or to Sauté 

PAR BOIL:  To boil partially cooked.

PARE:  To cut off outside covering, carrots, or potatoes for example.

PEEL:  To remove the outside covering of oranges, for example or any other fruit or vegetable

PIT: To remove a pit or seeds from a fruit or vegetable

POACH:  To cook in simmering liquid to cover and retain original shape of the food product

POT ROAST:  To cook a less tender meat cut in a little liquid, with or without browning first 

PRE HEAT:  To heat to desired temperature before placing food in an Oven

RENDER:  To free the fat from connective tissue on low heat until the fat melts and can be drained

ROAST: To cook by dry heat usually in an oven

SAUTÉ:  To cook in small amount of oil or butter, on low heat

SCALD:  To heat to temperature just below boiling point

SEAR: To brown surface rapidly at high temperature

SIFT: To pass through a Sieve; as in flour.

SIMMER:  To cook in liquid at a temperature, just below boiling.

SKIM:  To remove film that forms

SLIVER:  To cut or shred into long thin pieces

STEW:  To cook covered in small amount of simmering or boiling water or liquid ( broth or stock ) for a long time  

STOCK: Liquid in which meat or poultry or fish or vegetables has been cooked 

TOSS: To lightly mix without mashing

WHIP:  To beat rapidly to increase volume by incorporation by air. 

If you have some terms, to add, please do so. 

Hope this assists, and Happy Holidays,
Margi.

TO BE CONTINUED THROUGH Z. 

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Margi Cintrano Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Master Chef Joined: 03 February 2012 Location: Spain Status: Offline Points: 6362	Post Options Post Reply Quote Margi Cintrano Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Culinary Terms Posted: 15 December 2012 at 09:22
	CULINARY TERMS AND COOKING DEFINITIONS A To Z, are often muddled and confused with colloquilisms and regional dialects; thus, this little guide shall unconfuse. Written by: Margaux Cintrano. Culinary Terms & Cooking Definitions A to Z ALMONDINE: A dish prepared with shredded blanched almonds which have been browned in butter. EG: Trout Almondine. APPETISER OR APPETIZER: A small serving of food and / or a beverate served before the 1st course of a meal. EG: Aperitif. AU GRATIN: A cheese topping or crust of cheese baked dish. BAKE: To cook in the oven by dry heat. BARBECUE: To roast on a rack over coals or on a spit, usually basting in a sauce with a brush. BASTE OR BASTING: To spoon a liquid or fat over a food item, while it cooks, to add flavor and prevent drying of the surface exterior. EG: Roast Turkey, Roast Milk Fed Baby Lamb, Roast Suckling Pig or Roast Kid. BATTER: A mixture of flour, liquid, etcetra, which can be beaten or stirred. BEAT: To combine or mix with a brisk regular motion that lifts the mixture over and over making the mixture smooth and introducing air. BLANCH: To immerse in boiling salted water, then draining and rinsing with cold water, generally in order to loosen skin or set color. BLEND: To thoroughly mix two or three ingredients together. BOIL: To cook in steaming liquid in which the bubbles are breaking on the surface at approximately 212 degrees farenheit. BRAISE: To brown food in a small amount of hot lard, then cooking tightly covered either in the oven or stove top, in a small amount of liquid. BREAD: To coat food in flour, egg and bread crumbs; for example: chicken, shrimp or pork. BROIL: To cook over or under direct heat. BROTH: The liquid in which meat or poultry has been simmered. CANAPÉ : A tiny piece of bread or a cracker which is topped with an appetiser; for example, a slice of Prosciutto di Parma, or a piece of Spanish Omelette or Anchovy with Tomato. CAPON: A castrated male chicken, which grows large and has very tender meat. CHILL: To allow to become thoroughly cold. CHOP: To cut fine or coarse pieces with a sharp knife. ( vegetables for example ) COAT: To cover with a thin flim of flour, crushed nuts, or crumbs etcetra. COMPOTE: Stewed fruit which has been slowly cooked in syrup and sugar to keep its natural shape. COOL: To let stand at room temperature until no longer warm. CREAM: To work food elements until soft and fluffy texture; and often applied to sugar and shortening. CREOLE SAUCE: A tomato based sauce which is well seasoned & contains green pepper, onion, celery etcetra. CROUTON: Small bread cubes, sliced into pieces with 6 equal square sides. CUBE: To cut into pieces with 6 equal square sides. DEEP FRY: To cook food in a deep layer of hot fat; for example: French Fries or Calamari. DEVILED: Prepared with hot piquant seasonings or spices, for example, Deviled Hard Boiled Eggs. DICE: To cut into small dice or cubes. DISSOLVE: To mix dry ingredients with liquid until it is in a solution. DOUGH: A mixture of flour, liquids etcetra and which is stiff enough to be handled or kneaded. DREDGE: To coat or dust with flour. DRIPPINGS: Fat and juices resulting from cooking meats, game or poultry. EN BROCHETTE: To cook on skewers. FILLET: A long thin boneless strip of fish or meat. FRY: To cook in hot fat. GARNISH: To decorate or adorn food for visual and taste appeal using a variety of colorful ingredients to pair with GLAZE: To coat a food with a jelly or syrup to give a luster GRATE: To reduce an ingredient to small particles by rubbing against a grater ( Reggiano Parmesano or a carrot for example ). GRIND: To crush in a food chopper. JULIENNE: To slice a product into match book stick shape KNEAD: To work dough with a pressing motion accompanied by folding and stretching LEAVENING: Ingredients which make soda, baking powder and yeast. MASHING: To reduce to a purée state for example like Potatoes or Parsnip root. MELT: To liquidefy by applying heat MERINGUE: A stiffly beaten mixture of egg whites, sugar and flavoring. MINCE: To slice or chop into very tiny pieces ( for example: garlic or onion ) MIX: To combine 2 or 3 ingredients usually by stirring PAN BROIL: To cook meat on a hot dry surface pouring off the grease as it accumulates PAN FRY: To cook in a small amount of fat in a skillet, or to Sauté PAR BOIL: To boil partially cooked. PARE: To cut off outside covering, carrots, or potatoes for example. PEEL: To remove the outside covering of oranges, for example or any other fruit or vegetable PIT: To remove a pit or seeds from a fruit or vegetable POACH: To cook in simmering liquid to cover and retain original shape of the food product POT ROAST: To cook a less tender meat cut in a little liquid, with or without browning first PRE HEAT: To heat to desired temperature before placing food in an Oven RENDER: To free the fat from connective tissue on low heat until the fat melts and can be drained ROAST: To cook by dry heat usually in an oven SAUTÉ: To cook in small amount of oil or butter, on low heat SCALD: To heat to temperature just below boiling point SEAR: To brown surface rapidly at high temperature SIFT: To pass through a Sieve; as in flour. SIMMER: To cook in liquid at a temperature, just below boiling. SKIM: To remove film that forms SLIVER: To cut or shred into long thin pieces STEW: To cook covered in small amount of simmering or boiling water or liquid ( broth or stock ) for a long time STOCK: Liquid in which meat or poultry or fish or vegetables has been cooked TOSS: To lightly mix without mashing WHIP: To beat rapidly to increase volume by incorporation by air. If you have some terms, to add, please do so. Hope this assists, and Happy Holidays, Margi. TO BE CONTINUED THROUGH Z.
	Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.

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