GLOSSARY

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  •  a la Mode: (French) Refers to ice cream on top of pie. :

  •  a la Provencale: (French) Dishes prepared with garlic and olive oil.

  •  a la Russe: (French) The Russian way.

  •  BAKE: Cook in the oven with dry heat.

  •  BASTE: Moisten while cooking with a sauce or, in the case of meat, its own juices. Small brushes are made especially for this job, but a spoon will do.

  •  Batter: A mixture of flour and liquid.

  •  BEAT: Add air to a mixture by stirring with fork, spoon or whisk in rapid, circular strokes.

  •  Bearnaise: (French) Sauce derived from Hollandaise, with a tarragon reduction added.

  •  Bechamel: (French) A rich cream sauce made from cream and a roux, with an onion pique.

  •  BLEND: Mix two or more ingredients together until smooth.

  •  BROIL: Cook by direct heat, usually under oven broiler.

  •  CHOP: Cut in regular-sized pieces. The size is sometimes specified in the recipe. Otherwise, roughly quarter-inch pieces suffice.

  •  CREAM: Beat ingredients, usually butter and sugar, together until soft and fluffy. Usually with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.

  •  Deglaze: To add liquid such as wine, stock, or water to the bottom of a pan to dissolve the carmelized drippings so that they may be added to a sauce, for added flavor.

  •  DICE: Similar to chop, but ingredients are cut into smaller, square pieces.

  •  DREDGE: Lightly coat one ingredient, often meat, by dragging it through another, often flour.

  •  GRILL: Cook over direct, dry heat -- either over barbecue coals or in a hot frying pan.

  •  FRY: Cook in hot oil, the amount specified in the recipe.

  •  Garnish: To decorate. Also referring to the food used to decorate.

  •  KNEAD: Work dough with hands, pushing mass with heel of hand, folding it over, turning it a quarter turn, and pushing again.

  •  JULIENNE: Cut into small pieces, roughly the shape of match sticks or exactly 1/8 x 1/8 x 1 1/2 inches long.

  •  Lyonnaise Potatoes: (French) Potatoes sliced and sauteed with onions.

  •  MARINATE: Cover ingredient with a liquid or sauce and let stand. Time should be specified in recipe.

  •  MINCE: Chop ingredients, often onions or garlic, into very small pieces.

  •  MIX: Combine ingredients.

  •  Omelet: Seasoned eggs that are beaten and fried. The eggs will puff up at which time, they are rolled or folded over.

  •  Parboiling: To cook partially by boiling for a short period of time.

  •  POACH: Cook in hot liquid.

  •  ROAST: Same as bake. Often refers to meat.

  •  SAUTE: Cook food quickly in a small amount of oil in open pan on top of stove. More delicate technique than frying.

  •  SCALD: Heat milk or cream just until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan.

  •  SEAR: Cook food, usually meat, quickly at high heat, turning until all surfaces are browned and juices are sealed in.

  •  SIFT: Pass dry ingredients through the very small mesh of a sifter.

  •  SIMMER: Keep liquid just below the boiling point with very small bubbles barely breaking the surface.

  •  STEAM: Cook food above boiling water in a steamer.

  •  STIR-FRY: Cook food, stirring rapidly with a flat spatula, over high heat in a very small amount of oil.

  •  TOSS: Combine ingredients lightly until just mixed.

  •  Waldorf Salad: A salad made with apples, celery, nuts, whip cream, and mayonnaise on a bed of lettuce.

  •  WHIP: Beat ingredients at high speed to incorporate air into the mixture. 

  •  Zest: : Citrus rind.

    Cooking 101
    Cooking 102
    Cooking 103