Glossary Of Basic Cooking Terms 1
English - (A - E)
from Italian Traditional Food

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for Italian Traditional Food

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Glossary of English basic cooking terms - (A- E)

A

Appetiser: Dish served before main course, either as first course, or small snacks with sherry/cocktails before meal.

Aromatics: Substances imparting flavour and odour to dish, eg. herbs, spices, garlic cooked with the dish or condiments added to it when eating.

Aspic: Clear jelly made from clarified chicken/meat/fish stock used with relevant dish, eg. cutlets in aspic. Wine may be added to stock. Gelatine may be used to set.

B

Bain marie: To cook at temperature just below boiling point in a baine marie (a saucepan standing in a large pan of simmering water). Used in the preparation of sauces, creams and food liable to spoil if cooked over direct heat. May be carried out in oven or on top of stove.

Bake: To cook by dry heat in oven.

Bard: To cover lean meats/game with larding bacon/pork fat before cooking.

Baste: To spoon hot fat/liquid over food as it roasts.

Blanch: To whiten meats and remove strong tastes from vegetables by bringing to boil from cold water and draining before further cooking.

Blanquette: Stew of lamb/veal/chicken/rabbit with rich sauce of the stock. Milk/cream, egg yolks added.

Boil: To cook in water/stock at or above 212F or 100C when water bubbles vigorously.

Bouillon: Meat or vegetable stock.

Bouquette garni: A bunch of parsley, thyme, bayleaf, for flavouring stews and sauces. Other herbs can be added. Remove before serving.

Braise: After browning meat in fat/oil to cook slowly by moist heat in small amount of liquid, in tightly covered container. Suited to cheaper cuts of meat requiring slow cooking.

Brine: Salt and water solution used in preserving meats.

Brochette: Small piece of meat/fish/offal with vegetables grilled on a skewer.

Broil: American term for grilling.

C

Caramelise: To dissolve sugar slowly in water then boil steadily, without stirring, to a toffee-brown colour. Also to give a thin caramel topping by dusting top of sweet with caster or icing sugar, and grilling slowly.

Carbonade: Stew, usually of beef, cooked with beer.

Casserole: Stewpan. Stews of meat/game and vegetables cooked in liquid very slowly in oven or over heat in this pan, also referred to as casseroles.

Clarify: To clarify butter by heating gently until foaming, skimming well, straining off clear yellow oil, leaving sediment (milk solids) behind. Also to clear cold stock with egg whites, by whisking while bringing to boil, cooling and straining.

Compote: Fresh or dried fruit poached in a syrup, usually of sugar and water.

Concasser: To chop roughly or shred coarsely.

Consistency: Degree of thinness or thickness of a mixture, especially important in batters, cake and pastry making.

Consomme: Clear soup made from good meat stock which is concentrated and clarified before serving hot or cold.

Court bouillon: Stock made from water, root vegetables, wine or vinegar, seasoning and herbs for poaching fish or veal and for use in sauces.

Croquette: Savoury mixture shaped into rounds, balls or conical shapes, coated with egg and breadcrumbs, and fried in deep fat, eg. creamed potatoes.

Croute: Small round of bread, lightly toasted or fried, spread or piled up with a savoury mixture, also used as a garnish.

Crouton: Small square or dice of fried bread or potato to accompany puree or cream soups.

D

Deglaze: To heat stock and/or wine together with flavoursome sediments left in roasting/frying pan so that gravy/sauce is formed.

Degorger: To remove impurities and strong flavours before cooking eg. Soaking uncooked ham in cold water for specified length of time.

Dice: To cut meat/fruit/vegetables into small squares.

Dough: Basic mixture of flour, liquid and fat for bread, scones, pastry.

Dredge: To cover leberally with, or immerse in, sifted flour/sugar.

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