Cooking Terms

Aspic: A transparent jelly made of meat, fish or vegetable stock, either boiled down or thickened with gelatin to become firm when cold.

Au gratin: French: Describes a topping of cheese or bread crumbs or a sauce over food that is browned under a broiler or baked in the oven.

Au jus: French: Served in natural juice or pan juices.

Baste: To moisten food periodically with a seasoned liquid while cooking.

Bard: To cover a bird or roast with strips of fat in order to automatically baste meat or to protect delicate parts.

Batter: An uncooked mixture, usually of flour, eggs, liquid, and a leavening agent, that is thin enough to pour.

Beat: To stir or mix rapidly in order to blend or make lighter.

Bind: To add egg, cream or other liquid to a mixture to hold it together.

Bisque: A rich, thick soup, a variation of cream soup.

Blanch: To immerse briefly in boiling water. Used to loosen skin, to remove or set color, or to stop enzymatic action (as for canning or freezing).

Bouillon: A clear soup stock not as strongly flavored as broth. it is usually clarified.

Braise: To cook over low heat with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan. Meats may or may not be browned in fat first.

Broil: To cook under direct heat in broiler or over coals.

Cacciatore: Italian style of cooking in a flavorful tomato-wine sauce. Usually chicken or veal.

Canapé: A small piece of fried or toasted bread with a topping. Served as an appetizer.

Candy: To cook in sugar or heavy syrup.

Capon: Roaster which has been gelded; grows larger and has tender meat.

Clarify: For butter, to melt and skim off top foam, then strain off milk solids, using only the clear layer.

Chill: To reduce temperature by putting in refrigerator or over ice.

Coddle: To simmer slowly just below the boiling point (usually applies to eggs or fruit).

Combine: To blend two or more ingredients together.

Cordon bleu: French for blue ribbon; also the name of a well-known French cooking school; a term for an exceptional cook.

Cream: To beat butter, or butter and sugar, until very light and nearly twice original volume.

Crimp: To pinch the edges of pastry together to form a fluted edge and or to seal in a filling.

Crisp-Tender: Cooked until tender enough to be pierced by a fork but still firm to the bite.

Cut In: To mix solid fat with dry ingredients using fingers, pastry blender or two knives.

Cube: To cut into 1/4-inch squares.

Deep Fry: To cover food with hot oil and cook.

Dice: To cut food into small, even cubes.

Deglaze: To loosen pan drippings by adding liquid, usually to make a sauce.

Dissolve: To form a solution by adding a dry substance to a liquid.

Dredge: To coat, usually with flour.

Dress: To add a dressing (as for salads or vegetables); to stuff (as for fowl or meats); to garnish or decorate.

Drizzle: To pour liquid such as melted butter over food in a thin stream.

Dust: To lightly sprinkle one food item with another ingredient.

Enrich: To add eggs, cream or butter.

Entrée: In the United States, the main course of a meal; in other parts of the world, the term denotes a small prepared dish served between main courses at a formal dinner.

Flack: To separate lightly into small, natural divisions.

Flambé: To douse with an alcoholic beverage and ignite.

Flake: To separate into small pieces with a folk.

Flute: To make a decorative edge on the rim of a pie crust.

Fold In: Using a spatula, to combine fragile substances, such as whipped cream, into a heavier mixture with light, circular motions.

Fondue: A dish of melted cheese, broth or oil, into which other pieces of food are dipped; a baked dish, similar to a soufflé ,made of cheese and bread crumbs.

Fricassee: To cook meat by braising or stewing in gravy.

Fry: To cook in oil or fat. For stir-frying or sautéing, a small amount of fat is used. For deep frying, a larger amount is used, often enough to cover the food.

Garnish: To ornament a dish with bright and savory tidbits

Gelée: French, refers to jelly or a jellied substance.

Glaze: To add a shiny appearance to food by applying a coating of syrup, beaten eggs, or milk.

Gluten: The sticky substance in wheat flour that gives dough its tough, elastic quality.

Grease: To apply a thin layer of butter or oil on food or utensils.

Grate: To separate food into small particles by rubbing across the teeth of a grater.

Grill: To cook over hot coals or a gridiron or under a broiler.

Hors d' oeuvre: From the French, literally "outside of work", the term has come to be synonymous with appetizer.

Infusion: A method of preparing beverages by covering a flavoring item with boiling water, covering the pot, and allowing it to stand until flavor is extracted.

Julienne: Cut into match-like sticks or strips.

Knead: To work dough with the palms by pressing, stretching and folding, turning a small amount after each push. Process develops the gluten until dough is smooth and elastic.

Marinate: To let food stand in a highly seasoned liquid or marinade, to tenderize or to add flavor.

Mince: To cut or chop into very small pieces.

Mix: To thoroughly combine ingredients until evenly distributed.

Mold: To give food a specific form by pressing it into or letting it jell in a container of the desired shape.

Pan-broil: To cook uncovered; fat is removed as it accumulates.

Pan-fry: To fry in an uncovered pan in the fat that accumulates from the cooking meat.

Parboil: To boil partially in a liquid. Cooking is unusually completed by baking.

Pare: To remove the peel or outer covering from a fruit or vegetable with a knife.

Paste: A thick creamy mixture, made by mixing dry ingredients with a liquid or by pounding fresh herbs, meats, or nuts with a mortar and pestle.

Pit: To remove the pit or pits from fruits.

Poach: To cook in a hot liquid.

Precook: To cook partially or completely before a final cooking or reheating.

Preheat: To heat an oven or broiler in advance of use to assure that it will be the proper temperature when ready to use.

Purée: To press through a sieve to make food the consistency of a thick paste.

Reduce: To boil a liquid and reduce its quantity through evaporation.

Roast: To cook in an oven, uncovered and without water.

Render: To melt down solid fats to get a liquid oil.

Sauté: To brown in a small amount of oil or butter.

Scald: To bring to a temperature just below the boiling point.

Scallop: To bake in a sauce, usually covered with seasoned bread crumbs.

Score: To make a sharp narrow slits or cuts in the outer surface of food to decorate or to allow seasonings to penetrate.

Sear: To quickly brown the surface of meat using very high heat.

Shred: To form small and narrow pieces by rubbing food against a shredder.

Sift: to put dry ingredients through a sifter or sieve.

Simmer: To stew gently below or just at the boiling point.

Skim: To remove fat or scum from the surface of a liquid. Steam: To cook covered in the vapor that rises from the liquid in which a food is cooking.

Steep: To soak in a liquid at a temperature below the boiling point.

Stew: To boil slowly or with simmering heat.

Stir: To mix ingredients until well blended.

Toss: To mix ingredients lightly without mashing them.

Truss: To bind the wings or legs of a fowl before cooking.

Whip: To beat quickly and steadily with either a hand or an electric beater.

Whisk: To stir rapidly, using a whisk, to blend ingredients or introduce air.