EAT THESE WORDS
Some of these terms are basic, some not so. All are helpful when navigating the world of cooking and food.
Cooking Terms
Terms from HUDS menus
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baste—to spoon or brush liquid fat, drippings or other liquid over a food as it cooks in order to keep it moist.
beat—to stir rapidly in a circular motion.
blanch—to plunge fruit or vegetables into boiling water briefly, then into cold water to stop the cooking; used to heighten color in vegetables, or loosen skin for peeling as in peaches.
blend—to mix any two or more ingredients together fully.
boil—to cook food in a boiling liquid; a full-rolling boil is one that can't be disturbed by stirring.
braise—to quickly brown a food then cook it, tightly-covered, slowly in a small amount of liquid at a low temperature.
chop—to cut food into bite-sized or smaller pieces.
cream—to beat an ingredient or combination of ingredients together until smooth, soft and creamy, often in cookie or cake recipes with butter and sugar.
dice—to cut food into small cubes, about 1/8 to 1/4 inches square.
dredge—to lightly coat food in a dry mixture such as flour or breadcrumbs before frying.
fold—to gently combine a light, fluffy mixture (e.g. beaten egg whites) with a heavier one (e.g. cake batter) through a series of rotated strokes with a spatula; often accomplished in a series of additions.
glaze—to coat food with a thin, liquid mixture that will be smooth and shiny after setting; often brushed onto the food.
julienne—to cut food into matchstick-sized strips, often seen with carrots or ginger.
knead—technique used to form dough into a cohesive, pliable mass; consists of a pressing-folding-turning action with the heels of the hands that activates flour's gluten; well-kneaded dough should be smooth and elastic.
macerate—to soak a food (usually fruit) in a liquid to render it softer and to infuse it with the liquid's flavor; liquid is often a liquor.
marinate—to soak a food (usually meat, fish or vegetable) in a seasoned liquid mixture to flavor the food and tenderize it; marinades often contain acid ingredients as vinegar or citrus juices.
mince—to cut food into tiny pieces, often seen with garlic.
reduce—to boil a liquid rapidly until its volume is reduced through evaporation, thickening the consistency and intensifying flavor; often designated with a volume e.g. "reduce by half."
sauté—to cook food quickly in a small amount of oil or other fat in a pan over direct heat.
sear—to brown meat quickly at a high temperature, often in a skillet, with the object of sealing in the meat's juices.
shuck—to remove the husk and silk from corn-on-the-cob.
simmer—to cook food in liquid at a temperature so that small bubbles just break the surface.
zest—the outermost, colored layer of a citrus fruit, e.g the "twist" in a cocktail with a twist; also, to remove this layer with a zester, peeler or grater.
bolognaise—a thick, full-bodied meat sauce that's a staple of northern Italy's Bologna.
carbonara—an Italian term for pasta dish with rich sauce of eggs, cream, Parmesan cheese and bacon; on our menu, a pasta sauce that leaves out the eggs and adds leeks.
demi glace—a rich brown sauce slowly cooked with beef stock and Madeira wine or sherry until it's reduced by half.
escarole—green, leafy vegetable in the endive family; has broad, curved, pale green leaves and slightly bitter taste; used in salads and soups.
fava bean—green, flat beans in the pea family that must be eaten shelled; a sign of spring when fresh, but also can be found dried and canned.
Lyonnaise—literally "in the manner of Lyon (France)"; refers to dishes prepared or garnished with onions, e.g. potatoes Lyonnaise.
marsala—a fortified wine from Sicily; also refers to "chicken marsala" a dish of breaded chicken breast with a sauce containing mushrooms and marsala wine.
millet—a staple grain for one third of the world’s population, especially in Africa; bland flavor lends itself to use in pilaf as on our menu.
pasta fagioli (truly "pasta e fagioli")—Italian for pasta and beans; a hearty soup of pasta, beans and vegetables, flavored with garlic and olive oil.
picatta—classic dish of seasoned and floured meat quickly sautéed and served with a sauce made from pan drippings, lemon juice and chopped parsley; most often preparation of veal or chicken.
poblano—dark green peppers with rich flavor that turn reddish-brown when ripe; perhaps best known for being the pepper of choice for chile rellenos;on our menu in a sauce for chicken made of these chiles.
puttanesca—pasta sauce containing tomatoes, onions, capers, black olives, oregano and garlic; traditionally also has anchovies, but HUDS leaves those out for you.
ragout—a thick, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry or fish and sometimes vegetables.
saltimbocca—preparation of finely sliced meat, often veal of chicken, sprinkled with sage and topped with a slice of prosciutto, sautéed in butter, then braised in white wine.
St. Andre—a soft-ripened cheese in the style of brie, but more buttery due to the addition of cream to the curds in the cheese-making process.
succotash—traditional Native American dish of lima beans and corn, can be made into a soup; name comes from the Naragansett word msickqatash.
vindaloo—very hot curries traditional to central and southwestern coastal India; based on a complex spice blend that includes anything from fenugreek seeds and cloves to peppercorns and red chiles.
yakitori—Japanese term meaning "grilled fowl," usually referring to small pieces of chicken that are marinated and grilled.
*definitions adapted from The Food Lover's Companion—Sharon Tyler Herbst
