Cooking Terms Flashcards
Puree
To mash foods until perfectly smooth by hand, by rubbing through a sieve or food mill, or by whirling in a blender or food processor.
Scald
To bring to a temperature just below the boiling point.
Chop
To roughly cut solids into pieces with a sharp knife.
Fold
To incorporate a delicate substance into another substance without releasing air bubbles. Cut down through mixture with spoon, whisk, or fork; go across bottom of bowl, up and over, close to surface. The process is repeated, while slowing rotating the bowl, until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
Garnish
To decorate a dish to enhance its appearance and/or to provide flavour.
Whip
To beat rapidly to incorporate air and produce expansion, as in heavy cream or egg whites.
Stir
To mix ingredients with a circular motion until well blended or of uniform consistency.
Saute
To cook and/or brown food in a small amount of hot fat.
Pare
To remove the outermost skin of a fruit or vegetable.
Dice
To cut food in small cubes of uniform size and shape.
Julienne
To cut into thin, match-like strips.
Mince
To cut or chop food into extremely small pieces.
Glaze
To cover with a thin gloss to produce a shiny look.
Dredge
To coat with flour or other fine substance.
Simmer
To cook slowly in liquid over low heat at a temperature of about 180°. The surface of the liquid should be barely moving, broken from time to time by slowly rising bubbles.
Cream
To soften a fat, especially butter, by beating it at room temperature.
Poach
To cook very gently in hot liquid kept just below the boiling point.
Baste
To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings or special sauce to add flavour and prevent drying.
Zest
The outer, coloured part of the peel of citrus fruit.
Blanch
To immerse in rapidly boiling water and allow to cook slightly.
Broil
To cook on a grill under strong, direct heat.
Marinate
To flavour and moisturize by soaking in or brushing with a liquid mixture of seasonings.
Grate
To rub on a grater that separates the food in various sizes of bits or shreds.
Beat
To mix rapidly in order to make a mixture smooth and light.
Sear
To brown very quickly by intense heat.
Strain
To separate liquid from solid ingredients using a colander.
Slice
Cut into thin broad pieces.
Cut-in
To combine dry ingredients and fat using a pastry blender or two knives and a cutting motion.
Roux
Fat and flour (or some other starchy substance) used to make a base for a sauce.
Bake
To cook by dry heat, usually in the oven.
Batter
A mixture containing flour and liquid, thin enough to pour.
Boil
To heat a liquid until bubbles break continually on the surface.
Sift
To put one or more dry ingredients through a sieve or sifter.
Caramelize
To heat sugar in order to turn it brown and give it a special taste.
Deglaze
To dissolve the thin glaze of juices and brown bits on the surface of a pan in which food has been fried, sauteed or roasted.
Steep
To extract color, flavour, or other qualities from a substance by leaving it in water just below the boiling point.
Grind
To process solids by hand or mechanically to reduce them to tiny particles.
Knead
To work and press dough with the palms of the hands or mechanically, to develop the gluten in the flour.
Mix
To combine ingredients usually by stirring.
Pickle
To preserve meats, vegetables, and fruits in brine.
Reduce
To boil down to reduce the volume.
Steam
To cook in steam in a pressure cooker, deep well cooker, double boiler, or a steamer made by fitting a rack in a kettle with a tight cover. A small amount of boiling water is used, more water being added during steaming process, if
necessary.
