Cooking Terms old Flashcards
Start with the building blocks of cuisine. Learn the ingredients, techniques, and styles that every chef or connoisseur should know.
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aioli
a sauce made with olive oil and garlic, although eggs are sometimes added
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à la nage
poaching (usually seafood) in a court bouillon with the vegetables around the food as part the garnish
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albumen
another name for egg whites
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al dente
pasta cooked just until enough resistance is left in it to be felt “by the tooth”
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aromatics
herbs and spices which are added to enhance the flavor and fragrance of food
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au jus
of a dish (such as beef) served in its own juices
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bain-marie
refers to a pan of water used while baking to prevent uneven cooking (of a cake or custard)
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bake
cook inside an oven (sometimes called roasting)
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baste
to moisten food during cooking with pan drippings, sauce or some other liquid to prevent the food from drying out
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batter
a mixture of flour and liquid with the addition of flour, eggs, and sometimes fat to prepare cakes, muffins, and pancakes (Note: dough holds its shape whereas batter does not)
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battuto
a combination of chopped raw carrots, celery, onion, parsley and/or garlic which is sautéed (usually in Italian food)
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béarnaise
a warm emulsified egg and butter sauce which is similar to hollandaise except it is made with white wine, shallots, and tarragon
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beat
effortful mixing to smooth and/or add air into a mixture
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bisque
soup made from a pureed vegetables, rice, cream, and seafood like lobster and crab
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blackened
a Cajun style of cooking where meat or fish is seasoned with spices and butter, then cooked over high heat in a super-heated skillet until charred on the outside
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blanch
placing fruits or nuts in boiling water to remove skins or to make them easy to peel
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blend
to mix two or more ingredients together until smooth and uniform
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blind bake
to bake a pie crust without any filling; done so that the crust does not get soggy or if the filling would overcook if baked at the same time as the crust
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boil
cooking food in very hot water
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bouillon
the liquid (broth) resulting from simmering meats and vegetables to the point where all of the nutrients of the solid are in the liquid (also made with bouillon cubes)
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braise
slowly cook in a small amount of liquid so that the liquid has concentrated flavor and the meat is tenderized; note that stewing uses much more liquid
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bread
to coat foods that are going to be cooked with a bread crumb mixture to create a crust
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brine
a salt, water, and seasoned solution used to preserve foods
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brioche
two rows of dough fused together by baking
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broil
to cook food directly under the heat source (usually a gas flame)
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brown
to briefly apply heat to meat so that it turns brownish (appealing to the eye) and improve taste
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brush
using a pastry brush to coat a food (like meat) with a liquid (like a sauce)
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butterfly
to cut open a food (like a chicken breast), down the center without cutting all the way through, so that it can be spread apart; this creates more surface area for faster cooking
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caramelize
gently browning certain foods (such as meats, onions, and carrots) to release their natural sugars and improve taste; also refers to heating sugar so that it turns to caramel
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candy
to cook fruit with sugar
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chiffonade
herbs and leafy greens rolled together and then cut into thin ribbons
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chill
refrigerate food or let it stand in ice or iced water until cold
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chop
to cut food into small (irregular) pieces with a knife
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clarify
to remove the impurities (fat) from a broth; the fat rises to the top and can be spooned out or strained; sometimes egg whites are used in this process because fat particles tend to stick to the egg whites
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coat
to evenly cover food with flour, bread crumbs or a batter before cooking
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coddling
to cook (usually eggs) in water that is just below the point of boiling
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combine
to mix two or more ingredients together
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compote
a fruit desert which is cooked in a sugar/syrup and flavored with spices
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consommé
stock/soup that has been clarified by simmering it with beaten egg whites which attract and trap the impurities clouding the broth; the result is a very clear stock because the fats have risen to the top and removed
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cook
to prepare food by applying heat
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corned
meat that has been cured and salted
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core
to remove the center part of a fruit or vegetable so that the part used is without seeds and/or the tough, inedible center
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coulis
a thick sauce made from strained fruits and/or vegetables; no seeds or skin are in the sauce
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cream
to beat vegetable shortening, butter, and/or margarine, with or without sugar, until light and fluffy for baking a cake
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crêpe
a very thin pancake made with egg batter often served with a sweet filling
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crimp
to pinch or press dough edges (like a piecrust) to create a decorative finish, and/or to lock in the filling so it does not come out during baking
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crisp
to make vegetables more firm by briefly placing them in cold water
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crudités
an appetizer of sliced vegetables dipped in a dressing
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cure
preserve and flavor a food by covered it with salt and/or sugar, and other seasonings
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dash
1/8th of a teaspoon
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deep-fry
cooking food by completely covering it in very hot oil/fat
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deglaze
after cooking food in a pan, adding some liquid (broth or wine) so that the hardened juices can be scraped off the pan and integrated back into the sauce
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demi-glace
a thick sauce of equal parts veal stock and espagnole sauce (very dark brown roux, pieces of beef, bones, vegetables, and towards the end, tomato paste) which is then reduced
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develop
to permit food to sit before serving so that the flavors have time to merge and settle
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devein
to remove the large, dark vein that runs lengthwise in shrimp
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devil
to coat with a spicy mixture like hot sauce or mustard; eggs are often deviled
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dice
to cut into small 1/4 inch cubes
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direct heat
type of cooking where the heat is making “direct” contact with the food (like grilling or stir-frying)
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dissolve
to mix a dry ingredient with a liquid so that they are combined into a single solution
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dot
to sprinkle a small amount of an ingredient over another food (e.g., nuts, butter, or chocolate)
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dredge
to completely and evenly cover a wet food with a coating of an ingredient (e.g., bread crumbs, sugar, or flour)
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drippings
the liquid that remains in the pan/pot after food has been cooked; often reused for sauces and dressings
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drizzle
to slowly pour a liquid (e.g., truffle oil or butter) back and forth over a food
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dust
to lightly cover a food with an ingredient (like powered sugar, cocoa powder, or flour)
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egg wash
a mixture of eggs, oil, and water, which is then blushed over items covered in flour, which is then deep fried or pan fried
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emulsify
to bind to liquids together that normal don’t mix (like water and oil);
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entrée
the main course of the meal (traditionally, the course after soup but before the main course)
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essence
the concentrated flavor of an item (like vanilla extract)
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étouffée
cooking with little or no liquid in a covered pan; also a Cajun style of stew
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fillet
to remove the bones from meat or fish
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fold
to combine ingredients by putting them in a bowl and lightly cutting them with the side of a spoon and gently adding air in
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Fricassée
a stew with meat (usually chicken) which is first braised, and then served with its sauce
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frittata
a half baked-half fried omelet
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fritter
a food which is first covered with crumbs or a batter, and then fried
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fry
to cook with some oil/fat in a pan
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garnish
an edible ingredient which is added last to a dish to make it more attractive to the eye (like nuts or parsley)
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glaze
a liquid which adds shine to a food
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grate
rubbing a food on a rough surface so that the food shreds
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grease
to coat a pan with an oil/butter so the food does not stick to the pan
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grill
to cook over a flame (usually wood coals)
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grind
to cut food (like nuts) into much smaller pieces by using a food processor
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gratin
a food baked in a shallow dish with a liquid (like cream), often with a crust of bread crumbs or cheese
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gravy
a jus (natural juices) that has been thickened by a roux
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hack
to cut meat into large pieces while leaving the meat on the bone (so that it is more flavorful and moist after cooking)
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hash
chopped meat which has been blended with potatoes (and/or other vegetables), sauteed, and then seasoned
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Hollandaise
a sauce made with eggs yokes, melted butter with lemon juice, and a vinegar reduction
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julienne
to cut food into very thin long strips (like carrots or celery)
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jus
the natural juices released by cooking meats (and, to a lesser extent, vegetables)
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knead
to press dough with the heel of your hands so that it becomes elastic and smooth
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kosher
food that has been prepared in a manner that in consistent with Jewish dietary laws
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leaven
to rise when baked (like bread); occurs because certain ingredients like yeast produce a gas which expands from heat or a chemical reaction
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loin
a cut of meat below the ribs, usually less fatty than other cuts of meat
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lukewarm
about the same temperature as the human body; neither warm nor cold
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marinate
allowing a meat to sit in a flavorful liquid and absorb the flavor of the liquid; allows the meat to stay moist after it’s been cooked
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marinade
a seasoned liquid in which meat is soaked before cooking
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mash
to beat or press a food (e.g., potatoes) so that there are no lumps
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melt
to heat a food until it becomes a liquid (like cheese)
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meringue
eggs whites which are beaten until thickened, and then sweetened with sugar
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mince
to cut into very small pieces with a knife
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mix
to stir two or more ingredients so that they are completely combined
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miso
fermented rice, barley, and/or soybeans with kajikin (a Japanese fungus) which yields a thick paste
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mousse
any mixture which is lightened so that it’s airy (usually with egg whites or whipped cream)
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moisten
adding just a little bit of liquid to dry ingredients to slightly dampen them
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nori
seaweed which has been processed so that it is a very thin sheet (used for wrapping sushi)
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pan-broil
cooking meat uncovered in a pan with high heat while removing the liquid fat generated
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pan-fry
cooking in a pan with high heat and some butter/oil, only flipping the ingredients once or twice
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parbroil
cooking partially in boiling water
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parchment paper
heat-resistant paper used to line pans and trays when baking (e.g., for cookies)
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pare
to cut away the exterior layer of a fruit or vegetable
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peel
to remove the outer covering of a fruit or vegetable (e.g., bananas)
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persillade
a chopped mixture of parsley and garlic
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pilaf
a technique for making rice; first sautéed in butter and then simmered in water or stock until done
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pinch
the amount of seasoning that you can hold between your thumb and forefinger (a tiny amount)
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pipe
to force food through a pastry tip to decorate a food (like icing on a cake)
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poach
to cook food completely submerged in simmering liquid while making sure the food retains its shape
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pound
to flatten meats (like chicken and veal) to a uniform thickness so that pieces cook at the same rate, cool at the same rate, and are tender
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preheat
to heat the oven to the correct temperature before food is placed in the oven
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pressure cooking
using steam trapped under a locked lid to produce high temperatures and achieve fast cooking time
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prick
to make holes in food before cooking (like sausage) so that the food retains its shape
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punch-down
to pound dough down after it has risen to remove air and prepare it for kneading
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purée
blending, mixing or mashing foods until they are completely smooth (liquefied)
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reduce
to decrease the liquid in a mixture (by evaporation) to intensify flavor and/or thicken the mixture
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refresh
after cooking vegetables, immediately rinsing them in cold water to stop any additional cooking
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resting
after cooking meat, letting it simply sit for 10 to 20 minutes before serving, so juices are less likely to run out of the meat when cut
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roast
cooking uncovered and without liquid (unless basting) in an oven to create a browned exterior
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roulade
meat rolled (wrapped) around a cheese, vegetables, or other meats and then braised
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roux
a mixture of flour and butter (or oil) which is then heated, and added to soups and sauces to thicken them (often used in Cajun foods).
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Sabayon
a sauce made by beating an egg yokes usually, with champagne or wine, over a very gentle heat
