Primary Terms Flashcards
1
Q
86
A
Noun meaning your restaurant is out of a menu item, or a verb meaning to remove an item from a dish.
2
Q
A la carte
A
French for “of the menu” and refers to dishes that are priced separately on a menu, rather than served together for a set price.
3
Q
A la grecque
A
served in the Greek style of cooking, with olive oil, lemon juice, and several seasonings, often referring to vegetables
4
Q
A la plancha
A
Spanish method of cooking food on a griddle.
5
Q
A point
A
cooking until the ideal degree of doneness, often referring to meat as medium rare
6
Q
Acidulation
A
the process of making something acid or sour with lemon or lime juice
7
Q
Aerate
A
the process when dry ingredients pass through a sifter and air is circulated through, changing the composition of the material, often referring to flour
8
Q
Al dente
A
Italian for “to the tooth.” Describes cooking something until it’s edible but still firm. Traditionally, this term is used to describe pasta.
9
Q
Appetizer
A
Small dish that’s served before the main course.
10
Q
Aspic
A
a dish in which ingredients are set into a gelatine made from a meat stock or consommé
11
Q
Au gratin
A
French for “by grating,” which means covering something with breadcrumbs and cheese and baking it until browned.
12
Q
Au jus
A
with its own juices from cooking, often referring to steak or other meat
13
Q
Au poivre
A
coated with loosely cracked peppercorns and then cooked, often referring to steak
14
Q
Au sec
A
Reducing the liquid in a dish so that it’s nearly dry
15
Q
Back of house (BOH)
A
The back of the restaurant, where the kitchen, offices, and storage are located.
16
Q
Bain-marie
A
Cooking method that involves warming delicate foods in a dish above boiling water to avoid direct contact with the heat so as to prevent curdling.
17
Q
Bake
A
Cooking food using dry heat in an oven.
18
Q
Barbecue
A
Grilling food (usually outdoors) over a wood or charcoal flame.
19
Q
Bard
A
to tie fat around lean meats to prevent them from drying out during the cooking process. Fat should be removed a few minutes before the meat is done to allow browning.
20
Q
Baste
A
to spoon, brush, or squirt a liquid, like meat drippings, stock, or butter, on food while it cooks. This adds flavor and prevents the food from drying out.
21
Q
Beat
A
Stirring ingredients in a circular motion with a utensil, mixer, or whisk until combined.
22
Q
Beurre blanc
A
French sauce made with shallots, butter, and white wine that’s typically served with seafood.
23
Q
Bisque
A
a thick, creamy soup, with a base of strained broth of shellfish or game
24
Q
Blanch
A
to briefly submerge in boiling water, usually to partially cook a food. Oftentimes, blanched foods are immediately placed into a bowl of ice water to “shock” them, which stops the cooking process.
25
Bouquet Garni
a bundle of herbs tied together or placed together in a cheesecloth used for flavoring stew, broth, or soup. Common herbs include parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme. Also known as a sachet.
26
Braise
to brown or sear in butter and/or oil and then cook on low heat in a covered pot in cooking liquid for a long period of time. This process tenderizes the food and creates a full-flavored taste.
27
Brine
A salt water mixture that makes meat more tender when soaked in the solution.
28
Broil
Baking with maximum heat, usually only for a short amount of time.
29
Brown
Cooking food until it turns brown.
30
Butterfly
Cutting meat (typically poultry) down the middle without slicing the center and opening both sides so that it looks like a butterfly. This slicing method makes meat easier to cook more evenly.
31
Caramelize
To cook sugar until it turns to syrup, or to cook food until it browns and develops a caramel flavor (like caramelized onions).
32
Chiffonade
shredded or finely cut vegetables and herbs, usually used as a garnish for soup
33
Chit
Restaurant jargon for an order placed into the point of sale system. Also known as a ticket.
34
Chop
To roughly cut food into bite-sized portions.
35
Coddle
to heat food (usually eggs) in water kept just below the boiling point. The process usually takes longer than boiling or poaching, but produces a more tender result.
36
Comp
To offer a complimentary dish or item to a customer, whether to correct an error or give the guest special treatment.
37
Concasse
to roughly chop raw or cooked food by peeling, seeding, and chopping to make it ready to be served or combined with other ingredients, usually referring to tomatoes
38
Confit
Cook meat, usually duck, slowly in its own fat.
39
Consommé
a type of clear soup made from richly flavored stock that has been clarified, a process of using egg whites to remove fat
40
Core
To remove the stem and seeds from the center of a fruit, like a pear or an apple.
41
Coulis
a thick sauce made with fruit or vegetable puree, used as a base or garnish
42
Cream
to mix butter and sugar together until well-blended for baking. They should form a fluffy, light, and creamy substance.
43
Croquette
a small round roll of minced meat, fish, or vegetable coated with egg and breadcrumbs
44
Crush
To mash an ingredient with a utensil.
45
Cube
To chop food into small, half-inch cubes.
46
Cut In
to work solid shortening, lard, or butter into dry ingredients until they form small particles. You can use two knives, a pastry blender, food processor, or your fingers.
47
Dash
? of a teaspoon.
48
Deglaze
to dissolve the remains of roasted or sautéed food on a pan with a liquid such as wine or vinegar in order to create a sauce or gravy.
49
Degrease
to remove the fat from the surface of a hot liquid such as a sauce, soup, or stew, also known as defatting or fat trimming
50
Dice
Chopping food into fine pieces, usually no more than an eighth or a quarter of an inch in size.
51
Dollop
A semi-solid food, like sour cream, measured by the spoonful.
52
Dredge
Coating raw food, like meat, with breadcrumbs or flour, before frying.
53
Dress
to put oil, vinegar, salt, or other toppings on a salad or other food
54
Drizzle
Pouring a liquid ingredient, like oil or dressing, over food using a back and forth motion.
55
Dust
To sprinkle with powdered food, like powdered sugar.
56
Effiler
to remove the string from a string bean or to thinly slice almonds
57
Emincer
to slice thinly, similar to julienne style, but not as long (vegetable)
58
Emulsify
To combine liquids that usually wouldn’t stay mixed together due to their properties. Egg yolk, for example, helps emulsify oil and vinegar to turn it into mayonnaise.
59
Entree
The main course.
60
Escabeche
a dish consisting of fish marinated for approximately one day in a sauce of olive oil, vinegar, herbs, vegetables, and spices, and then poached or fried and allowed to cool
61
Fillet
a boneless piece of meat, poultry, or fish; the French version, spelled as "filet," is also used when referencing a cut of beef that is boneless, such as filet mignon
62
Flambé
To cover a dish in alcohol and light it on fire during cooking or before serving for enhanced flavor and dramatic effect.
63
Fold
Combining light and heavy ingredients, like whipped cream and flour, by stirring the mixture from bottom to top.
64
Frenching
the process of removing all fat, meat, and cartilage from rib bones on a rack roast by cutting between the bones with a sharp paring knife, often referring to lamb, beef, or pork rib
65
Front of house (FOH)
The front of the restaurant, where guests are served and the host and servers work.
66
Full service restaurant (FSR)
A restaurant in which guests are seated and waited on, as opposed to a quick service restaurant.
67
Galantine
a Polish dish of de-boned, stuffed meat that is poached in gelatin stock, pressed, and served cold with aspic or its own jelly
68
Galette
flat, round cakes of pastry, often topped with fruit, or a food served in the shape of a flat round cake, such as "a galette of potatoes"
69
Gazpacho
a Spanish dish of cold, uncooked soup, which typically contain tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, oil, and vinegar
70
Glaze
To cover food in a liquid, sometimes a sauce, egg whites, or jelly, to add a glossy coat.
71
Grate
To slice food into small slivers using a grater.
72
Grease
Coating a dish in oil or butter so that food can easily be removed from the pan after it’s been cooked.
73
Grill
Equipment used to cook food on a flame, typically outdoors, or the cooking technique in which a grill is used to cook food. Grills can run on charcoal, wood, gas, or electricity, with each fuel providing its own flavor.
74
Harissa
a spicy, aromatic chile paste made from a variety of hot peppers and spices, often used in North African and Middle Eastern cooking
75
Hors-d’oeuvre
French for “outside of the meal,” which refers to bite-sized appetizers served before the main meal.
76
Hull
To remove the leaves and stem from a strawberry.
77
Infusion
the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from a vegetable in water, oil, or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the liquid over time, also known as steeping
78
Involtini
food such as meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, wrapped around a filling such as cheese, cured meats, or nuts
79
Irradiation
the process of exposing food to radiation, designed to eliminate disease-causing germs from foods
80
Isinglass
a pure, transparent form of gelatin, obtained from the bladders of certain fish, used in jellies as a clarifying agent
81
Jacquarding
the process of poking holes into the muscle of meat in order to tenderize it, also known as needling
82
Jeroboam
an oversize wine bottle holding about three liters
83
Julienne
to cut food into short, thin strips. You can use a knife, julienne peeler, or mandoline slicer.
84
Jus
French for “juice,” which refers to meat drippings created while cooking that are usually served as a gravy.
85
Jus lie
meat juice that has been lightly thickened with either arrowroot or cornstarch
86
Kipper
a whole herring that has been split into a butterfly fashion from tail to head, gutted, salted, or pickled
87
Kirsch
a fragrant, colorless, unaged brandy distilled from fermented cherries , used with fondue
88
Kissing Crust
the portion of an upper crust of a loaf of bread which has touched another loaf when baking
89
Knead
To mix dough, either manually or with a mixer.
90
Lactobacillus
a bacterium usually found in fermenting products, such as yogurts
91
Larding
the process of inserting strips of fat into a piece of meat that doesn't have as much fat, to melt and keep the meat from drying out
92
Leaven
to add gasses to dough or batter so it rises and lightens during mixture or baking. You can use items with leavening agents, like yeast, beer, and kefir when baking bread.
93
Liaison
a binding agent of cream and egg yolks used to thicken soups or sauces
94
Macerate
the process of softening or breaking into pieces using liquid, often referring to fruit or vegetables, in order to absorb the flavor of the liquid
95
Marinate
the process of soaking foods in seasoned and acidic liquid before cooking for hours or days, adding flavor to the food
96
Mesclun
a salad consisting of tender mixed greens such as lettuce, arugula, and chicory, herbs, and edible flowers
97
Mignonette
roughly cracked or coarsely ground peppercorns, used for au poivre dishes or for mignonette sauce, which contains vinegar and shallots as well and is often used for oysters
98
Mince
to finely divide food into uniform pieces smaller than diced or chopped foods, prepared using a chef's knife or food processor
99
Mise en place
French for “putting into place,” meaning the preparation of a chef’s station before cooking by organizing and chopping ingredients that are needed for service.
100
Mother
the base sauce used to make other variations of the original sauce; there are five variations: brown or espagnole, velouté, béchamel, tomato sauce, and emulsions
101
Mull
to infuse a beverage (usually wine, beer, or cider) with flavor by heating it with herbs, spices, and fruits. Common mulling ingredients include citrus juices, nutmeg, sugar, anise, and marjoram.
102
Nappe
the ability of a liquid to coat the back of a spoon or the act of coating a food, such as a leg of lamb, with glaze
103
Needling
injecting fat or flavors into an ingredient to enhance its flavor
104
Nutraceutical
used to describe food that provides health or medical benefits as well as nutritional value, also known as functional food
105
Oeuf
the French term for egg
106
Oignon brule
literally meaning "burnt onion," a culinary term for a half-peeled onion seared on a skillet
107
Ort
a scrap or morsel of food left over after a meal
108
Ouzo
an anise-flavored, strong, colorless liquor from Greece
109
Pan fry
To cook ingredients in a lightly greased pan.
110
Parboil
Partially cooking food by boiling it, in preparation for another cooking technique.
111
Parcook
Partially cooking food with a method other than boiling.
112
Pâté
a mixture of seasoned ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste
113
Paupiette
a thin, flattened piece of meat, rolled with a stuffing of vegetables or fruits, which is then cooked before served
114
Persillade
a sauce or seasoning mixture of parsley chopped with seasonings, often used as part of a saute cook's mise en place
115
Pinch
1/16 of a teaspoon.
116
Pipe
to decorate or create shapes on food using thin lines of cream, paste, or icing. This process is often used in dessert and pastry baking.
117
Poach
A popular egg cooking method that involves boiling over low heat.
118
Polenta
a mush or porridge made from yellow cornmeal. originated in Northern Italy
119
Praline
a confection of nuts cooked in boiling sugar until brown and crisp
120
Purée
To liquefy or mash food until it reaches a homogenous, smooth texture.
121
Quadriller
to make criss-cross lines on the surface of food, as part of food presentation
122
Quatre-epices
epices (n.) - literally meaning "four spices," a finely ground mixture of generally pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves, used to season vegetables, soups, and stews
123
Quenelle
a small quantity of a mixture of creamed fish or meat with a light egg binding, usually formed into a round shape, and then cooked
124
Quick service restaurant (QSR)
A restaurant in which customers have to serve themselves when they reach their table, like a fast food venue.
125
Reconstitute
to restore a dehydrated food by placing it in water or some other liquid. The soaking process brings the food back to a resemblance of its original size, shape, and texture.
126
Remouillage
a stock made from bones that have already been used once to make a stock, making it weaker
127
Render
to cook the fat out of meat using a low heat. Strain any solid chunks from the fat before you store.
128
Roast
Baking meat in an oven.
129
Rondeau
a wide, shallow pan with straight sides and two loop handles, often used for searing and poaching
130
Roux
a mixture of flour and fat, like butter, lard, or vegetable oil, cooked over low heat to thicken soups and sauces.
131
Sachet
Herbs, like rosemary and thyme, placed in a cheesecloth and immersed in soup during cooking to add flavor.
132
Sauté
To cook food in a well-greased pan over medium-high heat.
133
Scald
to heat a liquid so it's right about to reach the boiling point, where bubbles start to appear around the edges
134
Score
to make shallow cuts into the surface of foods with a blade or sharp knife. This process is used in bread baking to control the direction in which the bread expands, as well as cooking meat and fish to aid in marinade absorption and tenderizing.
135
Sear
a technique used in grilling, baking, or sautéing in which the surface of the food is cooked at high temperature until a crust forms
136
Shred
Grating food into large, long pieces.
137
Simmer
To boil liquid in a pot and then lower the heat so that the bubbles disappear.
138
Skim
Getting rid of fat that has formed on a liquid’s surface.
139
Slice
To cut food into pieces with a knife.
140
Smidgen
1/32 of a teaspoon.
141
Staling
a chemical and physical process in which foods such as bread become hard, musty, or dry, also known as "going stale"
142
Steam
To cook food using steam.
143
Steep
to allow dry ingredients to soak in a liquid until the liquid takes on its flavor, often referring to coffee, tea, or spices
144
Stew
Cooking food in a liquid for a long time over low heat.
145
Sweat
gently heating vegetables in a little oil, with frequent stirring and turning to ensure emitted liquid will evaporate; usually results in tender, or in some cases such as onions', translucent pieces
146
Table turn
When customers at a restaurant leave the table and new customers can be seated.
147
Tempering
raising the temperature of a cold or room-temperature ingredient by slowly adding hot or boiling liquid, often referring to eggs
148
Ticket
Restaurant jargon for an order placed into the point of sale system. Also known as a chit.
149
Tourner
to cut ingredients such as carrots or potatoes into a barrel-like shape that form six or seven sides on the length of the item being cut, using a Tourner knife or a paring knife
150
Truss
Tying poultry limbs together, commonly with string or pins, so that they stay still while cooking.
151
Ultra-pasteurization
pasteurization (n.) - the process of heating up milk products to 280 degrees Fahrenheit for a few seconds and chilling it down rapidly, resulting in milk that's 99.9% free from bacteria and extending their shelf-life
152
Unleavened
made without yeast or any other leavening agent, often referring to bread
153
Vandyke
to cut a zig-zag pattern around the circumference of a lemon to create decorative garnishes for food presentation
154
Velouté
a type of sauce in which a light stock, such as chicken or fish, is thickened with a flour that is cooked and then allowed to turn light brown
155
Victual
any food or provisions for humans; all food is a "victual"
156
Vol-au-Vent
au-Vent (n.) - a round pastry that is baked and then filled with meat or vegetables after the fact
157
Whip
to beat food with a mixer to incorporate air and produce volume, often used to create heavy or whipping cream, salad dressings, or sauces
158
Whisk
a cooking utensil used to blend ingredients in a process such as whipping
159
Xanthan gum
a food additive, commonly used to thicken salad dressings, that is water-soluble and produced by the fermentation of sugar with certain microorganisms
160
Xylitol
a naturally fulfilling alcohol found in most plants such as fruits and vegetables, widely used as a sugar substitute in sugar-free chewing gums, mints, and other candies
161
Yakitori
a Japanese dish of small pieces of boneless chicken that is marinated, skewered, and grilled
162
Zest
to cut the zest, or the colorful part of the skin that contains oils and provide aroma and flavor, away from the fruit
163
Chermoula
(In North African cooking) a sauce or marinade for fish or meat, typically containing olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and cilantro.
164
Gochujang
A spicy paste used in Korean cooking made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt
165
Amuse-bouche
A small savory item of food served as an appetizer before a meal. One bit only.
166
Confit
Duck or other meat cooked slowly in its own fat. Result should be the consistency of a marmalade.
167
Brunoise
Culinary knife cut in which the food item is first julienned and then turned a quarter turn and diced producing cubes of 1/8” by 1/8” by 1/8”
168
béchamel
One of the French mother sauces. A simple white roux of flour and butter, whisked with milk or cream, then simmered until thickened. This is a base for the daughter sauces such as Soubise or Mornay
169
Soubise
French Sauce. Daughter of bechamel. Blanched onions puréed with béchamel sauce
170
Mornay
Daughter French béchame sauce. It’s a béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added
171
Veloute
One of the French mother sauces. Means velvety in French. Flour and butter roux that is cooked until slightly blonde in color, then blended with light stock.
172
Allemande
Daughter sauce of a French veloute. A veloute thickened and enriched with egg yolk. Also known as a Parisienne sauce.
173
Bercy
Daughter sauce of a French veloute. Main ingredients are fish stock, veloute sauce, white wine, shallots and butter
174
Parisienne
Daughter sauce of a French veloute. Veloute sauce thickened with egg yolks. Also known as an allemande sauce.
175
Hollandaise
A French mother sauce. It’s an egg emulsion with butter, vinegar or lemon juice, and egg yolks. Used for eggs Benedict.
176
Bearnaise
Daughter sauce of a French hollandaise. Flavored with wine, vinegar, shallots, pepper and tarragon.
177
Sauce Tomate
One of the five French mother sauces. Enriched tomato sauce. Differs from Italian tomato sauce because of a starter roux of salt pork, butter and flour (never olive oil).
178
Provence sauce
Daughter of french tomate sauce. Contains capers, olives and herbs de Provence
179
Espagnole
One of the five French mother sauces. Also known as a brown sauce. Characterized by a strong meat stock, thickened by a dark roux. When reduced further, espagnole becomes a Demi-glacé.
180
Poivrade
Daughter sauce of French esagnole sauce. Also known as a sauce au Poivre. A peppery sauce made of mirepoix thickened with four and moistened with wine and a little vinegar, then heavily seasoned with black pepper.
181
Bourguignonne
Daughter sauce of espagnole. Base of red wine with onions or shallots, a bouquet garni, reduced, strained and mixed with espagnole sauce.
182
Mayonnaise
French sauce. Emulsion of raw egg yolks and vegetable oil. As the yolks are continuously beaten, oil is added little by little until a thick cream forms. Plain mayonnaise is flavored with lemon juice, mustard, or vinegar. It is the base for tarter sauce, rouille or remoulade
183
Tartar sauce
French sauce. Based on mayonnaise sauce. Includes mayonnaise, chopped pickles, and capers. Generally served with fish.
184
Rouille
French sauce. Based on mayonnaise sauce. Egg yolk and olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper.
185
Remoulade
French sauce based on a mayonnaise sauce. Made with hard boiled egg yolks, oil and vinegar and flavored with mustard, capers and herbs.
186
Brodo
Broth
