Cooking Glossary
Al-denté – Translated means “to the tooth” meaning something is cooked but left with a bit of a bite to it. Often a term seen in recipes involving rice or pasta.
Bake – A term used for cooking something in the oven.
Baste – A process used to keep food moist which you’re baking in the oven by using the liquid from the food and pouring it over the top of what you’re cooking.
Beat – Fast mixing of ingredients to ensure they’re fully combined together often using a folk or whisk. For example beating eggs will ensure the yolk and egg white are fully mixed together.
Béchemel – A white sauce made with butter, plain flour and milk.
Beurre Blanc – A French sauce which accompanies seafood nicely. Made with butter, shallots and wine.
Bisque – A French soup which is smooth and creamy made with seafood.
Blanche – A process used with vegetables. Simply means to boil them very briefly (2 minutes or so depending on the vegetable and quantity). Once removed from the boiling water the food is immediately cooled in cold water to stop the residual heat over cooking the food.
Blend – The mixing together of ingredients (a more gentle process than beating) often using a spoon of food processor.
Boil – The process of cooking food in boiling water.
Braising – The process of cooking meat in a lidded oven dish with little liquid after the meat has been seared off.
Broil – The process of cooking food using a heat source from above. For example most domestic ovens have a grill at the top. Using this to cook would be broiling.
Concasse – A process usual referred to when preparing tomatoes. It means to peel, de-seed and chop to prepare it as needed.
Consommé – A clear soup made from a rich stock.
Confit – The process of cooking meat slowly in it’s own fat.
Coulis – A puree based thick sauce made from fruit or vegetables.
De-grease – Removing the fat from the surface of a hot soup, sauce or stew.
Demi-Glace – A rich brown sauce made from a stock reduction. A Demi-Glace can be adapted and turned into other sauces too.
Dress – Dressing a food with either a vinaigrette, oil dressing or other topping.
Eggwash – Beaten egg with a little milk.
Escalope – A thin slice of meat.
Fillet – A piece of meat, fish or poultry which has been de-boned.
Flambé – Adding alcohol to a hot pan (usually rum or brandy) to create flames.
Fricassée – A white stew (with cream) in which the protein (meat, poultry or fish) is cooked in the sauce
Gazpacho – A Spanish soup flavoured with tomatoes and served cold.
Jardiniere – Cut into batons.
Julienne – Cut into fine strips.
Lardons – Batons of thick streaky bacon.
Mirepoix – A mix of roughly chopped vegetables such as onions, celery and carrots used to provide flavour to a dish.
Prove – Allowing a dough containing yeast to rest in a warm place so it may expand.
Reduce – Allowing a liquid to boil in order to make it more concentrated.
Roux – A mixture of fat (usually melted butter) and flour.
Sauté – Cooking quickly in a frying or sauté pan.
Velouté – A simple sauce made from a Roux with the addition of a clear stock.