Food Preparation & Cookery Terms + Food Service Term

Achar/Achard

Pickles and salt relishes used in Indian cooking

Ade

A fruit drink made by combining water + sugar, boiling until the sugar dissolves, then adding a citrus juice and ice

Acidify

To add lemon juice, kalamansi juice, or vinegar to a sauce or cooked dish

Acid Rinse

A bath of acidulated water used to prevent discoloration of peeled fruits and veg that brown when exposed to air

Acidulated Water

Cold water + vinegar, lemon, lime juice added or water mixed with an acidifying agent to blanch sweetbreads, veal or chicken, or added sliced apples, pears or bananas to prevent browning

Add alternately

To add part of one ingredient to a mixture, then part of another, then part of the first, etc., until both are completely mixed in

Al Dente

pasta that is cooked until it is tender but firm

Allumettes

Cut into matchstick sizes and shapes, also a puff pastry used for hors d'oeuvres

Au Jus

served in its natural juices obtained from cooking

Au Natural

Plainly cooked

Bake

to cook with dry heat, especially in an oven

blanch

to plunge food into boiling water or steam for 1-3 mins

braise

Meat is browned first then cooked slowly in a small amt of juice in a covered pan

brush

using a pastry brush to coat food with a glaze or liquid

batter

mixture of flour and liquid, and other ingredients that is beaten

Bard

To cover meat, poultry, game, fish with thin strips of pork or fat bacon before roasting or braising

Bouillon

Clear soup made from beef extract which may be serve hot or cold in jelly form

bouquet garni

French for "bag of herbs"; a bundle of fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley stems, and a bay leaf tied together.

court bouillon (court boo-YON):

An aromatic vegetable broth with an acid, used for poaching fish or vegetables.

Candy

1) when applied to fruit, fruit peel - to cook in heavy syrup until plump and transparent then drained and dried

2) when applied to sweet potatoes and carrots, it means to cook in sugar or syrup

coat

to evenly cover food with flour, crumbs, or batter completely

Coddle

To cook slowly and gently in liquid just below the boiling pt

Coddled eggs

Eggs cooked in water after it stopped boiling

Compote

fruit stewed or cooked in syrup

cream

to beat until soft and creamy; to cream butter and sugar, beat softened butter with electric mixer (or rub against sides or bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy)

Crumble

To break into fine pieces by using the fingers or a fork

Crumbing

To remove crumbs from a table

Curry

A highly spiced yellow powder used as seasoning

Clarify

To clear a stock or broth by adding slightly beaten egg white and crushed egg shells and bringing liquid to a boil. The stock is then cooled and strained before using

Consomme

Light colored, clarified soup made of meat stock with shiny finish

dot

To cover with small particles, as to dot with butter

Drawn butter

Melted butter or sauce of butter, flour, and salt

fold-in

To blend a delicate mixture into a heavier one, using a rubber spatula, spoon, or wire whisk in a gentle up, down, and over motion so that the mixture stays light

Fillet

a boneless cut or slice of meat or fish

(french fried) potatoes

Strops of potatoes fried in deep fat

Fricassee

To cook by braising , usually applied to fowl, rabit, and veal cut into serving pcs

Frizzle

To cook in a small amt of fat until the edges curl; often applied to dried fat

Fruit Cocktail

A mixture of fruit usually served as an appetizer

grate

to shred or cut down a food into fine pieces by rubbing it against a rough surface

hull

To remove the stem and cap from berries, or husks and silk from corn

Homogenize

To break up and mix evenly throughout a fluid

mash

to pulverize or press a food to remove lumps and make a smooth mixture

preheat

to heat before hand

reduce

to cook liquids down so that some of the water evaporates

score

to tenderize meat by making a number of shallow cuts across its surface to prevent from curling during cooking

sift

To put through in a fine sieve

steep

To allow a substance to stand in liquid below the boiling pt for the purpose of extracting flavor, color, or other qualities for example, tea

stir-fry

the fast frying of small pieces of meat and vegetables in a small amt of fat

toss

To rumble ingredients lightly with a lifting motion; to prevent crushing using two implements

blend

To mix thoroughly 2 or more ingredients until each is evenly distributed all throughout

bread

to roll in bread crumbs before cooking

barbeque

meat or other food is cooked outdoors on a rack over an open fire or a grill, usually basting with a highly seasoned sauce

caramelize

to heat sugar until a brown color and characteristic flavor develop

combine

to blend two or more ingredients

chop

to cut into fine pieces with a knife or mechanical cutter

crush

to blend two or more ingredients

chill

place in refrigerator

core

to remove the inside of a fruit

cube

cut fruits or meat into equal sides; about 1/2 - 1" square

cool

To lower temp by allowing to stand at RT until all cooking heat has gone

Cut

To divide food mtrl w/ a knife or scsissors

cut in

to combine fat with dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two knives

Decorate

To make more attractive by the use of colorful additions, usually applied to sweet foods as with frosting

Eclair

a small, soft, log-shaped pastry filled with cream and typically topped with chocolate icing.

elevate

to lift up or place in a higher position

pare

to peel or cut off outer layer by cutting with a bladed device

sliver

To cut into long, slender pieces

baste

To cover with melted fat, gravy, while cooking.ato pour or spoon liquid over food as it cooks to moisten and flavor it

boil

To cook in liquid that has bubbles rolling on the surface. It also means to raise the temp of water to 100˚C when at sea level

broil

To cook by dry heat from directly above

beat

1) by hand- a quick circular, lifting, and turning motion w/ the proper utensils that moves from the bottom to the top and rises above the mixture to add air as it returns to the bottom

2) a blender

bone

to remove bones from poultry, meat, or fish

brown

To stir flour in a pan over low heat until brown; to cook meat on all sides in a small amt of fat until brown

deep fry

to cook by immersing food into hot oil

dice

to cut food into very small cubes usually <1 inch

Devilled

Highly season or chopped or ground or mixed

dissolve

to completely incorporate a dry ingredient into a liquid so that they form a solution

Disjoint

To cut fowl or small animals into serving pcs by dividing at the joint

drain

to remove liquid from, pour off, sometimes with the use of a strainer or a colander

dredge

to roll or sprinkle with a dry ingredient

dust

to cover lightly, as with sugar, crumbs, or flour

cut

to divide food materials with knife or scissors

flake

to break food into small pieces with a fork, being careful not to mash the pieces

flour

to lightly sprinkle or coat with flour or shake in a bag of flour

flute

To make an edge in a scalloped effect

fry

To cook in hot fat or oil not deep enough to cover until brown and tender

garnish

to adorn or decorate

glaze

cover with a thin and shiny surface

grease

to coat a cooking vessel or sheet with a thin layer or oil or shortening

grill

to cook on a grill

grind

to reduce to small pieces by crushing with a bladed device, tuned by a handle or automatically

julienne

to cut into slivers resembling match sticks

Jus

Juice or gravy

knead

to work dough with hands until it is of desired elasticity and consistency

Lard

To insert strips of fat into meat to keep the meat moist; also, rendered pork fat

Lardoon

a strip of material (as of salt pork) for insertion into meat in larding

level off

To move the level edge of a knife or spatula across the top edge of container, scraping away excess mixture

liaison

To thicken a sauce, gravy or stew (1) by the add'n of cornstarch, arrowroot, rice, flour, potato flour; (2) by stirring in egg yolk, double cream

Marinade

A highly flavoured liquid, which is used to give flavour, keep food moist and assist in tenderising foods. The liquid can be acidic or a salty solution.

marinate

To soak food in a sauce before cooking