Foods 1 Cutting, Preparing and Cooking terms

Chop

To cut food into small, uneven pieces.

Equipment: French or Chef's Knife

MInce

To cut food into very fine, uneven pieces.

Equipment: French of Chef's knife.

Cube

To cut food into small, equal size squares about 1/2 inch in size.

Dice

To cut food into small, equal size squares about 1/4 to 1/8 inch in side.

Equipment:French or Chef's Knife, c. Board

Grate

To reduce food into small pieces by pressing and rubbing it

against the "teeth" of a grater.

Equipment: Greater

Shred

To cut or break food into long, thin strips by using a knife, fork, or grater.

Pare

To remove the stem and the very thin layer of peel of a fruit or vegetable with a paring knife or peeler.

Peel

To remove the outer layer/skin, by stripping or pulling off with your finger of a knife.

Score

To make small, straight, shallow its with a slicing knife in the surface of a food; often done to tenderize, meant or to let sauces soak in.

Slice

To cut food into large, thick or thin flat pieces with a slicking knife. Use a sawing motion while gently pressing the knife down.

Baste

To pour or spoon pan juices,melted fat, or sauces over the surface of a food during, cooking, using a baster, cup, or spoon, to keep the food moist and add flavor.

Freeze

To lower a food's temperature to freezing or below by placing it in a freezer.

Defrost/thaw

To expose to warmth in order to fee from a frozen state.

Dissolve

To cause a solid food to turn into or become part of a liquid.

Drain

To remove liquid from a solid food by pouring off the liquid, putting the food through a colander, or drying with paper towels.

Strain

To separate solid from liquid materials by pouring the mixture through a strainer or sieve.

Dust

To lightly sprinkle the surface of a food with crumbs, flour, or sugar.

Flour/Dredge/coat

To sprinkle or coat a food with flour.

Equipment: Flour, crumbs or seasoning

Grease

To rub fat on the surface of a food or a cooking utensil.

Maranate

To soak food in a cold, seasoned liquid, usually containing an acid, in order to add flavor to or tenderize the food.

Tenderize

To make something easy to chew by applying a process or a substance that breaks down connective tissue or fiber.

Melt

To change food from a solid to a liquid by applying heat.

Soak

To immerse food in a liquid for the purpose of wetting, softening, dissolving, or cleaning.

Season

To increase the flavor of a food by adding herbs, spices, or other ingredients to prepare a cooking utensil for cooking.

(Ex. Cast Iron Skillet)

Vent

To leave an opening in the covering of a food through which steam can escape.

Beat

To thoroughly mix ingredients and incorporate air using a spoon, wore whisk, mixer, or food processor with an up-and-down and circular motion.

Blend

To stir or mix ingredients until they are thoroughly coined and smoth

Combine

To blend or mix two or more ingredients

Cream

To beat solid fat and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until smooth, light, and creamy

Cut in

To combine flour and solid fat by cutting the fat into tiny pieces using a pastry blender, two forks or knives, or the hand.

Fold in

To blend a delicate mixture into a heavier one, using a ribber spatula, spoon, or wore whisk in a gentle up, down, and over motion so that he mixture stays light.

Equipment: Bowl and Spatula

Knead

To work a ball of dough with the heels of the hands repeating press, fold, and turn motions until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Equipment: Hands

Mix

To combine two or more ingredients into one mass by stirring or beating them.

Sift

To reduce dry ingredients to finer particles, add air to dry ingredients, or combine dry ingredients by putting them through a sieve.

Stir

To mix using a spoon or wire whisk with a circular motion.

Toss

To lightly mix ingredients by tumbling them with tongs or a large fork and spoon.

Whip

To beat quickly and vigorously by hand, wire whisk, or mixer to incorporate air and make a mixture light and fluffy.

Equipment: Wire Whisk or Electric Mixer

Bake

To cook in an oven with dry, hot air.

Broil

To cook uncovered under a direct heat source.

Grill

To broil over hot coals or on a griddle.

Roast

To cook meat, fish, or poultry uncovered in an oven with dry, hot air.

Barbeque

To roast slowly on a rack or spit over hot coals or some other direct heat source and baste with a spicy sauce.

Boil

To cook food in hot liquid, 212 degrees F, having bubbles that rise to and break on the surface of the liquid.

Braise

To cook large pieces of meat or poultry slowly over low heat in a small amount of hot liquid in a tightly covered pan.

Microwave

To cook food in a microwave oven using little or no liquid.

Simmer

To cook food in liquid that is just below the boiling point.

Equipment: Saucepan

Steam

To cook food in a pan using vapor produced by a boiling liquid.

Equipment: Steamer or Double Boiler

Deep-Fry

To cook food by completely submersing in hot fat; also known as French Fry.

Fry

To cook food in a small amount of hot fat.

Saute

To lightly brown or cook food in a small amount of hot fat over moderate heat; Pieces of food are cut into small or thin pieces preserving texture, moisture, and flavor.

Equipment: Frying Pan and Butter/Oil

Stir-Fry

To cook bite-sized small pieces of food quickly over high heat in a small amount of fat whole stirring constantly.

Preheat

To turn on an appliance or oven to a desired temperature about 5-10 mins before food is tot be placed in it