Aerate
|
To incorporate air to make ingredients
lighter. Sifting flour is an example of the process. Whipped
butter is another. Air is whipped in, thus making the butter
lighter and increase in volume. |
Aging
|
Keeping meats and a or cheese
in a controlled environment for a specific amount of time in
a controlled and ventilated atmosphere to permit natural flavoring
and tenderizing. |
Al dente
|
"To the tooth," in
Italian. Pasta is cooked just to a firm and chewy texture. |
Allemande
|
In French Cooking it means in
the German style. Sauce Allemande is made from veal stock, cream,
egg yolks and lemon juice. |
Aromatics
|
Seasonings to enhance the flavor
and aroma usually herbs and spices and some vegetables. |
Aspic
|
A transparent meat flavored
jelly/jello that is firm when cold. Used to flavor and add moisture
to pate, charcutriere and cold food preparations. |
Au Jus
|
This is the natural pan drippings
or juice that comes from a roasting pan after deglazing. |
Bacteria
|
Microscopic organisms, some
of which can cause sickness including food-borne infections.
Others can be perfectly safe and help tenderize or even add
flavor. The blue veining in cheese is an example of the "good"
type. |
Bake
|
To cook in the oven as baking
a cake, but also may be used in meat cookery such as baked leg
of lamb. |
Baste
|
To brush or spoon liquid fat
or juices over meat, fish poultry or vegetables during cooking
to help keep moisture on the surface area. |
Batter
|
A mixture of flour and liquid
that is beaten or stirred in preparation of baking, i.e. cake
batter. |
Beat
|
Briskly whipping or stirring
it with a spoon, fork, wire whisk, beater or mixer. |
Beurre Noir
|
Heating salted butter until
dark brown and foamy but not smoking. A type of butter sauce
called black butter sauce. |
Bias-slice
|
Slicing a food crosswise at
a 45-degree angle. |
Bind
|
To thickening a sauce or hot
liquid by stirring in ingredients such as roux, flour, butter,
cornstarch, egg yolks, vegetable puree or cream. |
Bisque
|
A rich thick shellfish soup
with cream. |
Blackened
|
Cajun-style cooking method in
which highly seasoned foods are dipped in liquid butter then
cooked over high heat in a super-heated heavy skillet until
charred. |
Blanch
|
To partially cook vegetables
by parboiling them in highly salted water then cooling quickly
in ice water. |
Blend
|
Mixing two or more ingredients
together to obtain an equally distributed mixture. |
Boil
|
To heat water or other liquids
to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 100 degrees Celsius and to keep it
bubbling and shimmering in the pot. |
| Bouillabaisse |
A Mediterranean fish soup made
from several varieties of fish, tomatoes, saffron, fennel and
wine. |
Bouillon
|
Clear soup made from slow simmering
lean meat, bones and seasonings and vegetables. Strained and
served with the shredded cooked meat it was made from. |
Bouquet Garni
|
A bundle of seasonings; bay
leaf, thyme and parsley stems tied with leeks, carrot and celery
stalk. It's used to season braised foods and stocks. |
Braise
|
Meat browned in fat with vegetables,
seasonings and then cooked slowly in liquid so it is partially
submerged then cooked in an oven, this combines moist and dry
heat cooking. Making a pot roast is an example. |
Bread
|
To coat the food with bread
crumbs. Standard method is to first dip in salted flour, then
beaten egg and then bread crumbs. Items prepared like this are
usually pan fried in oil or clarified butter until golden and
crispy. |
Broil
|
To cook food directly under
a very hot 500 degree F. heat source. |
Broth or stock
|
A liquid made by gently simmering
meats, fish, or vegetables and/or their by-products, such as
bones and trimming with herbs, in liquid, usually water. Broths
usually have a higher proportion of meat to bones than stock. |
Brown
|
A quick sautéing/searing
done either at the beginning or end of meal preparation, often
to enhance flavor, texture, or eye appeal. |
Brush
|
To coat food with melted butter,
glaze, or other liquid using a pastry brush. |
Bundt pan
|
The name for a tube baking pan
having fluted sides. |
Buttercream
|
A frosting made from sugar,
sweet butter, milk, egg yolks and flavoring. Confectioner's
or powderd sugar is often used buy not required. |
| Butterfly |
To cut food down the center
without cutting all the way through to open and then spread
it apart. Shrimp cut this way is popular. Meat may be butterflied
when cooking it well done so it isn't burned during the process
as if it remained thick. |
Cake pan
|
Round baking pan with straight
sides. It comes in 8", 9" and other sizes. |
Calamari
|
Plural for squid in Italian. |
Caramel
|
Brunt sugar used for sauces,
coloring, flavoring and candy. |
Caramelization
|
Natural sugars turn brown when
exposed to direct heat over a flame, with or without the addition
of some oil to aid the process. Onions when fried in butter
over high heat causes them to turn brown and have a sweet toasted
flavor. Carrots in a roasting pan turn golden with a roast chicken.
This process and color change from raw to cooked is carmelization |
Caramelize
|
The process of cooking sugar
until it begins to color. Also, while slowly cooking some vegetables
e.g. onions, root vegetables, the natural sugars are released
and the vegetables will caramelize in their own sugars, usually
oil is used in the pan to help the process. |
Chicory
|
A lettuce used for salad and
sometimes called curly endive. Also added to coffee in the deep
South. |
Chiffon
|
Usually a pureed filling made
light and fluffy with beaten egg whites, gelatin and or whipped
cream. Lemon chiffon pie is one example. |
Chiffonade
|
Lettuces, sorrel, basil leaves
and other leafy vegetables cut into julienne strips. |
Chinoise
|
A very fine conical wire mesh
strainer. Using a chinoise removes the small impurities from
the liquid that is strained. It is a must in any professional
kitchen. |
Chop
|
To cut into irregular pieces
with no set size as a result. Chopping parsley is a good example |
Cilantro
|
Parsley like herb with a basil,
mint and green onion flavor, popular in Chinese and Mexican/Latin
cuisine |
Clarify
|
A process of making a liquid
clear by adding beaten egg whites, ground meat and tomato, then
simmering slowly. The liquid is then strained and the result
is consommé. Also---melting butter over medium heat so
the milk solids settle to the bottom and impurities float to
the top. The foamy top is discarded and pure golden liquid butter
is ladled off into a clean container for other cooking uses. |
Coat
|
Evenly covering food with flour,
crumbs, herbs, oil or batter. |
Coddle
|
To cook slowly and gently in
a liquid just below the boiling point. Usually eggs are coddled
when making traditional Caesar salad to help them absorb and
emulsify evenly with the lemon juice and olive oil. Coddled
eggs for breakfast a different than poached as they relatively
soft but fully heated through. |
Combine
|
The mixing of two or more ingredients
into a single mixture. |
Confit
|
Slowly cook pieces of meat in
their own gently rendered fat until very soft and tender. With
seasonings, brandy/wine and sometimes vegetables. Duck and pork
are two popular meats to be used in confit. When cooked and
cooled the meat is keep submerged in its cooking fat as a preservative
and as a seal against oxygen. |
Concasse
|
Applying to raw or cooked tomatoes:
Peeled, seeded and diced/chopped fine, raw; or then sautéed
with minced onions in olive oil, cooked. |
Core
|
To remove the inedible
center of fruits such apples and pears. |
Cream
|
To beat vegetable shortening,
butter, or margarine, with or without sugar, until light and
fluffy. |
Crimp
|
To create a decorative
edge on a piecrust, also seal the edges together. |
Crisp
|
To restore the crunch to vegetables
such as celery and lettuce. This can be done with an ice water
bath. Stale crackers can be crisped in a medium oven. Also a
type of a pan baked dessert made of cooked fruit with a crunchy
flour and sugar topping. Apple or peach crisp are examples. |
Croquettes
|
Chopped seasoned food held together
by cream sauce, eggs, flour/breadcrumbs, shaped and then breaded
with bread crumbs and deep fried. Crab cakes that are deep fried,
not sautéed are really crab croquettes. |
Crush
|
To reduce a food to small particles,
usually using a mortar and pestle, rolling pin or bottom of
a pot. To crush crackers you may place them in a double bag
and roll a rolling pin over |
Crystallize
|
To form sugar or honey syrups
into crystals buy cooking it to hard crack and letting it cool
on an oiled surface. The term also describes a sugar coating
surrounding a fruit dipped in a egg white and granulated sugar
mixture. |
Cube
|
To cut in even pieces. May be
1/4 inch/ 1/2 inch or 1 inch. Sides must be of even size to
be conceded cubed. This is a description used in dicing as an
exact dice. |
Cube
|
To cut in even pieces. May be
1/4 inch/ 1/2 inch or 1 inch. Sides must be of even size to
be conceded cubed. This is a description used in dicing as an
exact dice. |
Curd
|
Custard-like pie or tart filling
made with whole eggs, sugar,juice and zest of citrus the fruit,
usually lemon. May also be the solidified nuggets of milk after
citric acid has been added and rennet introduced. The curding
process is an important stage in the cheese making process. |
Curdle
|
Separation of a milk/cream based
sauce or the cooking of eggs when over cooked. Sauces look like
egg drop soup when curdled. |
Cure
|
Marinating to preserve an ingredient
with salt and/or sugar and spices. Preparing gravlax, marinated
salmon, is an example of curing. |
Custard
|
A mixture of beaten egg, egg
yolks, milk, and other ingredients. Which is cooked with gentle
heat, often in a water bath. A custard differs from a pudding
in that it isn't stirred during the cooking process. |
Cut in
|
Working butter or vegetable
shortening, margarine, into dry ingredients for equal distribution.
This is done with the help of a pastry blender and is an important
procedure in making flaky pie crusts. |
Dash
|
A measure approximately equal
to 1/16 teaspoon, a pinch or less. |
Deep-fry
|
To partially or completely submerge
and cook food in hot oil until golden brown. |
Deglaze
|
Adding liquid to a pan in which
foods have been sautéed, fried or roasted to dissolve
the caramelized juices stuck to the bottom of the pan. |
Devil
|
To add hot or spicy ingredients
such as cayenne pepper, mustard or Tabasco sauce to a food.
Sauce Diable is a classic French sauce made with demi-glace
and Dijon mustard. |
| Dice |
To cut food into cubes. The
cubes can be small, medium or large. Dicing is slightly less
exact as cubing is but still should have uniformity. |
Direct heat
|
A grilling method that allows
food to be cooked directly over the high heat of a flame source. |
Dot
|
To place small bits of an ingredient
such as butter on foods at random intervals for the purpose
of adding flavor and to aid in browning during cooking. |
Double a recipe
|
To increase recipe amounts by
two. |
Dough
|
A combination of ingredients
usually including flour, water or milk, and, sometimes, a leavener,
producing a pliable mixture for making baked goods. |
Dredge
|
Completely coating in flour
and shaking off the excess. |
Drippings
|
Drippings are the liquids and
bits of food left in the bottom of a roasting or frying pan
after meat is cooked. |
Drizzle
|
Pouring a liquid such as as
melted butter, olive oil or other liquid in a slow trickle over
food. |
Dust
|
Sprinkling flour on a work surface
to evenly coat it, or as with spices, sugar, or bread crumbs,
light coating a food item. |
Egg wash
|
A mixture of beaten eggs, yolks,
whites, or both with milk or water. Used in the standard breading
process of foods. May be used to coat baked goods to give them
a shine when baked. Also may be used as a sealant of pieces
of dough. |
Emulsion
|
A mixture of oil and liquid
in which tiny globules of one are suspended in the other. Stabilizers,
such as egg or mustard may be used. Classic example is vinaigrette
salad dressing. |
Entrée
|
In the United States it refers
to the main dish. In France it's a term that referrers to the
first course of a meal, served after the soup and before the
meat course. |
Espresso
|
A strong dark coffee brewed
under steam pressure. Popular in many European countries, it
is the base for other coffee drinks such as Cappuccino |
Filet
|
A boneless and skinless piece
of meat cut away from the bone, usually fish. |
Filet Mignon
|
A well trimmed center cut steak
from the whole beef tenderloin. |
Fillet
|
To remove the bones from fish
or meat for cooking. |
Filter
|
To remove impurities by passing
through paper, cheesecloth or chinoise. |
Firm-ball stage
|
The point where boiling syrup
dropped in cold water forms a ball that is compact yet gives
slightly to the touch. 243 degrees F. |
Flambé
|
To ignite liquid that contains
an alcoholic substance so that it flames. |
Flan
|
Open tart filled with sweet
or savory ingredients, i.e. a chocolate ganache flan. Second
it is a Spanish dessert of baked custard covered with caramel.
|
Florentine
|
It is food garnished or cooked
with spinach. |
Flute
|
To create a decorative scalloped
edge on a pie crust or pastry. Also mushrooms and vegetables
are fluted to give them an attractive cut and rolled symmetric
edging. |
Fold
|
To gently combine and aerate
two or more ingredients using a bottom-to-top or side-to-side
motion with a spoon or spatula. |
Fondue
|
A warm creamy dish made of cheese,
eggs, wine, brandy and or other items. Served warm with toasted
bread cubes, vegetables or stale bread cubes in which the bread
is skewered and then dipped in the hot creamy mixture before
eating it. |
Fricassee
|
A stew in which usually poultry
is cut up, fried in butter, and then simmered in a liquid with
vegetables until done. |
Frittata
|
A flat Italian style omelet
that is baked and not folded. |
Fritter
|
A deep fried sweet or savory
food coated or mixed in a batter. Conch fritters are popular
in South Florida as Corn Fritters are popular in the Southeastern
United States. |
Frizzle
|
To fry thin julienne of vegetables
in hot oil until crisp and slightly curly. |
Fry
|
To cook food in hot cooking
oil, usually until a crisp brown crust forms. |
Ganache
|
A chocolate filling or coating
made with chocolate, egg yolks and heavy cream. Most often used
as a filling for truffles and coating for cakes such as Boston
Cream Pie. |
Garnish
|
A decorative piece of an edible
ingredient placed as a finishing touch to dishes or drinks.
A simple rose made from a radish or sprig of parsley is a garnish. |
Giblets
|
The gizzard or sand sack of
poultry. It's popular to boil, skin, clean and dice these and
then add them to turkey gravy for giblet gravy. |
Glaze
|
A liquid that gives an item
a shiny surface. To cover a food with a shiny liquid. Melted
apricot jam is a popular glaze. |
Gluten
|
Gluten is a wheat protein that
gives yeast dough its characteristic elasticity and chewyness.. |
Grate
|
To shred food into fine pieces
by rubbing it against a coarse surface. Grating cheese or lemon
rind are 2 examples. |
Gratin
|
Food mixed together then baked
until cooked, set and golden brown. Cheese or egg yolks are
often and important ingredient. |
Gravy
|
A thick sauce made from pan
drippings, other liquids and thickened with a starch such as
a roux. |
Grease
|
To coat a pan or skillet with
a thin layer of oil. |
Green Meat
|
Meat that has not had no aging
to become tender and flavorful. |
Grill
|
Cook directly over the heat
source on metal racks or rods in the open air. |
Grind
|
To mechanically cut a food into
small pieces. |
Halve a recipe
|
Reduce the amounts of a recipe
by 50%. |
Hard-ball stage
|
In candy making, the point at
which syrup has cooked long enough to form a solid ball in cold
water. Between 250-268 degrees F. |
Hash
|
A dish made of onions, leftover
meats, potatoes and seasonings. It is molded and then crisply
pan-fried and served with poached eggs and or demi-glace and
vegetables. |
Herbes de Provence
|
A blend of herbs consisting
of chervil, tarragon, chives, rosemary and lavender. There are
many recipes for this blended used in the south of France, some
may include fennel. |
Hominy
|
Corn kernels with the germ and
bran removed with lye. A popular Southern United States porridge. |
Hors d'Oeuvres
|
Small individual portions of
foods, canapés, served as appetizers before a meal. |
Hull
|
To remove the leafy and stem
parts off fruits such as strawberries. |
Ice
|
To spread frosting on a cake,
cupcake or pastry. Also to cool down cooked food by placing
in ice and water. |
Infusion
|
Making tea is an example. Extracting
flavors by soaking them in liquid heated in a covered pan. Chefs
make herbal infusions to season delicate dishes at the last
minute. |
Insulated baking sheet
|
A cookie sheet that has a two-layer
bottom with a space of air between to prevent hot spots. |
Jell
|
A process to set or solidify,
usually by adding gelatin. |
Jellyroll pan
|
A baking pan with sides about
an inch high. Commonly called a sheet pan. |
Jerk
|
A dry mixture of various spices
such as habenaro chilies, thyme, garlic, onions, allspice, ginger
and cinnamon used to season meats such as chicken or pork, a
Jamaican BBQ specialty. If made well and grilled over a wood
fire you will twitch "Jerk" when eating this very
spicy dish! |
Julienne
|
To cut into thin strips 1/8
inch x 1/8 inch strips or smaller, about 2-3 inches long. May
be meats or vegetables. |
Jus
|
The natural juices released
by roasting meats that have collected on the bottom of the roasting
pan. |
Knead
|
To work dough with the heels
of your hands in a pressing and folding motion until it becomes
smooth and elastic. |
Kosher salt
|
Salt that is coarser that regular
table salt. There are several brands but Diamond Crystal is
preferred by many chefs because it isn't flaked and doesn't
contain magnesium sulfate.1 Tbsp. of Kosher salt equals 2 tsp.
table salt in salting strength. |
Larding
|
Inserting strips of fat into
pieces of meat, helping the braised meat stays moist and juicy
during cooking. This isn't used as much as it was in the earlier
days of cooking. |
Leavener
|
Ingredient, (Yeast) or process
(Whipping Egg Whites) that produces air bubbles and causes the
rising of baked goods. |
Line
|
To place layers of foil, silicone
paper, or wax paper in a pan to prevent sticking. |
Loin
|
A cut of meat that typically
comes from the back of the animal. |
Macaroni
|
Pasta made with flour and water
and then dried. |
Macedoine
|
A chopped or diced mixture of
several fruits or vegetables cooked or uncooked. A macedoine
of vegetables may include celery, carrots, turnips, peas, mushrooms,
chestnuts and pearl onions sautéed in butter. |
Marble
|
To gently swirl or layer one
food into another to create a ribbon effect when cooked and
sliced. |
Marinade
|
Liquid with is seasoned with
herbs, spices and vegetables which is used to marinate food.
thus enhancing flavor or tenderizing the item. More often than
not marinades will contain an acid like vinegar, wine or lemon
juice and sometimes an oil. The pickling process uses a marinade
in the curing process. |
Marinate
|
Submerging a food in a seasoned
liquid in order to tenderize and flavor the food. . |
Marzipan
|
A paste of ground blanched almonds
that is cooked with glucose and sugar. This paste is of the
cooked almonds and sugar becomes marzipan when confectioner's
sugar and egg white is added. It is used to fill and decorate
pastries. |
Mash
|
To press or mix a food to remove
lumps and make a smooth mixture. |
Mayonnaise
|
Cold sauce or dressing consisting
of oil, dry mustard, sugar, vinegar and lemon juice mixed with
egg yolks. Hellmann's is thought buy chefs to be the best. |
Medallion
|
Small round or oval of lightly
pounded meat such as chicken, tenderloin, pork and veal. |
Meringue
|
Sweetened egg whites beaten
until they are stiff, light and airy. There are 3 types---Swiss,
Italian and common. |
Mince
|
To chop or dice food into tiny,
1/8 inch or less irregular pieces. |
Mirepoix
|
A mixture of vegetables, 2 parts
onions, 1 part celery, 1 part carrots and may also contain leeks
and mushrooms in which case the amount of onions would be decreased.
It's used as a seasoning and flavor enhancer for the sauce that
be made from it and the pan drippings. |
Mix
|
To stir two or more foods together
until they are completely combined. |
Moisten
|
Adding only enough liquid to
dry ingredients to dampen them. |
Mozzarella
|
A cheese that has a mild flavor
and used in Italian-style recipes. This cheese is best fresh
and can be found in many supermarkets in this fresh state. |
Mull
|
Slowly heating wine, juices
or cider with spices, citrus and sugar. |
Oleo
|
An European term for margarine,
a stick of oleo is a stick of margarine. |
Pan broil
|
Cooking food in a heavy bottom
pan without added fat, then removing any fat as it accumulates
so it doesn't burn. |
Panfry
|
Cooking in a hot pan with small
amount of hot oil, butter, or other fat, turning the food over
once or twice. |
Papillote
|
A cooking technique in which
food is wrapped in paper or foil pouch and then baked so that
the food steams in its own moisture and the pouch puffs. |
Parboil
|
Partly cooking in a boiling
salted liquid as in blanching. |
Parboiling
|
Boiling foods until partially
cooked. |
Parchment
|
A non-stick, silicone coated,
heat-resistant paper used in cooking. |
Pare
|
To peel or trim food of its
outer layer of skin, usually vegetables. |
Peaks
|
The mounds and swirls made in
a mixture; egg whites that has been whipped are stiff if they
stay upright, or soft if they fall over. The same applies to
whipped cream. |
Pesto
|
A sauce made of fresh basil,
garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, cheese and water. Modern pesto
may be made with any fresh herbs and variety of ingredients
as long as it isn't cooked. |
Pie pan
|
Round baking pan with slanted
sides, it may be glass (Pyrex) or aluminum. |
Pinch/Dash
|
A small inexact measurement
amount that basically add up to 1/16 of a teaspoon. |
Pipe
|
Using a pastry bag to squeeze
a soft food through a decorative tip to create swirled and artful
wisps of the product on to another surface. |
Pit
|
To take out the center stone
or seed of a fruit, such as a nectarine or a plum. |
Poach
|
To simmer in liquid that is
just below the boiling point. Usually about 208 degree F. |
Pressure cooking
|
Cooking method that uses steam
under a locked lid to produce high temperatures and achieve
a faster cooking time. |
Proof
|
The term used for the growth
of a yeast dough's rise prior to baking. |
Proofing
|
The process of of yeast dough's
growth leading to the final baking. |
Punch down
|
For yeast-risen products. After
letting the dough rise, punching it down knocks out the air
before turning it out onto a floured surface for shaping. |
Purée
|
A smooth pureed and strained
liquid pulp usually slightly thick. |
Ramekin
|
A small oven proof dish used
for individual servings. |
Reconstitute
|
To restore a dried food back
to its original state by adding hot or cold liquid. |
Reduce
|
To slowly or rapidly cook liquids
down so that some or most of the water evaporates. |
Reduction
|
Simmering and cooking a sauce
so that moisture is released in the form of steam causing the
remaining ingredients to concentrate, thickening and strengthening
the flavors. A reduced sauce is the result. |
Refresh
|
Pouring or sprinkling cold water
or ice over cooked or raw vegetables to prevent oxidation and
to retain the fresh cooked look. Raw, wilted vegetables are
refreshed by sprinkling them with water. |
Render
|
To melt down hard fat to a liquid
fat. |
Rest
|
In bread-making, to let the
dough sit a few minutes before shaping. |
Rise
|
With yeast dough's, to leave
the dough in a warm place and allow to double in volume. |
Roast
|
A method of cooking in an oven
where the item isn't covered allowing the dry heat to surround
the item. |
Rolling boil
|
Boiling water very rapidly so
that stirring with a spoon does not cause it to stop boiling. |
Roux
|
A somewhat equal cooked mixture
of flour and oil, fat or butter used to thicken liquids. Most
roux is made with a little more flour than fat. |
Royal icing
|
An icing used for decorating
purposes. This icing becomes solid quickly and is made with
confectioner's sugar, dash of cream of tartar and lemon juice. |
Salamander
|
A small gas or electric broiler
used to brown or glaze the tops of certain food items, creme
brulee finished under a salamander. |
Sauce
|
A lightly thickened liquid that
adds, flavor, moisture and visual appeal to foods. |
Sauté
|
To cook food quickly in a small
amount of fat in a pan over regulated direct heat. |
Scald
|
Cooking a liquid such as milk
to just below the point of boiling. To loosen the skin of fruits
or vegetables by dipping them in boiling water and then plunging
them into ice water so they can be peeled easily. |
Score
|
To tenderize meat, fish or shellfish
by making a number of shallow often diagonal cuts across its
surface. |
Scraper/Spatula
|
A scraper is a flexible piece
of rubber attached to a handle and used for scraping food down
the sides of a pan, bowl or jar. A spatula is used to turn food
in a pan, like what is used to turn eggs over. |
Sear
|
To quickly brown and caramelize
the outside of meats at a high temperature. |
Season
|
To enhance the flavor of foods
by adding ingredients such as salt, pepper, and a variety of
other herbs, and spices. Also to treat a pan so it becomes non-stick. |
Seize
|
A thick, lumpy mass when melted
items get cold. |
Set
|
Let food become solid. |
Shred
|
To cut or tear into narrow strips,
either by hand or by using a grater or food processor. |
Sieving
|
Pressing items through a screen
or strainer to break up the mass. It produces a lump free mixture
that won't clog a pastry tip during filling. |
Sift
|
Removing lumps from dry ingredients
such as flour or confectioners' sugar by passing it through
a strainer. It also aerates the item making them lighter. |
Simmer
|
Cooking food in a liquid at
just below a boil point so that small bubbles begin to rise
the surface. |
Simple syrup
|
Syrup that results from cooking
2 parts water and 1 part sugar together, then using it warm
or cold. |
Skim
|
Removing the top layer of fat
and impurities that rise to the top of stocks, soups, sauces,
or other liquids. |
Slivered
|
A cutting shape usually meaning
thin slices 1/4 inch by 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch. |
Smoking Point
|
Temperature at which a fat begins
to break down and emit smoke. |
Soft ball/Soft crack
|
Candy making term that denote
what a ball of the candy does when placed in a cup of cold water,
234-239 degrees F. |
Spin a thread
|
Creating a thread that appears
between the spoon and candy when the spoon is lifted and turned.
A popular garnish on modern dessert presentations is to use
these threads in a wistful manner to call attention to the pastry
chef's artistic talents. |
Spring form pan
|
A two-part spring-loaded baking
pan in which a collar fits around a base, the collar is removed
after baking. |
Steam
|
To cook over boiling water in
a covered pan or to cook in a special pressurized steam compartment. |
Steel
|
A dowel shaped tool used to
hone knife blades. |
Steep
|
To soak dry ingredients such
as ground coffee, herbs, spices, etc. in liquid until the flavor
is infused into it. |
Stewing
|
Browning pieces of meat, then
simmering them with vegetables seasonings and enough liquid
to cover them. This method produces tender well cook items. |
Stir-Fry
|
Fast frying of small pieces
of meats and vegetables over very high heat with continuous
stirring in a small about of oil. |
Stock
|
The liquid that results from
simmering bones, vegetable and seasonings in water or another
liquid. |
Streusel
|
A crumbly baked good topping,
made by combining butter, sugar, ground nuts, spices and flour. |
Sweat
|
Cooking vegetables over low
heat in a small amount of fat to release their moisture, flavor
and to have them look translucent.. |
Thin
|
Reducing thickness with the
addition of more liquid. |
Toss
|
To completely combine several
ingredients by mixing lightly in an upward motion. |
Truss
|
To tie with twine to hold together
a roast to maintain its shape while it cooks. |
Tube pan
|
A round cake pan with tall,
smooth sides and a metal tube in the middle. Often used for
angel food cake, but an excellent all-purpose cake pan for baking
batters of heavy density. |
Unleavened
|
Baked goods that contain no
ingredients to give them volume, such as eggs, baking powder,
or yeast. |
Verjus
|
Sour juice made from under ripe
grapes, it's popular as a substitute for vinegar and has a mild
grapelike flavor.. |
Vichyssoise
|
Cold soup made from a puree
of the white part of leeks, potatoes, onions, chicken stock,
cream and chives. |
Vinaigrette
|
An acidic sauce or dressing
made with vinegar, oil, mustard and seasonings. |
Water bath
|
A storage method in which a
container is set in a pan of simmering water to keep it hot. |
Whip
|
To quickly mix air into ingredients
such as cream or egg whites by beating until light and fluffy,
it also is the the utensil used in this whipping and whisking
action. |
Whisk
|
Fluff by beating. The utensil
used for this is also called a whisk |
Whitewash
|
A thin mixture of 1/3 flour
and 2/3 cold water that is used to quickly thicken soups, sauces
and stocks in an emergency.. |
Zest
|
The thin outer part of the rind
of citrus cut into a thin narrow strip. It contains none of
the white pith on the inside of the skin. |