|
Bake
To cook in an enclosed oven
Bake
Blind
To partially or
completely cook an unfilled pastry case. This is done by pricking the
base of the case with a fork all over then lining the uncooked case with
greaseproof paper and weighting it down with beans or ceramic beads.
Cooking is between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the recipe.
Bard
To cover a food with strips of fat, such as bacon or larding fat,
which protects and bastes it during cooking.
Baste
To moisten with
the pan juices or other liquid during cooking. This aids in moisture
retention.
Beat
To introduce air
into a mixture using a utensil such as a wooden spoon, fork or whisk, in
order to achieve a lighter texture.
Blanche
To briefly plunge food into boiling water or hot fat.
Blend
To mix together ingredients, usually of different consistencies, to
a smooth and even texture, utilising a utensil such as a wooden spoon or
blender.
Boil
To bring a liquid to boiling temperature and to maintain it throughout
the cooking time.
Boil
rapidly
Food is submerged into boiling liquid over a high heat and the
bubbling state is maintained throughout the required cooking period.
This method is also used to reduce sauces by
boiling off the liquid and reducing it to a concentrated state.
Braise
To bake or stew food slowly, usually on
a bed of vegetables in a covered pan or ovenproof dish.
Broil
The
American term for grilling.
Brown to
To fry in very shallow fat
over a high heat in order to colour the food and seal in the
juices. This is usually a very quick process : not more than a couple of
minutes on each side of the food.
Brunoise
Food cut into
very small dice – no bigger than 5mm/ 1/8 inch and sometimes smaller.
Usually refers to vegetables.
Butterfly
To cut food (usually meat or seafood) leaving one side attached and
to open it out like the wings of a butterfly.
Caramelise
The
effect of heating sugar or a sugar-rich fruit, until the sugar turns
brown and syrupy.
Casing
A synthetic or natural membrane (usually pig or sheep intestines) use to
encase food such as sausages.
Casserole,
to
To cook in a covered dish in the oven in liquid such as stock or wine.
Chine,
to
Usually refers to the removal of the backbone on a cut of meat such
as a rack of pork.
Chop,
to
To cut into pieces of approximately the same size.
Chunks
Pieces
of food which have been cut into equal sizes, measuring at least
2.5cm/1inch.
Clarified
Butter
Butter is clarified by bringing it to the boil until it foams
and then skimming the solids from the top or straining through muslin
before use.
Clarify
To clear a cloudy
substance. This term is generally used for liquids, in particular stocks
where egg white is added to the liquid which is brought to the boil, at
which point the whites coagulate and trap the impurities. This is then
skimmed off.
Coat
To cover with a thin film of liquid, usually a
sauce.
Coats
a spoon
when
a substance is rendered thin/thick enough so that when a wooden or metal
spoon is inserted into it and taken out, the substance leaves a thin
film “coating the spoon”.
Cream,
to
The
process where sugar and softened butter are beaten together with a
wooden spoon, until the mixture is light, pale and well blended. This
process may also be carried out with a hand held mixer or in a food
processor.
Confit
A preserving technique where meat
is cooked and preserved in it’s own fat.
Crimp
To seal the edges or two layers of dough using the
fingertips or a fork.
Cube
To cut
foods into small even-sized pieces
ranging from 12mm/½ inch
to 2.5cm/1 inch.
Cut
in
To incorporate fat into a dry ingredient, such
as flour, by using a knife and making cutting movements in order to
break the fat down.
Curdle
The state of a liquid or food, such as eggs, to divide into liquid
and solids, usually due to the application excess heat.
Deep
Fry
The
process of cooking food by immersion in hot fat or oil in a deep pan or
electric fryer to give a crisp, golden coating.
Deglaze
To use a liquid
such as stock, water or wine, to dissolve food particles which are left
in a pan after roasting or frying.
Desalting
The
removal of salt from foods. Food is soaked in cold, water or washed
under running water to dissolve the salt.
Some foods such as salt cod, require long, overnight soaking.
Dice
To cut
ingredients into small cubes. Sizes range from 5mm/¼ inch to 15mm/¾
inch.
Drizzle
To drip a liquid substance, such as a sauce or dressing,
over food.
Drying
off
The removal
of excess moisture from foods during cooking. Not to be confused with
drying or reducing. An example of drying off is when potatoes are placed
over a low heat after having been drained in order to dry them off
before mashing.
Dust
To
sprinkle lightly with flour, sugar or seasonings.
Egg
wash
A mixture of
beaten eggs with liquid (usually milk) used to coat baked goods. This
gives a shiny appearance once cooked.
Emulsifying
The blending of two liquids that don't naturally
combine or dissolve into each other without agitation, or that aren't
mutually soluble. The classic examples are oil and water, French
dressing and mayonnaise.
Flake
To
separate cooked fish into slivers.
Flambé
To add alcohol to a dish and ignited in order to burn
off the alcohol and intensify the flavour. This can be done at the
cooker or, as in the case of Christmas Puddings or Crepes, at the table.
Flute/Fluting
Used in pastry or biscuit making as a decoration. Pies and
tarts are fluted around the edge by pinching the pastry between the
forefinger and thumb to create v-shaped grooves.
(Also
A toothed, piping nozzle which is used to flute cream and icing for cake
decoration.)
Fold
in
To gently combine
lighter mixtures with heavier ones usually using a metal spoon or
spatula in a cutting or slicing “J” movement whilst slightly lifting
the utensil.
Fry
To cook over a brisk
heat, in oil or fat to obtain a good seal and colour.
Garnish
To
decorate a finished dish with extra items such as parsley, lemon wedges
etc.
Glaze
To give a
food a shiny appearance by coating it with a sauce or similar substance
such as aspic or melted jam.
Grate
To reduce a food to very small particles by rubbing it against a
sharp, rough surface, usually a grater
or zester.
Grease
To cover the inside surface of a dish or pan
with a layer of fat, such as butter or margarine, or oil using a
brush or kitchen paper.
Grill
To cook foods from above, under a heat source such
as gas or electricity.
Infuse/infusing
The soaking or standing of food in hot water or liquid in order
to extract the flavour of the food .
Julienne
Food which is cut
into thin strips, to a thickness of approximately 2mm/ 1/8 inch
and a length ranging from 2.5cm/1inch to 5cm/2 inches as
standard.
Knead
A rhythmic action in dough making whereby one end of the dough is
secured by the heel of one hand and stretched away, then pulled
back over the top. In bread making, two hands are use.
Knock
back
To
press out air bubbles in a risen dough before shaping and proving.
Knock
up
The
term used in pastry making, when two edges of uncooked pastry are
pressed together and the cut edges are lightly scored with the back of a
knife to produce a better seal.
Marinade
A mixture or wet and/or dry
ingredients used to flavour or tenderise food prior to cooking.
Marinate
To
soak foods in a marinade to enhance the flavour.
It also sometimes has the effect of tenderising foods such as
meat.
Papillote,
en
A method
of cooking, in which food
is wrapped sealed and cooked, usually in greaseproof paper or tin
foil.
Parboil
To partially cook
food by boiling prior to another method of cooking.
Pipe
To shape or
decorate food using a forcing bag or utensil fitted with a plain or
decorated nozzle.
Poach
To cook food in
hot liquid over a gentle heat to the liquid is barely bubbling.
Prove
To allow a
yeast dough to rise by placing, covered, in a warm environment
Purée
To process food by means of mashing, sieving or
processing in a food processor until
very smooth.
Reduce
To boil a
liquid rapidly in order to decrease its volume by evaporation and
produce a concentrated flavour and thicker consistency.
Refresh
To
plunge food into, or run under, cold water after branching to prevent
further cooking.
Roast
To cook food
in an oven or on a spit over a fire.
Rubbing
in
The incorporation
of fat into flour. Butter
is softened and cubed then gently rubbed between the thumb and
forefinger, lifting the mixing at the same time, until the fat is fully
incorporated and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs in appearance.
Sauté
The cooking of food in a small amount of fat,
preferably in a single layer, until it browns and softens. Small items
are cooked uncovered, but larger pieces may need covering after the
initial browning to complete the cooking. The pan is shaken, over a high
heat to move the food around, and prevent sticking. It is important not
to overfill the pan.
Scald
To heat a liquid,
usually milk until it is almost boiling at which point very small
bubbles begin to form around the age of the pan.
Score
To make
shallow incisions with a small knife on the surface of foods, either
with parallel lines or
criss-cross patterns in order to improve its appearance or to absorb the
flavours of bastes and marinades. Also aids in even cooking.
Sear
To brown the
surface of food in fat over a high heat before finishing cooking by
another method, in order to add flavour.
Season
1)
To season a pan - Rub the inside of a clean
pan with a good layer of oil, bake it in the oven at 300 degrees
for an hour, and wipe off the excess oil. This can be done a few times
to start build up the layer.
2) To add flavourings, herbs, spices etc. to foods.
Season
to taste
Usually refers to adding extra salt and pepper.
Shallow
Fry
To cook in oil which is no more than 1.25cm (1/2 inch) deep.
Shred
To tear or
cut into food into thin strips.
Sift
To pass
a dry ingredient, such as flour, through a sieve to ensure it is
lump free.
Simmer
To maintain the
temperature of a liquid at just below boiling.
Skim
To remove impurities from the surface of a liquid, such
as stock, during or after cooking.
Skin
The removal of
skin from meat, fish, poultry, fruit, nuts and vegetables.
Slice
To cut food, such
as bread, meat, fish or vegetables, into flat pieces or varying
thickness.
Steam
The cooking of
food in steam, over rapidly boiling water or other liquid. The food is
usually suspended above such liquid
by means of a trivet or steaming basket, although in the case of
puddings, the basin actually sits in the water.
Steep
To soak
food in a liquid such as alcohol or syrup until saturated.
Stew
To
place food in liquid and cook, covered,
on the top of the cooker.
Stir
fry
To fry small pieces of
food quickly in a large frying pan or wok, over a high heat , using very
little fat and constantly moving the food around the pan throughout
cooking, keeping them in contact with the hot wok.
Strain
To separate liquids from solids by passing through a
sieve, muslin or similar.
Sweat
To
cook food in a covered pan
in a small amount of fat, so the natural juices run into the pan. Foods
cooked in this way will soften but not brown.
Truss
To tie up meat
or poultry with string before cooking in order to make a more compact
shape for even cooking or produce a better appearance.
Whip
To beat an
item, such as cream or egg whites, in order to incorporate air and,
usually, thicken.
Whisk
To
beat air into a mixture until soft and fluffy.
Zester
A hand held tool
with small, sharp-edged holes at the end of it, which cuts orange, lemon
or grapefruit peel into fine shreds.
|
