Bake- To cook in the oven
Baste- To prevent meat from drying out during the cooking process by moistening with liquid, usually the meats juices.
Bisque- A cream soup with the main ingredient being a vegetable and/or shellfish
Blacken- To coat meat with spices and quickly cook over a very hot skillet. The spices blacken, however, the meat remains tender. Popular in Cajun cuisine
Blanch- A method of cooking in which vegetables are cooked in boiling water for a few seconds, removed from the boiling water and immediately plunged in ice water, which stops the cooking process. Used mainly loosen the vegetable skin or preserve flavor and crispnessBlacken- To coat meat with spices and quickly cook over a very hot skillet. The spices blacken, however, the meat remains tender. Popular in Cajun cuisine
Braise – To cook meat in the smallest amount of fluid possible with the intent of intensifying the liquid and making a sauce out of it.
Broil – To cook under a direct heat source
Butter- A mixture of butterfat, water, air, and salt, churned from milk or cream
Butterfly- To cut a chicken breast in the middle and open out the edges to look like butterfly wings
Caramelize- To gently brown over about an hour to intensify flavor and allowing the natural sugars to cook
Chowder- A thick cream based soup that contain potatoes
Coat- To cover the back of a spoon
Cream- To whisk to the foaming point
Deep fry- To cook fully submerged in fat
Deglaze- After pan frying a meat, there is a lot of goodies still stuck to the pan. Remove meat, add a liquid (usually wine), take a spatula to scrape up the scraps.
Dice- To cut into small cubes
Dredge- To coat a food with bread crumbs, flour, or sugar
Dutch oven- A cast iron pot used for slow cooking over a fire, on the stove top, or in the oven
Egg wash- Eggs brushed over a pre-baked item like bread to make for a shiny, crusty exterior.
Fold- To incorporate an egg-white foam into a flour batter gently to keep batter light and fluffy
Fry- To cook in a hot fat.
Glaze- To give food a glossy appearance by coating it with a sauce or icing.
Grill- To cook above a direct heat source for a relatively short amount of time
Margarine- A mixture of hydrogenated vegetable oils mixed with emulsifiers, vitamins, coloring matter, and other ingredients. USE ONLY TO "BUTTER" BREAD AS A SIDE, NOT FOR COOKING
Margarine- A mixture of hydrogenated vegetable oils mixed with emulsifiers, vitamins, coloring matter, and other ingredients. USE ONLY TO "BUTTER" BREAD AS A SIDE, NOT FOR COOKING
Pan fry- To cook in a small amount of fat turning only once
Poach- To cook by completely submerging in a gentle simmering liquid
Puree- To blend until smooth
Roux- A thickening technique where fat is cooked with equal amounts of flour. The mixture is stirred until the raw flour taste is gone and until desired color has been reached. Puree- To blend until smooth
Quick bread- A sweet bread made with baking powder in stead of yeast.
Roast- To cook food using a dry heat source making a brown crust on the surface and fully cooking the middle of the food using very little to no liquid.
Roast- To cook food using a dry heat source making a brown crust on the surface and fully cooking the middle of the food using very little to no liquid.
Saute- To cook in a small amount of fat, stirring frequently
Scald- To heat milk just before it boils.
Sear- To brown the surface of a meat. NOT cooking. The cooking process is during the stew or braising period
Sherbet- A frozen treat similar to sorbet, but additional ingredients include milk, gelatin and/or eggs
Smoke- To cook meat over indirect heat over a long period of time, giving it a smokey taste
Sorbet- A frozen treat of pureed fruit, sugar and water.
Steam- To cook vegetables in a covered dish by cooking foods over, but not in, boiling water
Stir fry- To cook meat and vegetables in a skillet with a small amount of fat over a high heat, keeping the food in constant motion
Sweat-To cook vegetables over low heat until they release their moisture
Temper- A technique used to prevent eggs from cooking or scrambling when adding to a hot liquid. Take a cup of the hot liquid and add to the eggs, stirring briskly, after a minute, add this egg mixture to the hot liquid.
Trinity- The "holy trinity" refers to the three ingredients that are the staple for a region and most prominent in that regions dishes.
*Cajun: onions, green bell peppers, celery
*Chinese: garlic, ginger, chili peppers
*French: celery, onion, carrot
*Greek: lemon juice, olive oil, oregano
*Hungarian: paprika, lard, red onion
*Italian: tomato, garlic, basil
*Spanish: garlic, onion, tomato
