At times the culinary terms used in recipes or culinary circles can be a bit confusing. Belowis an abbreviated “culinary dictionary” – some of the more common culinary terms and their definitions.
A la – French term meaning “of the”, so A la Francaise means of the French
Al Dente – Italian term meaning “to the tooth”, refers to the state when pasta is perfectly done, when the teeth sink into it with slight resistance, not too soft or too firm
Baste – To moisten cooking meat with fat, sauce or natural juices
Bouquet Garni – a bundle of herbs that are tied with a string of bound in cheese cloth and added to soups, stews or sauces while cooking, letting the flavor but not the body of the herbs into the recipe
Braise – A method of cooking where fat is used to sauté and then slow cooking with very little moisture completes the process
Caramelize – When white sugar is cooked over a low heat until it forms a golden brown liquid
Chop – Food is cut into uniform sized pieces of varying size, finely chopped to coarsely chopped.
Cubed – Food is cut into squared shapes, approximately ½” in size
Dash – A very small amount, less than 1/8 tsp
Diced – Food cut into small uniform pieces
Devilled – To prepare with spicy seasonings such as cayenne
Dredge – To coat as with flour, bread crumbs or sugar – any dry ingredient
Entrée – Typically refers to the main course of a meal in modern terminology
Fillet – A boneless, skinless cut of meat, fish or poultry
Fold – A method of stirring that mixes ingredients without releasing the air
Garnish – Refers to the process and the food used to give a pleasing appearance to prepared food
Grate – Rubbing a larger piece of food over a surface that has small raised holes to remove particles in small portions
Hors D’oeuvres – One of the most populary culinary terms, this is French for appetizer, small servings of food served hot or cold to begin the meal
Infuse – To boil herbs or other flavorings with a liquid, teas are good examples
Julienne – To cut into long thin strips
Knead – Working dough with the hands
Mash – To press or squash ripe or processed foods to make a thick paste
Marbled – When meet is veined with fat, this meat cooks very tender and juicy
Marinade – to rub with spices or to immerse in an herbed acidic bath for the purpose of enhancing flavor or tenderness
Mince – To chop very fine or grind
Pare – To cut away undesirable portions such as rinds or peels
Sauté – To cook or fry quickly in fat
Scald – Pour boiling water over something
Whip – To beat something with the purpose of introducing air, making frothy
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