AIOLI

Pronunciation: ay-OH-lee or a-oh-LEE

Traditionally: an emulsion of garlic, salt, and olive oil.

Popularly: a garlicky flavored mayonnaise.

AM ANDINE

Pronunciation: ah-mahn-deen

Describes dishes that are made or garnished with almonds

(usually, slivered or sliced), such as Green Beans
Amandine and Trout Amandine.

B AIN -M AR IE

Pronunciation: ban mah-REE

A hot water bath. A bain-marie protects delicate mixtures,

like custards and cheesecakes, from the oven’s direct heat. It
adds humidity to the oven and helps these types of recipes
cook more evenly.

To make a bain-marie, place the pan(s) or dish(es)

containing your recipe in a larger pan (like a roasting pan or
bigger baking dish). Pour boiling water into the outer dish
until it reaches halfway up the sides of the inner pan (or as
far up as your recipe instructs). If using a springform pan for
a cheesecake, wrap the outer bottom and sides in foil so
water doesn’t seep in.
A bain-marie can also refer to a double boiler (a bowl or
small pot set in a pot of simmering water). Commonly used to
gently melt chocolate.

B ÉCH AM EL

Pronunciation: BAY-sha-mel

One of the five French Mother Sauces, béchamel is a creamy

white sauce made from milk whisked into a white roux (flour
cooked in melted butter, without browning). You’ll see it used
a variety of recipes from savory soufflé bases and Mornay
(cheese) sauce, to lasagna, scalloped potatoes, and regional
American gravies.

RECIPE: Sauce Béchamel

BEURRE BLANC

Pronunciation: burr BLAHNK

A delicate sauce made from a reduction of white wine, white

vinegar, and shallots, emulsified with chilled butter. It can be
finished with fresh herbs, like fines herbes. Beurre Blanc has
a velvety, creamy texture and is pale yellow in color.
Typically served with seafood (poached fish, especially) and
vegetables.

B EURR E M AN IÉ

Pronunciation: burr man-EE

An uncooked mixture of flour and butter added to soups,
stews, and sauces to thicken and give them a glossy, velvety
texture. Beurre manié translates to “kneaded butter”.

To make it, combine softened butter and flour in a 1:1 ratio

until smooth. Then, just whisk the paste into the liquid you’re
cooking by the teaspoonful. As the butter melts, it distributes
the flour into the liquid without clumping. The mixture will
start to thicken within about a minute.

(Compare to: Roux)

BEURRE NOISETTE

Pronunciation: burr nwah-ZHET

Brown butter. When you melt butter, the milk solids and
butterfat will separate. As you continue to cook the butter,
water evaporates, and the milk solids will collect in the
bottom of the pan, developing a nutty color and flavor.

Noisette translates to “hazelnut,” which describes the butter’s

appearance and aroma. (In my humble opinion, beurre
noisette is one of the most delicious things on the planet!)

BISQUE

Pronunciation: bisk

Traditionally: Smooth, creamy soup made from crustaceans

such as lobster and shrimp. The shells flavor the stock, with
the meat either stirred into the soup and/or used as a
garnish.
Popularly: Velvety, pureed soup that doesn’t necessarily
contain shellfish (i.e. Mushroom Bisque, Pumpkin Bisque).

BL AN Q U ETT E

Pronunciation: blahn-KETTE

A ragoût (stew) of white meat (veal–de veau, chicken–de

poulet) that isn’t browned during cooking. Blanquette has a
creamy white sauce and often contains mushrooms.

RECIPE: Veal in Cream Sauce (Blanquette de Veau)

BOUILLON

Pronunciation: BOOL-yon (light “l”)

A clear, seasoned broth, made from simmering meat,

vegetables, and seasonings in water. The term is often used
interchangeably with broth.

Bouillon also refers to cubes and powders of concentrated,

dehydrated broth. You can reconstitute this type of bouillon
in water, or add the cubes/powder directly to soups and
sauces for a flavor boost.

BOUQUET GARNI

Pronunciation: bo-KAY gar-NEE

Herbs (fresh or dried), tied together with cooking string or
twine in a bundle, and used to flavor soups and stews.
Classic bouquet garni ingredients are thyme, rosemary, bay
leaf, and parsley. Sometimes, they contain aromatics, such
as leeks or celery.

Bouquet garni makes infusing flavor with herbs convenient.

You can just remove the bundle from the pot in one piece
without fishing around for individual sprigs.

BRUNOISE

Pronunciation: BROON-wahz

A knife technique where a julienned vegetable (carrot, turnip,

celery, etc.) is stacked and cut from the end into a very small
dice (1/8- to 1/16-inch cubes). The brunoise is the smallest
dicing size in French cuisine.

C AN AP É

Pronunciation: can-a-pay

A bite-sized, layered hors d’oeuvre that translates to “couch.”

Canapés start with a sturdy base layer (the couch) on top of
which the main ingredients sit.

The base was traditionally a small piece of toasted bread,

but you can also use crackers, puff pastry (such as a small
vol au vent), sliced vegetables (like cucumber rounds), or a
slice of fruit. It should be something that guests can easily
pick up from a tray and hold with their fingers.
 C AR T O UCHE

Pronunciation: kar-TOOSH

A parchment paper lid that sits directly on the surface of

ingredients in a pot or pan. A cartouche is most often used
when simmering, poaching, braising, and sweating (i.e. foods
containing or cooked with liquid). The cartouche slows down
the evaporation of liquids in the pan, but still allows steam to
escape, so ingredients can cook gently and evenly.

Some sauces also have a tendency to form a skin when

cooked uncovered and exposed to air. A cartouche will stop
this skin from forming.

How to Make a Cartouche

CH AR C UT ER IE

Pronunciation: shar-KOO-tuh-ree

The art of preserving meats with salting, cooking, and curing

methods. Examples of charcuterie are
sausages, confit, terrines, ham, bacon, and pâté. A lot of
charcuterie is pork-based, but it doesn’t have to be.

Today, charcuterie (and cheese) boards are very popularly

served as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre, and even as a light
meal.

CH IF FON AD E
 Pronounced: shif-oh-NOD

A knife technique for cutting leafy ingredients, such as

spinach, broad-leafed lettuces, kale, and herbs, such as basil
and mint. To make a chiffonade, stack and roll the leaves,
and cut them into thin, ribbon-like strips. Chiffonade makes a
beautiful and delicate garnish.

CHINOIS

Pronounced: shin-WAH

A cone-shaped strainer constructed with a fine, metal mesh.

A chinois is a great tool to have for straining sauces, purees,
soups, and stocks to a very smooth consistency. You’ll often
find a chinois paired with a stand to position it over a bowl or
pot, and a pestle to help press foods through the mesh
(useful for removing seeds from cooked tomatoes or seedy
purees, such as blackberry or raspberry.)

CONFIT

Pronunciation: kon-FEE

An age-old cooking and food preservation method originally

developed out of necessity before refrigeration was invented.
The Dictionnaire de l’Académie française dates the term to
the 13th century.

Confit is particularly rooted and beloved in the Gascony

region of France, where salted meat (such as duck–confit de
canard or goose–confit d’oie), is slowly cooked at a low
temperature, cooled, and stored, and submerged in its own
rendered fat throughout the process.
Beyond meat, other ingredients can be prepared confit,
including fruits that are candied and preserved in sugar
syrup, chestnuts (the first step in making marrons glacés),
and vegetables.

The nature of the confit process both tenderizes the

ingredient being preserved and intensifies its flavor.

RECIPE: Duck Confit

CONSOMMÉ

Pronunciation: con-so-may

Stock that has been clarified (usually, using egg whites) and
concentrated. It has a clear color and a stronger flavor than
the stock used to make it.

COULIS

Pronunciation: koo-LEE

A light, smooth sauce made from pureed fruits or vegetables.

Coulis is often drizzled as a garnish, or poured/spooned as a
base for plating. For example, you might order a dessert
presented on a plate decorated with swirls of raspberry
coulis.

COURT BOUILLON

Pronunciation: core bool–yon (light “l”)

A quickly-cooked broth most often used to poach other
foods, like seafood. Common ingredients include water,
white wine, lemon juice, and aromatics.

CRÈME FR AÎCHE

Pronunciation: krem-fresh

A thick, fermented cream. Compared to American sour

cream, crème fraîche has a higher fat content (30-40%,
compared to 18-20%), giving it a richer texture. The flavor is
lightly-tangy and not as assertively sour as sour cream.

CROQUETTE

Pronunciation: kroh-KEHT

A cylindrical or egg-shaped patty rolled in breadcrumbs and

fried. Croquettes are shaped from cooked meats (most often
minced or ground after cooking), fish, and/or vegetables. To
form the patties, the ingredients are bound together with
eggs or a thick sauce, such as béchamel or velouté.

You can make croquets out of a variety of fillings, including

mashed potatoes, rice, chicken/turkey, or salmon.

RECIPE: Mashed Potato Croquettes

D EM I- GL AC E

Pronunciation: demi-glahs
A concentrated sauce made from equal parts
of Espagnole and brown stock (made from roasted veal
and/or beef bones). The mixture is slowly reduced by half
until it’s rich in texture and glossy, with a deep, meaty flavor.

A traditional demi-glace takes quite a long time to make, but

the flavor is substantial, and you can freeze it for up to six
months. While it isn’t one of the Mother Sauces, demi-glace
is a staple of French cooking. It can be served as a sauce on
its own, or used to flavor other sauces.

DUXELLES

Pronunciation: dewk-SELL

Chopped mushrooms sautéed in butter with onions or

shallots and herbs, such as parsley. Duxelles is often used in
stuffings and fillings (such as Beef Wellington, omelettes,
and vol au vent). It also makes a delicious hors d’oeuvre, on
top of goat cheese crostini.

EN CROUTE

Pronunciation: on-KRUTE

Literally, “in crust.” Foods that are wrapped in pastry (such

as puff pastry, pie dough, or phyllo) and baked. (i.e Brie en
Croute, Beef Wellington.)

ENTRÉE
 Pronunciation: ON-tray

In France: The course before the main dish (an appetizer).

In the United States: The main dish of a meal.

ESC AL O PE

A boneless piece of meat that is pounded with a mallet or

rolled with a pin until thin. (Essentially, a thin cutlet.)
Often sautéed, rolled and stuffed, or breaded and pan-fried.

ESPAGNOLE

One of the five French Mother Sauces, Espagnole is a basic

brown sauce, made from a mirepoix, brown roux, tomato
puree and brown (veal or beef) stock. Espagnole is a
reduced sauce and is very richly flavored, so it’s usually the
basis for other sauces and flavoring agents (such as demi
glace and sauce Bordelaise) rather than served on its own.

FINES HERBES

Pronunciation: feenz-erb

Finely-chopped mixture of fresh parsley, tarragon, chives,

and chervil (sometimes, also marjoram) commonly used in
French cooking. You’ll find fines herbes in dishes including
omelettes, salads, and sauces, such as beurre blanc.
 F L AM B É

Pronunciation: flam-BAY

Foods containing strong alcohol (such as brandy, cognac,

rum) that are ignited. The flame extinguishes as the alcohol
cooks out of the dish. Well-known flambéed dishes include
Crêpes Suzette, Bananas Foster, and Cherries Jubilee.

RECIPE: Crêpes Suzette

FONDUE

Pronunciation: fon-DUE

Traditionally: Warm, melted cheese and white wine

emulsion of Swiss-French origin, served in a pot (a
“caquelon”), and used as a dip for skewered bread cubes.

Popularly: Warm, fluid dip, served in a pot, such as melted

cheese or chocolate. You might also see broth fondues,
where you dip thinly-sliced meat or vegetables into a
communal pot of seasoned broth to cook.

RECIPE: Making Swiss Cheese Fondue

FRIC ASSÉE

Pronunciation: FRICK-a-see

A rustic, stew-like dish where the meat is

first sautéed without browning, braised, and served in a white
sauce. The meats and vegetables in a traditional fricassée
should not be caramelized.

Fricassée is most often made with chicken or veal.

RECIPE: Chicken and Mushroom Fricassée

GR AT IN É/ AU GR AT IN

Pronunciation: GRA-tee-nay / oh gra-TAN

Dishes that are baked or broiled with a crust of breadcrumbs

and/or cheese (i.e. the good stuff!). “Gratin” derives from the
French verb, “gratter,” which means, “to scrape.”

Many recipes you’ll see described as au

gratin or gratinéed are prepared in casserole or shallow
baking dishes (“gratin dishes”) with a creamy sauce (such as
Potatoes au Gratin).

HO LL AN D AISE

Pronunciation: hol-lan-days

An emulsion of egg yolks, vinegar (traditional; some recipes

use lemon juice), water, and butter. One of the five
French Mother Sauces, hollandaise is rich, creamy, and
pastel yellow in color. You’ll find it as the finishing sauce for
Eggs Benedict, poached salmon, and vegetables, like
asparagus.
 HORS D’OEUVRE

Pronunciation: or-DERVE

A small taste of food served prior to sitting down for a meal,

or in place of a meal at a cocktail party. (Is it an appetizer?
Technically, no, since an appetizer is the first course once
you’re seated for a meal. You could have both hors
d’oeuvres and an appetizer at a dinner party.)

Hors d’oeuvers can be served hot or cold, are usually only

one or two bites, and are often finger foods. Examples of
hors d’oeuvres are crudités, canapés, deviled eggs, and
small, skewered foods.

RECIPE: How to Make Deviled Eggs

JULIENNE

Pronunciation: joo-lee-en

A knife technique of cutting food (usually, vegetables) into

small, thin strips.

( AU ) J U S

Pronunciation: (oh)-ZHOO (zh = soft j)

Meats (such as Roasted Prime Rib) that are served with their
natural juices (the jus). As the meat roasts, the drippings will
collect in the pan. You’ll deglaze the pan to extract all of that
good flavor while the meat rests.
Jus doesn’t need to be thickened, but it can be, by
simmering until it’s reduced to your desired consistency. It
doesn’t use thickening agents, like roux or beurre manié,
which differentiates jus from gravy.

L AR D O NS

Pronunciation: lahr-DOHN

Small strips of slab bacon, usually around 1/4-inch wide and

thick. The shape and thickness of the cut renders fat
particularly well, and allows the bacon to achieve a crisp-
tender/meaty texture (while strip bacon would just be crisp).

(À L A) M EUN IÈR E

Pronunciation: (ah-la) moo-NYEHR

A simple seafood dish (typically made with sole or another

white fish), where whole fish or fillets are dredged in
flour, sautéed in butter, and finished with a brown butter,
lemon, and parsley sauce. The name translates to “in the
style of the miller’s wife.”

RECIPE: Sole à la Meunière

MIREPOIX

Pronunciation: MEER-pwah
A mixture of aromatics containing 2 parts diced onions to 1
part diced celery and 1 part diced carrots. You’ll most
often sweat a mirepoix as the base for soups, stews, and
sauces.

MISE EN PLACE

Pronunciation: MEEZ-ahn-plahs

To get set up and have everything in you need for a recipe or

meal in place before you start cooking. All of your ingredients
are prepped (measured, cut, etc.) and organized.

Practicing the “mise en place” philosophy is very useful in the

kitchen and makes recipe execution less prone to errors and
mishaps. You’ll have everything ready to go and won’t be
scrambling to find an ingredient in the pantry, or
weigh/measure foods while another component of the recipe
is cooking.

I like to “mise en place” as much as possible, especially

when making an intricate recipe or hosting a dinner party.

M OTH ER S AU C ES

The five basic sauces and sauce-making techniques of

French cuisine that form the basis for most, if not all, other
sauces. The sauces
are: Béchamel, Espagnole, Hollandaise, Velouté, and Sauce
Tomat. French chef, Marie-Antoine Carême organized the
first four foundational sauces in the early 1800’s, and Chef
Auguste Escoffier added tomato sauce to the group in 1903.
 PÂTÉ

Pronunciation: pah-TAY

A mixture of meats, organ meats (such as chicken or duck

liver), seafood, or vegetables, minced or ground with fat into
a paste. The texture ranges from coarse to quite smooth,
depending on the recipe. Pâté can be baked and served en
croute, prepared as a terrine, or simply served chilled in a
crock as a spread.

Though the words are nearly identical, don’t

confuse Pâté with Pâte (no accent on the e), which refers to
pastry.

(EN) PAPILLOTE

Pronunciation: (on)-poppy-YOTE

Foods wrapped in a parchment paper or foil packet and

baked. The packet traps steam and creates a moist-cooking
environment. Most commonly used for delicate foods, like
fish fillets. Herbs, citrus juices and slices, a splash of wine,
and/or aromatics are typically included in the packet to infuse
into the primary ingredient with flavor.

RECIPE: Sole en Papillote with Tomatoes and Olives

R AG O Û T

Pronunciation: raa-GOO
A hearty, slowly-cooked French stew. Ragoût can be made
with meat, poultry, seafood, and/or vegetables. (Not to be
confused with Italian ragù, sauce.)

RECIPE: Classic French Winter Vegetable Ragoût

ROUX

Pronunciation: roo

A paste of equal parts of flour and melted fat (classically,

butter), cooked together and used to thicken liquids, such as
sauces.

Depending on how long the flour and fat mixture is cooked,

you can create a white roux (lightest), blond roux (slightly
toasted in color and flavor), or a brown roux (the darkest and
richest in color and flavor). The lighter the roux, the more
thickening power it has.

You might wonder how this compares to beurre manié (flour

and butter paste). First, by frying the flour in melted fat for a
roux, you remove any taste of raw flour. Second, the order of
ingredients is flipped. For a roux, you add the liquid to be
thickened to the hot flour and fat mixture. Beurre manié is
added cold to a heated liquid.

S AU C E TOM AT

Pronunciation: sauce toh-MAHT

Simple French tomato sauce, and one of the five
French Mother Sauces. Classic Sauce Tomat includes fresh
tomatoes and aromatics cooked in rendered salt pork.

RECIPE: Escoffier’s Sauce Tomat

S AU T É

Pronunciation: saw-TAY

A stovetop cooking technique that involves quickly cooking

food in a shallow pan, at a high temperature, with a small
amount of fat. Sauté means “jump” in French, which
describes the motion of flipping or tossing the food in the pan
to brown both sides.

SOUFFLÉ

Pronunciation: soo-FLAY

A puffed baked egg dish with a fluffy texture. Soufflés can be

savory or sweet, and are made by folding whipped egg
whites into a flavored base, such as a cream sauce
(béchamel), puree, or pastry cream. Properly-made soufflés
rise considerably in the oven, but will deflate the longer they
sit at room temperature after baking.

RECIPE: Goat Cheese and Roasted Cauliflower Soufflés

SOUS VIDE
 Pronunciation: soo-VEED

Technique where foods are placed into vacuum sealed bags

and cooked in a bath of circulating, temperature-controlled
water. When cooking sous vide, you heat the water to the
temperature that you want the food to reach (for example –
to cook a medium-rare steak, you’d want the water to be
between 130 and 135 degrees F).

As the vacuum-sealed food slowly cooks in the water bath, it

can’t cook to a temperature higher than the water, and
therefore, won’t overcook. Most of the time, when working
with meats or seafood, the dish will be finished by quickly
searing, broiling, or grilling to develop the surface color and
crust.

Food safety guidelines should be carefully considered for

time and temperature when cooking sous vide.

TERRINE

pronunciation: tuh-REEN

A pâté, cooked or prepared in a loaf-shaped mold

(earthenware, porcelain, or metal), often using a bain marie.
(The term can refer to both the container itself and the
completed dish.) Many classic terrines are lined with pork fat
before the pâté is added.

Terrines are most often sliced and served chilled or at room

temperature.

Recipe: Country Terrine

 VELOUTÉ

Pronunciation: veh-loo-TAY

The first of the five French Mother Sauces, velouté is a light

sauce made from a white stock (veal, chicken, vegetable)
thickened with blond roux. It is prepared similarly to
béchamel, but is lighter since it doesn’t use milk.

VO L- AU - VENT

Pronunciation: vol-oh-VAHN (light “n” at the end)

A puff pastry cup or shell used to serve meats, vegetables,

or fish (often with a cream sauce), or custards with
fruit. Translates to “flight in the wind,” describing the puff
pastry’s light, flaky texture.

Recipe: How to Make Vol-au-Vent