Cooking Terms

Cooking Processes
Technical Terms and

French Culinary Terms
Donnavic Dumapias
Cooking Process, Technical Terms
and French Culinary Terms
Acid
A substance having a sour or sharp flavor. Most foods are somewhat acidic.
Includes citrus juice, vinegar and wine.
Albumen
The major protein in egg whites.
Alfredo
A pasta sauce originally consisting of butter, cream and the finest parmesan
cheese available. Modern versions add garlic and peas.
A la (ah lah)
French for “in the manner or style of”, ”served with” used in relation to a food,
it designates a style of preparation or presentation.
A la Carte (ah lah kart)
A menu on which each food and beverage is listed and priced separately;
foods cooked to order as opposed to foods cooked in advance.
A la grecque (ah lah grehk)
A preparation style in which vegetables are marinated in olive oil, lemon juice
and herbs, then served cold.
A point
French term for cooking to the ideal degree of doneness, when applied to
meat it refers to cooking it medium rare.
Au jus (oh zhew)
Describes meat served in its own natural juices, not with gravy.
Al dente (al den-tay)
Italian for “to the tooth”, used to describe a food, usually pasta, that is
cooked only until it gives a slight resistance when one bites into it.
Aroma
The sensations, as interpreted by the brain, of what we detect when a
substance comes in contact with sense receptors in the nose.
Aromatic
A food added to enhance the natural aromas of another food;aromatic
includes most flavorings,such as herbs and spices,as well as some vegetables.
Aspic/ Aspic Jelly
A clear jelly usually made from a clarified stock thickened with gelatin;
used to coat foods, especially charcuterie items, and for garnish.
Au gratin (oh GRAH-tan)
Foods with a browned or crusted top; often made by browning a food with a
bread-crumb, cheese and/or sauce topping under a broiler or salamander.
Bain Marie (bane mah-ree)
A hot water bath used to gently cook food or keep cooked food hot; a
container for holding food in a hot-water bath.
Barbecue
To cook foods over dry heat created by the burning of hardwood or
charcoals; a tangy tomato- or vinegar- based sauce used for grilled foods.
Barding
Tying thin slices of fat, such as bacon or pork fatback, over meats or
poultry that have little to no natural fat covering in order to protect
and moisten them during roasting.
Baste
To moisten foods during cooking (usually grilling, broiling or roasting) with
melted fat, pan drippings, a sauce or other liquids to prevent drying and to
add flavor.
Batonnet (bah-toh-nah)
Foods cut into matchstick shapes of ¼ x ¼ x 2 inches.
Batter
A semiliquid mixture containing flour or other starch used to make cakes and
breads; used to coat foods for deep frying.
Bearnaise (bare-NAYZ)
A sauce made of butter and egg yolks and flavored with a reduction
of vinegar, shallots, tarragon and peppercorns. Good for grilled meats.
Béchamel (bay-shah-mell)
A leading sauce made by thickening milk with a white roux
and adding seasonings.
Beurre blanc (burr BLANHK)
French for “white butter”; an emulsified butter sauce made from shallots,
white winner vinegar reduction and butter. Does not hold for long period.
Beurre composé (burr kom-poh-Zay)
Also known as compound butter,a mixture of softened whole butter
and flavorings used as a sauce or to flavor and color other sauces.
Beurre fondu (burr fon-DOO)
French for melted butter, it is often served over steamed
vegetables such as asparagus or poached white fish.
Biscotti
Twice-baked cookies with a long-lasting, firm, crisp texture; Italian in origin,
they are usually served with coffee, sweet wine or other beverages.
Bisque (bisk)
A soup made from shellfish; classic versions are thickened with rice.
Blanching
Very briefly and partially cooking a food in boiling water or hot fat; used to
assist preparation, as part of combination cooking method or to remove
undesirable flavors.
Bloom
To soften granulated gelatin in a cold liquid before dissolving
and using; it measure the gelatin’s strength.
Bouillabaisse
A rich fish stew from Southern France. This was once a poor man’s meal made
of any fish available. Modern version includes lobster and shrimp.
Bouquet garni (boo-KAY gar-NEE)
Fresh herbs and vegetables tied into a bundle with
twine and used to flavor stocks, sauces, soups and stews.
Breading
Coating of bread or cracker crumbs, cornmeal or other dry meal applied to
foods that will typically be deep-fried or pan-fried; coating.
Brine
A mixture of salt, water and seasonings used to preserve foods.
Brochettes (bro-SHETTS)
Skewers,either small hors d’ oeuvre or large entrée size,threaded with meat,
poultry,fish,shellfish and/or vegetables and grilled, broiled or baked
.(sometimes served with a dipping sauce)
Bruschetta
Grilled slices of bread brushed with olive oil and fresh garlic.
Brown stock
A richly colored stock made of chicken,veal,beef or game bones and
vegetables,all of which are caramelized before they are simmered in water
with seasonings.
Brunoise (BROO-nwaz)
Foods cut into cubes of 1/8 x 1/8 x 1/8 inches; foods garnished
with vegetables cut in this manner.
Butcher
To slaughter and/or dress or fabricate animals for consumption.
Butterfly
To slice boneless meat, poultry or fish nearly in half lengthwise
so that it spreads open like a book.
Canapé (KAN-ah-pay)
A tiny open-faced sandwich served as an hors d’ oeuvre; usually composed
of a small piece of bread or toast topped with a savory spread and garnish.
Caramelization
The process of cooking sugars; the browning of sugar
enhances the flavor and appearance of foods.
Caviar
Traditionally, the salted roe (eggs) of sturgeon fish; imported
sturgeon caviar is classified by species, size and color.
Chef’s knife
An all-purpose knife used for chopping, slicing and mincing; its blade is 8-14
inches long.
Chiffonade (chef-fon-nahd)
To finely slice or shred leafy vegetables or herbs.
Chop
A cut of meat, including part of the rib; to cut into pieces when uniformity of
size and shape is not important.
Chowder
A hearty soup made from fish, shellfish and/or vegetables,
usually containing milk and potatoes and often thickened with roux.
Clarification
The process of transforming a broth into a clear consommé by trapping
impurities with a clearmeat consisting of the egg white protein albumen,
ground meat, an acidic product, mirepoux and other ingredients.
Clarified butter
Purified butterfat;the butter is melted and the water and milk solids are
removed.
Concasséé
Peeled, seeded and diced tomato.
Cannelloni
An Italian dish made of sheets or tubes of pasta filled with meat, cheese,
sauce and baked au gratin.
Consommé (kwang-soh-MAY)
A rich stock or broth that has been clarified with
Clearmeat to remove impurities.
Court bouillon (kort boo-yon)
Water simmered with vegetables, seasonings and an acidic product such as
vinegar or wine; used for simmering or poaching fish, shellfish or vegetables.
Couverture (coo-vehr-TYOOR)
A high quality chocolate containing at least 32% cocoa butter.
Crème brûlée (khrem broo-lay)
French for “burnt cream”; used to describe a rich dessert
custard topped with a crust of caramelized sugar.
Crêpe (krayp)
A thin, delicate unleavened griddlecake made with a very thin egg batter
cooked in a very hot sauté pan; used in sweet and savory preparations.
Croissant (krwah-SAHN)
A crescent-shaped roll made from a rich, rolled-in yeast dough.
Croquembouche (krow-kem-BOOSH)
A pyramid of small puffs, each filled with pastry cream; a French
tradition for Christmas and weddings, it is held together with
caramelized sugar and decorated with spun sugar.
Croquette (crow-keht)
A food that has been pureed or bound with a thick sauce(usually béchamel
or velouté) made into small shapes and then breaded and deep fried.
Cross contamination
The transfer of bacteria or other contaminants from one food, work surface
or piece of equipment to another.
Crouton (KROO-tawn)
A bread or pastry garnish, usually toasted or sautéed until crisp.
Crudités (croo-de-TAYS)
Generally refers to raw or blanched vegetables served as
an hors d’ oeuvre and often accompanied by a dip
Cuisine
The ingredients, seasonings, cooking procedures and styles attributable to a
particular group of people.
Deglaze
To swirl/stir a liquid(usually wine or stock)in a pan to dissolve cooked food particles
remaining on the bottom;the resulting mixture becomes base for sauces
Demi-glace (deh-me glass)
French for “half glaze”; a mixture of half brown stock and half brown sauce
reduce by half.
Deveining
A process of removing a shrimp’s digestive tract.
Deviled
Describes meat, poultry or other food seasoned with mustard,
vinegar and other spicy seasonings.
Dip
A thick,creamy sauce,served hot or cold, to accompany crudites, crackers, chips
or other foods, especially as an hors d’ oeuvre; mayo, sour cream, cream cheese
Dough
A mixture of flour and other ingredients used in baking; has a low moist
content and gluten forms the continuous medium into which other ingredients
are embedded; often stiff enough to cut into shapes
Dress
To trim or otherwise prepare an animal carcass for consumption.
Dressed
A market form for fish in which the viscera, gills, fins and scales are removed.
Dredging
Coating a food with flour or finely ground crumbs; usually done prior to
sautéing or frying or as the first step of the standard breading procedure.
Duxelles
A coarse paste made of finely chopped mushrooms
sautéed in butter sauce used in sauces and stuffing.
Éclair paste (ay-clahr)
Also known as pâte à choux; a soft dough that produces hollow baked
products with crisp exteriors; used for making cream puffs
Éclairs
Baked fingers of éclair paste filled with pastry cream; the top
is then coated with chocolate glaze or fondant.
Egg wash
A mixture of beaten eggs and a liquid usually milk or water, used to coat
doughs before baking to add sheen.
Émincé
a type of knife cut that means to thinly slice.
Emulsification
The process by which generally unmixable liquids,
such as oil and water, are forced into a uniform distribution.
Emulsion
A uniform mixture of two unmixable liquids; it is often temporary (for example
oil and water)
Entrée
The main dish of an American meal, usually meat, poultry, fish or shellfish
accompanied by a vegetable and starch; in France,the first course, served
before the fish and meat courses.
Escargot (ays-SKAHR-go)
French for “snail”; those used for culinary purposes are land snails.
Espagnole (ess-spah-nyol)
Also known as brown sauce, a leading sauce made of brown stock, mire
poux and tomatoes thickened with brown roux; used to produce demi-glace
Fabricate
To cut a larger portion of raw of meat(ex. A primal or subprimal), poultry or fish
into smaller portions.
Fabricated cuts
Individual portions cut from a subprimal.
Filet, fillet (fee-lay)

Filet- a boneless tenderloin of meat; fillet- the side of a fish
removed intact, boneless or semiboneless, with or without skin
Fish velouté
A veloute sauce made from fish stock.
Flambé (flahm-BAY)
Food served flaming; produced by igniting brandy,
rum or other liquor.
Foie gras (fwah grah)
Liver of specially fattened geese.
Fondue
A Swiss specialty made with melted cheese, wine and flavoring; eaten by
dipping pieces of bread into the hot mixture with long forks.
French dressing
A vinaigrette dressing made from oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; in US it refers to
a commercially prepared dressing that is creamy, tartly sweet and red-
orange in color.
Fritata (free-TAH-ta)
An open-faced omelet of Spanish Italian origin.
Fumet (foo-may)
A stock made from fish bones or shellfish shells and vegetables simmered in a
liquid with flavorings.
Garde-manger (gar mawn-zhay)
Also known as the pantry chef, the cook in charge of cold production,
including salads and salad dressings, cold appetizers; the work area where
these foods are prepared.
Garnish
Food used as an attractive decoration; a subsidiary food used to add flavor
or character to the main ingredient in a dish.
Gastronomy
The art and science of eating well.
Grate
To cut food into small, thin shred by rubbing it against a serrated metal plate
known as grater.
Gravy
A sauce made from meat or poultry juices combined with a liquid and
thickening agent;usually made in the pan in which the was cooked.
Gremolata (greh-moa-LAH-ta)
An aromatic garnish of chopped parsley, garlic,
lemon zest for osso buco.
Herb
Any of a large group of aromatic plants whose leaves,stems
or flowers are used as a flavorings; used either dried or fresh.
Hollandaise (ohll-uhn-daze)
An emulsified sauce made of butter, egg yolks and
flavorings (especially lemon juice)
Julienne (ju-lee-en)
To cut foods into stick-shaped pieces,
approximately 1/8 x 1/8 x 2 inches .
Legumes (lay-gyooms)
French for “vegetables”; a large group of vegetables
with double-seamed seed pods.
Liaison (lee-yeh-zon)
A mixture of egg yolks and heavy cream used to thicken and enrich sauces.
Marinade
The liquid used to marinate foods, it generally contains herbs, spices and
other flavoring ingredients as well as acidic product such as wine, vinegar
Marinate
To soak a food in seasoned liquid in order to tenderized the food and add
flavor to it.
Matignon
Sometimes called an edible mirepoix,it is usally cut more uniformly
than a standard mirepoix and left in the finished dish as a garnish.
Mayonnaise
A thick, creamy sauce consisting of oil and vinegar emulsified with egg yolks,
usually as a salad dressing.
Mince
To cut into a very small pieces when uniformity
of shape is not important.
Mirepoix (meer-pwa)
A mixture of coarsely chopped onions, carrots and celery used to flavor
stocks, stews and other foods; 50% onion, 25% carrots and 25% celery
Mise en place (meez on plahs)
French for “putting in place”; refers to the preparation and assembly of all
necessary ingredients and equipment.
Molecular gastronomy
A contemporary scientific movement that investigates the
chemistry and physics behind the preparation of foods and dishes.
Mortar and pestle
A hard bowl in which foods such as spices are ground or pounded into
powder with a club-sharped tool.
Muesli (MYOOS-lee)
A breakfast cereals made from raw or toasted cereal grains, dried fruits, nuts
and dried milk solids and usually eaten with milk or yogurt; A.K.A granola
Mushrooms
Members of a broad category of plants known as fungi; they are often used
and served like vegetables.
Palate
The complex of smell, taste and touch receptors that contribute to a person’s
ability to recognize and appreciate flavors.
Parchment
Heat resistant paper used throughout the kitchen for task such as lining
baking pans, wrapping foods to be cook.
Paring knife
A short knife used for detail work, especially cutting fruits and vegetables; it
has a blade approximately 2-4 inches long
Pasta
An unleavened paste or dough made from wheat flour(semolina), water and
eggs; the dough can be colored and flavored
Paysanne (pahy-sahn)
Foods cut into flat square, round or triangular items
with dimensions of ½ x ½ x 1/8 inches
Pepperoni (peh-peh-ROH-nee)
A hard, thin, air-dried Italian sausage seasoned with
red and black pepper.
Pilaf
A cooking methods of grains in which the grains
are lightly sautéed in hot fat and then a hot liquid is added.
Poaching
A moist-heat cooking method that uses convection to transfer heat from a
hot liquid to the food submerge in it
Profiteroles
Small baked rounds of éclair paste filled with ice cream
and topped with chocolate sauce.
Purée (pur-ray)
To process food to achieve a smooth pulp; food that is processed by
mashing, straining or fine chopping to achieve a smooth pulp.
Quinoa
Tiny, spherical seeds of a plant native to South America;
cooked like grain or ground and used like flour.
Ramekin
A small, ovenproof dish, usually ceramic.
Recipe
A set of written instructions for producing a specific food or beverage; also
known as a formula
Remouillage (rhur-moo-yahj)
French for ‘rewetting”; a stock produced by reusing the bones left from
making another stock.
Render
To melt and clarify fat; to cook meat in order to remove the fat.
Risotto (re-zot-toe)
A cooking method for grains in which the grains are lightly
sautéed in butter and then a liquid is gradually added.
Roulade (roo-lahd)
a slice of meat, poultry or fish rolled around a stuffing;
a filled and rolled spongecake.
Roux (roo)
A cooked mixture of equal parts flour and fat, by weight,
used as a thickener for sauce and other dishes.
Rub
A mixture of fresh or dried herbs and spices ground together, it can be used
dried or it can be mixed with a little oil, lemon juice or prepared mustard
Sachet d’épices (sah-shay day-peace)
French for ‘bag of spices”;aromatic ingredients tied in a cheesecloth
bag and used to flavor stock and other foods: standard sachet contains
parsley stems, cracked peppercorns, dried thyme, bay leaf, cloves and garlic(opt)
Salsa (sahl-sah)
Spanish for “sauce”;generally a cold chunky mixture of fresh herbs, spices,
fruits/vegetables used as sauce for meats;in Italian usage it is for pasta sauces
Sashimi (sah-shee-mee)
Raw fish eaten without rice; usually served as the first course of a Japanese
meal.
Sauce
A thickened liquid used to flavor and enhance other foods.
Sautéing (saw-tay-ing)
A dry-heat cooking method that uses conduction to transfer heat from a hot
pan to food with the aid of a small amount of hot fat;usually done quickly
over high temperature.
Scald
To heat a liquid, usually milk, to just below the boiling point.
Sear
To brown food quickly over high heat; usually done as a preparatory step for
combination cooking methods.
Season
To enhance flavor by adding salt or pepper as well as herbs and spices.
Shortening
A white, flavorless, solid fat formulated for baking or deep-frying.
Shuck
To remove the edible portion of a food for example clam meat, peas or an ear
of corn from its shell, pod or husk.
Silverskin
The tough connective tissue that surrounds certain muscles.
Simmering
A moist-heat cooking methods that uses convection to transfer heat from a
hot liquid to the food submerge to it.
Skim
To remove fat and impurities from the surface of a liquid during cooking.
Smørbrød/smorrebrod (SMURR-brur)
Norwegian open-faced sandwiches; similar to the Swedish term smorgasbord
refers to buffet table of bread and butter, salads, pickled or marinated fish
Sorbet (sore-bay)
A frozen mixture of fruit juice or fruit puree; similar to sherbet
but without milk products.
soufflé (soo-flay)
Either a sweet or savory fluffy dish made with a custard base
lightened with whipped egg whites and then baked ; the
whipped egg whites cause the dish to puff when baked.
Standardized recipe
A recipe producing a known quality and quantity of food for a specific
operation.
Sous-vide (soo-veed)
French for “under vacuum”;a type of low-temperature
cooking in which foods are vacuum-sealed in pouches.
Spice
Any of a large group of aromatic plant whose bark, roots, seeds, buds or
berries are used as a flavorings; usually in dried form, either whole or ground
Stock
French term “fond”;a clear, unthicken liquid flavored by soluble substances
extracted from meat,poultry,fish and their bones as well as from a mirepoix,
other vegetables and seasonings
streusel
A crumbly mixture of fat, flour, sugar and sometimes nuts
and spices, used to top baked goods.
Sushi (szu-she)
Cooked or raw fish or shellfish rolled in or served on seasoned rice.
Thickening agents
Ingredients used to thicken sauces; include starches (flour, cornstarch, and
arrowroot), gelatin and liaison.
Tomato sauce
A leading sauce made from tomatoes, vegetables, seasonings and white
stock; it may or may not be thickened with roux.
Toque
The tall white hat worn by chefs.
Tossed salad
A salad prepared by placing the greens, garnishes and salad dressing in a
large bowl and tossing to combine.
Tourné (toor-NAY)
To cut into football shaped pieces with seven
equal sides and blunt ends.
Truss
To tie poultry with butcher’s twine into a compact shape
for cooking.
Umami
Japanese term for “delicious” often called the fifth taste.
Velouté (veh-loo-tay)
A leading sauce made by thickening a white stock (fish or chicken) with roux.
Vinaigrette
A temporary emulsion of oil and vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper.
White wash
A thin mixture or slurry of flour and cold water used like cornstarch for
thickening.
Zest
The colored outer portion of the rind of citrus fruit; contains the oil that
provides flavor and aroma.

Cooking Terms

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cooking Terms

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cooking Processes

Technical Terms and

Filet, fillet (fee-lay)

You might also like