Here are some more cooking terms and definitions from my cookbook:
Garnish- An edible decoration added for appearance, taste and texture to a finished dish. A garnish may be added on top, under, or around the food, and can be integral to the dish or simply an embellishment. Also refers to the act of placing a garnish on a dish.
Glace- Stock that has been reduced until it reaches a thick and syrupy consistency. Often used as a base for or to enhance soups and sauces, or to add shine to broiled or grilled meats. Pronounced (GLAHS).
Glaze- To add shine to a food item. You can glaze foods many ways such as brushing grilled meat with glace, brushing an egg wash on pastry before baking, or sautéing foods in butter and sugar.
Mince- To cut food into very small pieces. Pronounced (MIHNS). Minced food pieces are smaller than chopped food pieces.
Mirepoix- A mixture of 1 part chopped carrots, 2 parts diced onions and 1 part diced celery sautéed in butter used frequently in cooking. Mirepoix is used to season and flavor soups, stews, and sauces, and sometimes as a bed on which to roast or braise meats. The size to which the mirepoix vegetables are cut depends on their intended use and length of cooking time. A larger dice is preferred for longer cooking times and use as a bed for roasting, while a much smaller dice is used for shorter cooking times. Pronounced (mihr-PWAH). Alternate spelling: mirepois. See also: Aromatics.
Parboil- To cook food in boiling or simmering water. See also: Blanche.
Par-cook- To partially cook food by any method. This technique is used when you have several individual foods that may take different amounts of time to cook. Par-cooking allows you to bring each food to a certain degree of doneness so that they can be completed together at the same time.
Pate a choux- A paste or batter made of milk or water, flour, butter and eggs. It is used to make hollow pastries that are often filled such as éclairs and cream puffs. Pronounced (PAHT-ah-SHOO).
Peel- To remove the outer layer (skin or peel) from fruits, vegetables and sometimes cheeses.
Puree- A sauce or soup that is made from ingredients that have been cooked, blended, processed, or strained until a thick, smooth consistency is achieved. Pronounced (pyur-AY).
Reduction- To simmer or boil a liquid to evaporate its water, reduce its volume, and concentrate its flavor.
Rendering- To heat fat-containing animal products to melt and separate the fat from the meat or tissue.
Roux- A mixture of cooked fat (often butter) and flour used to thicken soups and sauces. The ratio of fat to flour is generally 1:1. The roux may be cooked to varying degrees of doneness depending on the desired flavor and color. The longer you cook the roux, the darker it is and the stronger the flavor. Pronounced (ROO).
Shock- To submerge or run a blanched food under cold water to stop the cooking process and set the color. This is also sometimes known as refreshing. See also: Blanch.
Sieve- A wire mesh kitchen utensil used for straining liquids or sifting dry ingredients. Pronounced (SIHV).
Sweating- To cook a food item in a pan over a low heat without browning or adding any color until the food is tender and begins to release its moisture. Sweating helps foods release their flavor quickly when combined with other foods. Onions are an example of a food that is commonly sweated, turning almost translucent when done correctly.
Tempering- The process of gradually introducing or adding a hot or acidic ingredient to other ingredients in order to avoid cooking or curdling (like eggs or chocolate).
Whisk- 1. A looped wire kitchen utensil, also known as a whip that is used for whipping or stirring. 2. A term used for whipping ingredients vigorously to incorporate ingredients or air into other ingredients.
Tags: cooking terms
This is a good vocabulary list. Thanks for sharing! I always enjoy learning new words, and I picked up a couple here.