Essential Guide to Culinary Terms

Your Essential Guide to Culinary Terms

Welcome to Your Ultimate Culinary Guide!  Here, I'll help you grasp essential cooking terms, ensuring you're fully prepared to navigate my recipes with confidence.  Explore a curated A to Z list of key culinary terms essential for understanding and navigating recipes.

Key Terminology

Culinary Terms

A

Al Dente-Pasta or vegetables cooked until firm to the bite.

Aromatics- Ingredients like herbs, spices, and vegetables used to enhance flavor.

Au Jus- Meat served with its natural juices.

Au Gratin – A dish topped with breadcrumbs and cheese, then baked or broiled.

B

Bain-Marie – A water bath used to gently cook delicate dishes like custards.

Baste – To moisten food while cooking with pan drippings, butter, or marinade.

Beurre Blanc – A creamy butter sauce made with white wine and shallots.

Blanch – To briefly boil or steam food, then rapidly cool it to halt cooking.

Brine- a method involving the soaking of food in a liquid solution consisting of water, salt, sugar, and possibly herbs and spices to preserve, tenderize, or flavor various foods and cuts of foods.

C

Chiffonade – A cutting technique where leafy greens or herbs are sliced into thin ribbons. (view Learning Knife Cuts)

Clarified butter - Ghee - clarified butter is milk fat rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat.  To create clarified butter, melt butter and allow the milk fat components to separate by density.  The fat solids, appearing as white particles, will rise to the top.  Skim these fat particles from your butter, leaving behind clarified butter, which is milk fat rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat.

Confit – Meat, usually duck, slowly cooked in its own fat.

Cornstarch Slurry - a mixture of a cold liquid with cornstarch that is used as a thickening agent.  A typical cornstarch slurry will consist of 2 parts cold water and 1 part cornstarch.

Crème Fraîche – A thick, tangy cream similar to sour cream but richer.

Custard -  a cooked mixture made of eggs and milk or cream and usually having a thick, creamy consistency

D

Deglaze - This technique removes and dissolves browned food residue from a pan.  It adds flavor to sauces, soups, and gravies. (Used in Scallops with Mushroom Risotto.)

Demi-Glace – A rich, concentrated brown sauce made from reduced stock and wine.

Dissolve- The process of combining ingredients to form a solution. For example, sugar dissolves in water.  (Used in this recipe, Brown Sugar Lemonade.)

Dredge- This technique coats wet foods with dry ingredients before cooking.(used in this recipe, Chicken Milanese.)

Drizzle- Pour a fine stream of liquid, like melted butter or sugar glaze, over food for decoration and added flavor.

E

Emulsify-Emulsifying combines two substances that don’t mix easily, like oil and water.  Mix them thoroughly to form a stable emulsion.

F

Flambé – A cooking technique that involves igniting alcohol in a dish for flavor.

G

Ganache – A mixture of chocolate and cream used for glazing or filling desserts.

Glaze – A shiny coating applied to food, often made from sugar or reduced sauce.

H

Haricot Vert – A French term for thin, tender green beans.

Hollandaise Sauce – A rich, buttery sauce made from egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice.

I

Infused Oil-A carrier oil that has been permeated with one or more herbs or spices to add flavor.

Ice Bath – A bowl of ice and water used to rapidly cool blanched foods.

Infusion – The process of steeping herbs, spices, or other flavors into a liquid.

J

Julienne – A knife cut that creates thin, matchstick-sized strips of vegetables or fruit. (View more on Knife Cuts)

Jus – A light sauce made from the natural juices of roasted meat.

K

Knead- Work dough into a smooth, uniform, and malleable texture by pressing, folding, and stretching with your hands.

L

Culinary Terms Continued...

M

Macerate – To soak fruit in liquid, like sugar or alcohol, to soften and enhance flavor.

Mirepoix – A mix of diced onions, carrots, and celery used as a base for soups and sauces.

Marinate- Loosen bits of food stuck to the pan by adding liquid, such as stock or wine.

Mis en Place- A French term meaning "putting in place."  It refers to the setup required before cooking.

N

O

P

Poach – To gently cook food in simmering liquid, often used for eggs and fish.

Puree- A consistency achieved by blending or sieving cooked vegetables, fruits, or legumes into a creamy paste or liquid.

Q

Quenelle – A smooth, oval-shaped dumpling or scoop of soft food, shaped with two spoons.

Quinoa – A high-protein grain popular in healthy cooking.

R

Rémoulade – A mayonnaise-based sauce flavored with herbs, pickles, and mustard.

Render – To slowly cook fat from meat until it melts.

Roux- A mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces.  Made by blending equal parts flour and fat, cooking them on the stovetop, and achieving the desired level of brownness. (Used in  Mac & Cheese.)

S

Smoke Point- Also known as the burning point. This is the temperature at which oil begins to smoke.

Sous Vide – A precision cooking method where food is vacuum-sealed and cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath.

Sweat – To gently cook vegetables over low heat until they release moisture without browning.

T

Temper – To gradually bring a cold ingredient, like eggs, up to a warmer temperature to prevent curdling. (used is this Creme Brûlée Recipe)

To Taste- The amount needed to achieve a flavor that’s pleasing to the person eating the dish.

U

Umami – The savory "fifth taste" found in foods like mushrooms, soy sauce, and aged cheese.

V

Velouté Sauce – One of the five "mother sauces" made from roux and stock.

Vinaigrette – A salad dressing made from oil, vinegar, and seasonings.

W

Whetstone – A tool used to sharpen kitchen knives.

Whipping – The process of vigorously beating ingredients to incorporate air, as with whipped cream.

Whisk- to mix very fast oftentimes incorporating air into the mixture

X

Xanthan Gum – A thickening agent used in sauces, dressings, and gluten-free baking.

Y

Yeast – A microorganism used to ferment and leaven bread.

Z

Zest-The thin outer layer of citrus fruits like lemon, lime, or orange. It adds a burst of flavor when scraped or cut from the rind.

Happy Learning, Happy Cooking!

With the Food4Foodies Glossary as your guide, embark on a culinary adventure filled with knowledge and flavor. Explore each term and take your cooking to new heights! Enjoy!.

 Bon Appetit,

Chef Abyssinia

References

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Link