al dente
The term given to pasta or vegetables cooked until just tender but still retaining a little « bite », or crunch
angelica
Aromatic herb. The stalk is candied and used as a decoration for cakes and desserts
bagasse
Remains of sugar cane from which the juice has been extracted, used as a fuel
bain-marie
A gentle method of cooking or heating food, by placing the dish of food to be cooked inside another containing hot water, so the food does not come into direct contact wih the heat
baumé
A division on a hydrometer scale, used to measure the density in degrees, at a specific temperature, of sugar syrups. Named after its inventor
bavarois
Bavarian velvety cream dessert
beurre manié
A thickening agent made of equal quantities of flour and blutter kneaded together. Added to soups and savoury sauces
beurre noisette
Butter heated until it turns a nut-brown colour
bind / thicken
The use of eggs, cream, flour or cornflour to thicken a liquid and obtain a smooth consistency
blanch
To immerse food, usually fruit and vegetables, briefly in boiling water, in order to preserve the colour or tenderise them slightly
blind (to bake)
To bake a pastry case (puff or short crust), without the filling. The pastry base is usually covered with baking parchment and weighted with dried beans or ceramic baking beads to prevent it rising
bourgeois
A type of fish found in the waters around the Seychelles, related to the grouper
braise
To cook slowly in a closed receptacle, in a small amount of liquid
brunoise
Fruit or vegetables cut into very small dice of 1-2 mm
caramelise
To cook to release natural sugars or until reaching a brown colour
chinois
A fine conical strainer for straining sauces, purées, soups, etc.
chocolate couverture
A type of chocolate with a high cocoa butter content usual in pastry making and confectionery
clarified butter
Butter melted, and then filtered, to remove impurities such as salt
clean
To remove the bitter-tasting gut from a crayfish by pulling out the media lamina
core temperature
To ensure that a dish, a terrine for example, is thoroughly cooked by testing the centre with a cooking thermometer
coulis
A liquid purée derived from the natural juices of shellfish, vegetables or fruit
court-bouillon
Stock made of water, white wine and seasoning used as a liquid in which to poach fish or shellfish
dashi
Used extensively in Japanese cooking, dashi is a soup stock made with dried bonito tuna flakes and water
deglaze
To utilise juices from cooking to make a gravy or sauce by adding water, wine or a similar liquid to a pan, and scraping the residues from the base
Dodine
A dish of boned, stuffed and braised poultry (particularly duck) or meat. Served hot, or cold in aspic, sliced thickly
dress
To prepare fish, poultry, or game before cooking
duxelle
Very finely chopped button mushrooms, sweated in butter, used as a base for numerous stuffings
emulsion
To whisk ingredients until they are fully incorporated and form a smooth preparation
farvelleni
A type of pasta
fluff / loosen
To separate grains of rice or couscous using a fork
gastrique
A reduced mixture of vinegar and sugar used in the preparation of hot sauces accompanying dishes made with fruit, such as duck with orange
glaze
To brush pastry or dough with beaten egg yolk to obtain an attractive golden colour after cooking
glazed (vegetables)
To cook vegetables with water, salt and sugar, reducing the liquid until the result is a syrup, which coats the vegetables and makes them shine
goujonnettes
Strips of filleted fish
granita
A mixture of syrup and alcohol, frozen and then broken up repeatedly until it forms loose ice crystals. Often served to cleanse the palate between courses, or as a dessert
gratin dauphinois forestier
Seasoned, sliced potatoes baked in cream with cheese and wild mushrooms
icing
A method of decorating cakes
infuse
To add an aromatic substance to a boiling liquid so that the flavour is imparted to the liquid
julienne
Vegetables or fruit shredded into matchstick-thin pieces
kimch’i
Fermented, macerated vegetables (cabbage, celery, tunrips, cucumber) heavily spiced with garlic, onion, chilli and ginger to form a relish. This is one of the most important foods in Korea
kromeskis
A hot, savoury hors-d’œuvre consisting of finely diced ingredients bound in a thick sauce (salpicon) and shaped into croquettes that are not coated in breadcrumbs
let dow / loosen
To add liquid to a preparation to make it softer or runnier
marinade
A liquid rich in condiments, in which different types of food can be soaked, for different lengths of time, to soften or flavour them
marinate
To soak an ingredient in a liquid or syrup so that it becomes impregnated with the flavour
marlin
A big fish, inhabiting tropical seas, related to the swordfish
mirepoix
A flavourful combination of roughly diced carrots and onions added to meat during cooking
monosodium glutamate
A flavour-enhancing chemical compound, the sodium salt of glutamic acid, widely used in the food-processing industry and also in Asian cuisine
muslin
Fine cotton fabric used for straining purées, sauces, etc.
paillard
A thin escalope of veal or beef that has been flattened out and grilled or pan-fried
palate cleanser
The French custom, during a complex meal, of consuming a shot of spirits usually contained in a sorbet, to aid digestion and stimulate the appetite before the next course
paratha
An Indian flaky bread
pastrami
A cut of meat marinated for a long time with pepper and spices, lightly smoked and then cooked in the oven
poach
To cook a food slowly in a gently simmering liquid
pommes boulangères
A gratin of sliced potatoes, baked in milk and stock
quenelle
A dumpling made with finely chopped meat, fish or poultry, which is moulded into a small sausage or egg shape and poached in boiling water
reduce
To make a liquid thicker by boiling it until it evaporates
reserve
To put hot or cold ingredients to one side, for use later
roux
The base for many soups and sauces, made by melting butter and adding flour, which is then cooked, stirring all the time, until the flour is fully incorporated and cooked out. The length of time for which the flour is cooked before adding the liquid determines whether the roux is white, blond or brown
seal
To start cooking meat in fat over a moderate heat so it changes colour, without browning
sieve / sift
To strain an ingredient through a sieve to remove lumps, seeds, skin, etc.
skim
To remove excess fat that rises to the top of a dish during or after cooking
steep
To soak dry ingredients in liquid until the flavour is infused into the liquid
stew
To cook slowly and gently until most or all of the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients develop a soft consistency and start to break down
stock
An aromatic liquid used to make gravies and sauces. Stock is referred to as « white » if the ingredients are added direct to the cooking liquid. If the ingredients are browned first before adding the liquid, it is called « brown »
subric
Cooked ingredients (meat, chicken livers or vegetables) bound together in a thick sauce with eggs, shaped into croquettes, and balked in the oven
sweat
To sauté an ingredient gently in fat, without browning, to enhance its flavour
tapenade
Purée of capers, black olives, anchovies and herbs, from southern France
tian
An earthenware cooking pot
timbale
A layered dish cooked in a tall mould (timbale) and then turned out. Often made of rice layered with vegetables
toast
To cook without the addition of fat, either under a grill, in an oven or in a dry pan, so the ingredient develops a light golden colour or the flavour is intensified
trail
To beat a batter or other preparation until it forms a trail on the surface of the mixture, which lasts a few seconds, when the spoon or whisk is lifted out
trim
To remove the gristle and tendons from a piece of meat
turn out
To empty the ingredients for a dish, or finished bakery products, into a receptacle so they can cool, or to reserve them for use later
velouté
One of the five « mother sauces », velouté is a stock-based white sauce. It can be made from chicken or veal stock or fish fumet thickened with white roux. Velouté sauce is the base for a number of other sauces
Vivaneau
A tropical fish, found in the Carribean and around the coast of Africa, related to the sea bream
z'habitants
Type of a large crayfish
zabaglione
A light and fluffy sauce made of egg yolks, sugar and alcohol whisked over a saucepan of boiling water, or in a double boiler
