Knowledge is Delicious
Cooking Dictionary
A list of relevant cooking terms and processes.
Arrabbiata
Italian for “angry.” Traditionally a spicy tomato, pancetta, or chile sauce.
Baste
Seasoned liquid applied to meats during slow roasting. Keeps them moist and adds flavor. They don't contain much sugar (which would burn over a long period of cooking).
Borlotti Beans
A Tuscany favorite. Mottled bean looks like a pinto bean but rounder. Also known as cranberry bean (if grown in the US). Delicious in soups.
Ceviche
A form of marinated seafood salad. The seafood is "cooked" in a citrus-based marinade without heat.
Chiles
The capsicum genus which includes green peppers, jalapenos, and serranos. The singular version of chiles is chile.
Daube
Braised meat or vegetables, especially beef in wine.
Ditalini
Small round tubular pasta (small version of ditali pasta).
Fond
The small bits on the bottom of a pan left over from sautéing a piece of meat.
Frenching
A form of trimming. Frenching a turkey leg means removing the first several inches of meat from it. Frenching ribs means scraping the fat and gristle from the ends of the ribs.
Glaze
Applied to meats in the last few minutes of cooking. Glazes have a high sugar content. The few minutes of cooking caramelizes the sugar without burning it.
Herb
Leaves of plants used to flavor foods. Grown in moderate climates. Usually added near end of cooking.
Julienne
To cut into matchstick size pieces
Leavening
To cause dough or batter to rise by use of a leavening agent, such as baking powder, baking soda or yeast which releases gases during preparation and baking.
Marinade
A liquid that meat soaks in to flavor it and tenderize it. Contains an acid (like vinegar or juice) to break down tough meat. Use a nonreactive container for marinating (the acid in the marinade will react with the metal to form an off-taste).
Nonreactive Cookware
Cookware that does not react with food - generally acidic foods like tomatoes. Nonreactive cookware is made from stainless steel, has a nonstick surface or is glass or enamel-coated pans (as long as they are not scratched). Iron, aluminum, and copper pans will react with acidic foods.
Pan Sauce
Blend of herbs and/or spices that you put on meat before you cook it. Adds a tasty crust to the meat.
Palliard
A piece of meat pounded very thin and grilled or sautéed.ery thin and grilled or sautéed.
Polenta
Italian for cornmeal. A coarsely ground cornmeal (consistency of granulated sugar).
Rub
Blend of herbs and/or spices that you put on meat before you cook it. Adds a tasty crust to the meat.
Salsa
A combination of fresh vegetables, which can be grilled or charred individually, but are not cooked again once mixed.
Sauté Pan
Long handled pan with sides straight up.
Seasoning
Enhances flavor of food. Usually sprinkled on after cooking (like adding salt and pepper).
Skillet
Long handled pan with sloping sides.
Spice
Fruits, bark, buds, flowers and roots of trees and plants that are typically grown in tropical climates. Usually added near beginning of cooking.
Sweating
Cooking a vegetable, such as carrots or onions, on low enough heat to soften them but not brown them.
Turbinado Sugar
Raw sugar (no chemicals) with the natural molasses left in. It is an amber color and a coarse grain with a slight molasses flavor.