Glossary

a la King - Served in a rich sauce containing mushrooms, green pepper and pimento and often flavored with Sherry.

au Gratin - With a browned covering or crust of breadcrumbs, often mixed with butter or cheese.

Baste - To brush or ladle melted fat or other liquid over a food while cooking.

Blanch - To plunge into boiling water for a few minutes, then, in a certain cases, into cold water. Certain nut meats and fruits are blanched by this method to loosen the skin for easy removal. 

Blend - To combine two or more ingredients together.

Braise - To brown meat by boiling, baking or frying, then cover it and simmer until tender at a low temperature with a small amount of liquid added.

Broil - To cook by direct heat, over hot coals under gas or electric heat or between two heated surfaces.

Brush - To spread thinly.

Caramel - Flavored with sugar which has been melted over low heat to a liquid state and becomes a golden brown. 

Chantilly - A dish in which cream, whipped or plain, is one of the ingredients.

Compote - Fruit stewed in a sugar syrup.

Cube or Dice - To cut into small squares.

Dredge - To coat well, usually with flour or sugar.

Drippings - The fat and juices which cook out of meat or poultry.

Dust - To sprinkle lightly, usually white flour or sugar.

Flake - To break lightly into small pieces with a work.

Garnish - To decorate.

Julianne - Cut into long, thin strips.

Knead - To work with the hands, using a folding back and pressing forward motion.

Marinate - To let food stand in French dressing or some special well-seasoned acid mixture.

Mince - To chop very fine.

Pan-Broil - TO cook in a hot frying pan with little or no fat.

Parboil - To boil or simmer until partially tender as a preliminary to another method of cooking.

Poach - To cook in water kept just below the boiling point.

Puree - To press through a course sieve. 

Sauté - To cook in a small amount of fat.

Scald - To bring a liquid, such as milk, to a temperature below the boiling point at which bubbles appear around the sides of the surface. Milk scorches easily and should be scalded over hot water rather than over direct heat.

Score - To cut narrow gashes along the surface.

Sear - To cook at a very high temperature for a short time in order to quickly form a brown crust on the outer surface of the meat.

Shred - To cut or tear into thin strips.

Steep - To let stand in hot liquid below the boiling point for the purpose of extracting flavor or color or both.

Stew - To cook slowly in liquid held below the boiling point.

Stock - Liquid in which meat, fish, poultry or vegetables have been cooked.