Cooking Terms

• Al Dente – describes pasta that is firm and slightly undercooked
• Baste – to pour juices or liquid fat over meat while it cooks
• Blanch – to scald food in boiling water for a quick moment and then place it in cold water to stop the cooking process
• Brunoise – to cut foods in to a 1/8″ size dice
• Caramelize – to heat sugars until they are browned
• Chiffonade – to roll up leafy greens or herbs and cut into long, thin slices
• Clarify – to melt butter and separate the solids from the butterfat
• Cure – to preserve foods by adding salt and drawing out moisture
• Deglaze – to dissolve browned food residue in a hot pan with liquid
• Dredge – to coat moist foods in a dry ingredient, like flour
• Emulsify – to blend two liquids like oil and water
• Fillet – to cut a portion of meat or fish
• Flambe – to cover a food in a flammable liquid, like brandy or rum, and light it briefly on fire
• Fold – to incorporate an ingredient with a careful motion that retains air
• Julienne – to cut foods into long thin strips
• Meuniere – a method of cooking, usually used with fish, in which the food is lightly dusted with flour and sauteed in butter
• Parboil – to precook foods by boiling for a short time
• Reduce – to thicken a liquid mixture by boiling or simmering, causing moisture to evaporate
• Scald – to heat a liquid just to the boiling point
• Spatchcock – to split open a whole chicken or turkey for easy grilling