ACIDS Sourness is found naturally in many foods. Wines,
vinegars and lemon juice are many of the common acids used in cooking. These
are natural tenderizers and help break down foods by marinating.
Adjust- To adjust a recipe
means to taste or test before serving, adding seasoning if necessary. Remember,
you can always add salt, but you can never take it away.
Aerate- A synonym for sift,
the word aerate is often used in baking when sifting is used to incorporate air
into the dry ingredients. Also see “sift.”
Al Dente- An
Italian term meaning "to the bite," or literally, “to the tooth.”
This applies to foods cooked just enough to offer a slight resistance when
bitten into, firm but not hard. This term is most commonly used to describe the
ideal cooking point for pasta. The American Diabetes Association has
found that pasta cooked al dente rates lower on the glycemic index (so less
carbs) than fully cooked pasta. Test pasta for doneness 1-2 minutes before the
end of the time listed on the box.
Al Forno- An Italian
term for "baked" or "roasted."
Bain Marie- Also
known as a "water bath," this refers to placing a container of food
in a large, shallow pan of warm water, to surround the food with gentle,
indirect heat. This technique can be used in the oven or on the stove for
delicate dishes like sauces, custards, mousses, or for melting chocolate.
It can also be used to keep food warm without overcooking or drying it out.
Bake- To cook food by
surrounding it in dry heat. Make sure to use an oven thermometer to check the
accuracy of your oven’s settings. When baking at high altitude, the time
and temperature of a recipe may have to be adjusted.
Barbecue- To
cook meat, poultry, or fish slowly in a pit, grill or on a spit, using hot
charcoal or hardwood as a heat source. Some grills use propane gas as well.
Barbequed foods are often marinated and need basting to keep them moist. Also
see “baste.” Make sure to watch food closely when barbecuing to avoid
carcinogens.
Baste-To spoon or brush food
as it cooks with olive oil or other fats, or with liquids such as vegetable
stock, marinade, or wine. Basting is a useful technique to add flavor and to
prevent meat and other foods from drying out. Baste periodically throughout the
cooking process. If roasting in the oven, make sure not to open and close the
door too often or the oven may lose too much heat.
Batter- An uncooked
semi-liquid mixture usually made of flour, eggs, and milk mostly used in baked
goods. Batters can also be used to coat food, such as chicken or shrimp, before
frying.
Beat- To mix ingredients
rapidly with a strong circular motion to mix them and introduce air into the
mixture. This can to be done manually by beating the ingredients together with
a wooden spoon in a large bowl, but an electric hand mixer will get the job
done faster and with less effort.
Blanch- To briefly cook food,
typically vegetables and some fruit, at a rolling boil. Once the food has
boiled for a few minutes, it is plunged into cold water to stop the cooking
process. Blanching is used to partially cook vegetables and some fruits before
freezing, to loosen their skins (peaches, tomatoes), and to brighten their
color for use in side dishes and cooked salads. Blanching for 3 minutes will
kill unwanted organisms on the food’s surfaces and helps retain vitamins, both
important if you are going through chemo treatment. Blanching time depends on
the vegetable and its size, starting at 3 minutes for small cubed pieces of
most vegetables, for broccoli flowerets and for smaller vegetables like brussel
sprouts. Larger vegetables, like whole carrots or potatoes can be blanched for
5 minutes or longer depending, on their size.
Blend- To use an electric
blender or an immersion blender to liquidize, puree or blend together two or
more ingredients. Often used with pureed soups.
Boil- To cook food in
vigorously boiling liquid. Boiling is most used for pasta and hard
vegetables like potatoes. Boil using large quantities of water so that the
temperature doesn’t drop too far when food is placed in the water.
Simmering and poaching are often confused with boiling, but are very different
techniques. See “simmer” and “poach.”
Braise-To cook in a small
amount of liquid (can also be referred to as stewing or pot roasting.) Food is
first browned in fat, then cooked tightly covered, in a small amount of liquid
for a long period of time. The long and slow cooking technique is great for
flavor and tenderizing foods. To maintain moisture, make sure the lid is tight
fitting.
Bread- To coat food with
flour or a bread crumb mixture to create a crust. Used for baking and frying.
Broil- To cook food directly
under or above a direct heat source, such as a gas flame or electric heat.
Brown- A technique in which
meat is browned quickly in a skillet over high heat or under a broiler in the
oven. Also known as searing or sealing, browning is meant to lock in
moisture by quickly cooking the outside. Also see “sear.”
Butterfly- To
slice through a piece of meat or seafood from edge to edge and open it out like
the wings of a butterfly. Do not cut the food all the way through when
butterflying. Used for faster more even cooking of large pieces of meat or
fish.
Caramelize- A
gentle browning that brings out the natural sweetness of fruits, vegetables,
and nuts by caramelizing their natural sugars. Often used with onions,
caramelizing is one of the easiest ways to enhance natural flavor. Heat olive
oil or butter in a frying pan over medium flame and gently cook the food until
it starts browning and lightly sticking to the bottom of the pan, about 8
minutes. Take care not to cook the food too fast or it may burn. The
caramelized food is ready when it is a light to medium rich golden brown color.
Chiffonade - This
term translated from French means "made of rags or shreds." It refers
to a technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables are cut into long, thin
strips. You can do this by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly into a cigar
shape, and then cutting across the rolls into a 1/16 to 1/8-inch wide ribbons.
Chop- A quick cutting technique
in which a knife or cleaver is used to cut food into bite-size or smaller
pieces. A food processor may also be used to chop food. Chopped food is much
larger pieces than minced or diced food.
Clarify- To clear a cloudy
liquid by removing the sediment. Melting butter and letting it sit will allow
the white fats to rise to the top to be skimmed off. Clarified butter can be
found at most grocery stores and is usually called by the Indian term “ghee.”
Another common method of clarification is to add egg whites to a liquid, like a
stock, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The egg whites will act as a magnet
attracting any particles in the liquid. After cooling, the liquid is poured
through a sieve.
Coat- To cover a food with
an outer "coating." Food can be dipped or rolled in seasoned bread
crumbs, flour or sauces.
Coat a Spoon- The
technique used to test the doneness of egg-based sauces and custards. If the
mixture leaves an even coating of residue on the spoon, it is done. Run your
finger along the spoon and make sure that your finger leaves a clear path in
the custard or sauce.
Cream- To beat an ingredient
or combination of ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy. When a
cream is created out of more than one ingredient, there should be no evidence
of separation. Electric food processors and hand mixers are best for creaming.
Cure- To treat a food,
typically meat or fish, with an ingredient, usually salt or sugar, originally
used to protect foods from mold, bacteria, etc.
Deep Fry- To
cook completely submerged in hot oil. Always drain deep fried foods on kitchen
paper or tea towels to remove excess oil before eating. Temperature is
important. Foods deep-fried at the correct temperature will absorb minimal oil
and be light. If the oil is too hot, food will cook too quickly on the outside
and be left raw in the center. If the oil is too cool, it will absorb too much
oil.
Deglaze- Often used to make
quick sauce or gravy, this process involves adding liquid to a pan in which
foods have been sautéed or roasted to remove the caramelized juices stuck to
the bottom. It is important to first pour out any fat left in the pan and make
sure that the caramelized juices have not blackened or burned. After adding a
few tablespoons of liquid, such as stock or water or wine, gently scrape the
bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Gravy can be used as is, or enhanced by
adding other ingredients.
Degrease- To
use a spoon to skim the fat from the surface of a hot liquid like soup or
gravy, or cooling and chilling the liquid until the fat congeals on the top
making it easy to remove from the surface.
Dice- To cut food into small
cubes. Follow the recipe specifications as to the size, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 inch etc.
Diced food is more regularly shaped than minced or chopped foods, and cooks
more evenly.
Dredge- To coat with flour,
and a crumbled ingredient, like bread crumbs, to help brown the food when
cooking. In baking, food is often dredged in sugar.
Egg-Wash- A
mixture of eggs or egg whites with oil and water that is brushed over pastry
items before baking.
Emulsion-
Emulsifying is a technique that slowly adds one ingredient to one with which is
does not normally mix--such as oil and water when making salad dressings--while
stirring rapidly. This disperses small droplets of one liquid throughout the
other. Use a balloon whisk for this.
Etouffee- A
method of cooking food in a small amount of liquid, tightly covered, and over
very low heat, similar to braising.
Fold- To combine a light,
airy mixture like beaten egg whites with a heavier mixture, like custard. Place
the lighter mixture on top of the heavier one in a large bowl. Use a rubber
spatula to cut down vertically through the two mixtures, across the bottom of
the bowl and up the nearest side. Rotate the bowl to repeat ultimately very
gently folding one product with the other.
Fry- To cook in hot
fat. Similar to deep frying, but with much less fat and done in a shallow
pan.
Garnish- To decorate or
embellish a prepared food dish. Garnishes, typically finely chopped herbs or
torn basil leaves, are usually used to enhance the presentation of a plate
rather than the flavor.
Glaze- To give food a shiny
surface by brushing it with a sauce, jam, or icing.
Grate- To shred a large item
of food by rubbing it against a serrated surface. Hand held graters and food
processors outfitted with a metal blade or shredding disk can achieve this.
Firm foods are best for grating, such as cabbage, carrots and the like.
Grill- To prepare food
directly above a heat source such as a gas flame or hot charcoals.
Grind- To reduce food to
small grains. Food can be ground to various degrees--fine, medium, and coarse.
Use a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or electric coffee grinder, which is
free of coffee residue.
High-Altitude Cooking and Baking-There
is less pressure at higher altitudes than at sea level because the air is
thinner. For example, at sea level water boils at 212 degrees F, while at a
higher altitude it boils at 198 degrees F. When water boils at a cooler
temperature as it does at high altitude, foods will take longer to cook than at
sea level.
Julienne- To
cut food into thin matchstick sized pieces. First slice the food then stack and
slice again, until the desired thickness is achieved. If cutting a round object
(like a potato), it is safest to cut a slice from the bottom so that it will
“sit” firmly on the cutting surface.
Knead- A technique used to
mix and work a dough in order to make it a stretchable mass. Kneading enables
bread to hold in gas bubbles formed by leavening by stretching and expanding
the gluten. Kneading by hand is done with a pressing-folding-turning-action
with the heels of the hands. Fold the dough in half and give it a quarter turn
press into it and away from the body and repeat. Manual kneading takes anywhere
from 5 to 15 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Some food processors
also have “dough hooks” that will knead dough, but the manual approach is a
nice little workout.
Leaven- To add a leavening
agent to a batter or dough to make it rise. The most common leavening agents
are baking soda, baking powder, and yeast. When mixed with liquid they create
carbon dioxide gas that causes batters and dough to rise when baked.
Macerate- To
soak a cut food, especially a fruit, in a liquid so that it will absorb the
liquid's flavor.
Marinate- To
soak a food in a seasoned liquid mixture to add flavors or moistness. Most
marinades contain an acid like lemon or vinegar to help the meat or vegetable
tenderize and absorb the liquid. Marinating should only be done in a glass,
ceramic, or stainless steel container, not aluminum. Cover and
refrigerate foods when marinating.
Melt- To liquefy a fat or by
heating it slowly, so as not to burn.
Mince- To chop food into very
small pieces. After food has been cut into relatively small pieces, continue to
make them even smaller by keeping the tip of the knife on the cutting board and
chopping with a rocking motion. Stop every few seconds to use the blade to
remove the food into a pile again and continue.
Mix- To combine ingredients
together by hand with a spoon or whisk or with an electric mixer.
Pan Fry- Usually used
interchangeably with sautéing, but technically there is a difference. Both
terms refer to cooking in a small amount of hot oil or other fat. When sautéing,
continually toss foods over high heat. In pan frying, turn the food with a
spatula or tongs only a few times.
Papillote-To
wrap food loosely in parchment paper or foil while baking. As the food lets off
steam the paper rises and is then cut or peeled back after cooking to serve.
Poach- To cook food gently in
an almost boiling liquid. Many foods can be poached, like eggs and
fruits.
Puree- To work or strain
foods until they are completely smooth, it's easiest to achieve this with a
blender or food processor.
Reduce or Reduction-The
process of cooking liquids down so that much of the water evaporates. Reduction
is used to concentrate flavor as well as thicken sauces and soups.
Render- When animal fat is
melted over low heat the fat will separate from any connective pieces of
tissue. When you cook bacon, you are effectively rendering the fat.
Roast- To cook food in the
oven in an uncovered pan to create a crispy or brown exterior.
Roll Out- To
use a rolling pin, to flatten dough to a thin and even layer.
Sauteing- To
cook food quickly in a small amount of fat, such as butter or oil, over direct
heat by tossing and keeping it moving. Make sure the pan is hot, but not so
hot, that it will burn.
Sear- A technique in which
meat is browned quickly in a skillet over high heat or under a broiler in the
oven. Searing is meant to lock in moisture by quickly cooking the outside.
Season- To flavor food in
order to add and improve taste.
Set- To wait until food
becomes firm, as in custards and jellies.
Shred- To cut food into
narrow strips. This can be achieved by hand with a knife or with a grater or
food processor. Cooked meat, such a lean pork or chicken, can be shredded with
a fork.
Sift- To use a sieve or
sifter to combine dry ingredients such as flour and spices, or to remove any
lumps. Also see “aerate.”
Simmer- To cook a liquid at
about 185-degrees F, which is just hot enough for tiny bubbles just break the
surface. This is a much gentler cooking method than boiling, but a little
stronger than poaching.
Smother- To cook food in a
covered pan with a small amount of liquid over low heat.
Steam- To cook food in a
basket or on a rack over a small amount of boiling water beneath. It’s the best
way to retain flavor, color, and even vitamins and minerals that are sometimes
lost in harsher cooking techniques like boiling.
Stir Fry –
To use a wok in sautéing vegetables, fish or meats. This method of frying uses
a lot less oil that sautéing or pan frying. Stir fried foods are cut into
uniformly small pieces, then quickly cooked over a high heat. As the name
implies, the food is kept constantly moving round the pan by stirring so that
it cooks evenly. Also see “wok.”
Sweat- A
cooking method where the pan is covered or partly covered and food is cooked
over very gentle heat. Usually ingredients, typically vegetables, will soften
without browning. Sweating is usually a preliminary step in making stews and
soups.
Whip- To beat ingredients so
that air in incorporated and volume is increased. The end result should be
light and fluffily. Do not over whip heavy cream because it will curdle.
Wok – A high sided,
bowl shaped frying pan from China used for stir frying. Cooking in a wok uses
less oil than a regular frying pan. Also see “stir fry.”
Zest- A technique using a
citrus zester or vegetable peeler to remove a small amount of the outermost
layer of citrus, such as oranges, limes and lemons. Make sure to use only the
colored part of the skin and avoid the white pith. It's also best to buy
organic fruits if you plan on using thier zest. Zest can be used
effectively to add flavor to many types of dishes.
