WESTERN CULINARY TERMS

Western Culinary Terms

WESTERN CULINARY TERMS :-

  1.    Abats:- Butchers supplies such as heads, hearts, liver, kidney, etc.

  2.        A la carte:- Each dish is ordered & priced separately.

  3.                        A la François:- Dishes that are prepared in the French way.

  4.                        Appetizers:- A titbit served before a meal or as the first course. A drink such as sherry, cocktail etc.

  5.                        Aspic:- A transparent savoury jelly, generally made of seasoned meat stock. It is used to garnish meat or fish, or to make a moulds of meat, fish or game.

  6.                        Au gratin:- Any dish covered with sauce, breadcrumbs or cheese and afterwards baked or grilled.

  7.                        Au natural:- Simply-cooked food, or food served raw , such as oyster.

  8.                        Baba:- A light yeast cake, usually soaked in rum or spirit.

  9.                        Bake:- To cook by dry heat, usually in oven.

  10.               Barbeque:- Meat basted with a highly seasoned sauce, eg. Lamb basted with hot red-current sauce.

  11.               Baste:- To spoon melted fat or liquid over food during cooking to keep it  moist.

  12.               Batter:- A mixture of flour and liquid such as milk, egg, etc. of such consistency that it can be beaten or stirred. Used to coat foods for frying or as a pancake, etc. May be sweet or savoury.

  13.               Beat:- To mix air with food by vigorous motion; also used to make a mixture smooth and free from lumps.

  14.               Beachmel:- A rich white sauce.

  15.               Beurre noir:- Browned Butter.

  16.               Beurre maine:- Equal quantity of flour & butter used for thickening sauce.

  17.               Bisque:- A rich, thick, cream soup, usually made with shellfish, eg. Lobster.

  18.               Blanch:- Literally to whiten, but used here to mean dipping food into boiling water for a few moment, and then is cold, to remove skin.

  19.               Blend:- To combine two or more ingredients.

  20.               Bonbon:- Sugar confectionary – sweets.

  21.               Bouillon:- Unclarified broth or stock made from fresh meat.

  22.               Bouquet Garni:- A small bunch of mixed herbs for flavouring soups, stews etc.

  23.               Brioche:- Very light French rolls.

  24.               Broil:- To cook by exposing food directly to heat; used synonymously with “grill”.

  25.               Browning:- A substitute added to stews and gravies to darken them.

  26.               Brunoise:- fashion cut into small dice.

  27.               Brush:- A thin, even coating of beaten egg or milk applied to pies, buns, etc., immediately before they are out in the oven.

  28.               Canapés:-Small pieces of toast, fried bread or pastry on which light savouries are served.

  29.               Carte du jour:- Menu for the day.

  30.               Cannelloni:- Small pasta rolls filled with mince       (Italian).

  31.               Caramel:- A Substance made by heating sugar until it turns dark brown. Used for coating moulds, flavouring dishes etc.

  32.               Caramelize:- To heat sugar until a turns brown.

  33.               Casserole:- A baking dish with well-fitting lid used for cooking stews.

  34.               Caviar:- Salted roe of sturgeon or similar fish.

  35.               Cereals:- Grains such as wheat, including semolina, oats, barley, rye, rice etc.

  36.               Chaud-froid:- A cold sauce used for coating meat, game or fish.

  37.               Cheese Fondue:- Grated cheese melted in white wine, seasoned with pepper and flavoured at the last minute with a kirsch.

  38.               Chinois:- A conical strainer.

  39.               Choux:- A kind of pastry used for such things as cream buns and éclairs.

  40.               Chowder:-A American soup made with pickled pork, shellfish, fish, potatoes, and other vegetables.

  41.               Coat:- To cover with a thin layer.

  42.               Compote:- Fruit stewed in syrup.

  43.               Concass:- To chop roughly, eg. Concassed tomatoes.

  44.               Condiments:- Spices and seasoning.

  45.               Consistency:- The thickness or texture, such as cake or batter mixture.

  46.               Consommé:- A light-coloured clear soup.

  47.               Court-bouillion:- A well-flavoured cooking liquor for fish.

  48.               Cream Fat:- To beat fat with a wooden spoon until it is light and fluffy.

  49.               Crème:- Anything of a creamy consistency can be described thus.

  50.               Croissants:- French rolls, crisp and light.

  51.               Croquettes:- Left-over meat, fish, poultry or game, finely minced and rolled into a small sausage shapes. These are coated with egg and bread crumbs and fried a golden brown.

  52.               Croutons:- Bread cut in small dice or fancy shape and fried or toasted.

  53.               Custard:- A cooked or baked mixture made of milk and egg.

  54.                Cut and fold:- To mix flour very gently into a mixture.

  55.               Cutlet:- A small pieces of meat cut usually from rib of veal or pork, mutton or lamb, usually grilled or fried.

  56.               Darne:- The middle slice of fish.

  57.               Devilled:- The same as ‘a la diable’ that is any highly seasoned dish.

  58.               Dice:- To cut into small cubes.

  59.               Dissolve:- To melt a solid food in a liquid.

  60.               Dot:- To put small bit of butter, cheese, cream, etc., over the surface of a dish.

  61.               Dough:- A mixture of a liquid, flour, etc., kneaded together into a stiff paste or roll.

  62.               Dust:- To sprinkle lightly with fine sugar, dried milk

  63.               Éclair:- Choux pastry filled custard or cream. Can be coated with chocolate.

  64.               Entrée:- A dish served in the first part of a dinner, usually a made-up dish with sauce.

  65.               Escallops:- thin slices of meat dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and then fried.

  66.               Eapagnole:- A rich brown sauce.

  67.               Fillet:- Fish with bone removed.

  68.               Foie gras:- liver of a fat goose.

  69.               Fondant:- Sugar boiled to 112 degree Celsius and then beaten to a “fudge-like” smoothness. It can be used as an icing or any kind of sweet.

  70.               Frappe:- Sweetened fruit juice, half frozen.

  71.               Forcemeat:- Savoury stuffing.

  72.               Fritters:- Fruits, meat, vegetables or fish, coated with batter and fries, usually in deep fat.

  73.               Frappé: usually refers to a drink served very cold or with ice, often shaken

  74.               Frosting:- A cooked or uncooked sugar icing used to cover and decorate cakes, etc.

  75.               Fry:- To cook food in very hot fat in an open frying-pan.

  76.               Fromage: Cheese

  77.               Gelatine:- A product made from refined cow’s hoof. Sold either granulated or in a sheet.

  78.               Galantine: classical preparation of boned meat or whole poultry that is stuffed or rolled, cooked, then glazed with gelatine and served cold.

  79.               Ganache:- Classically a rich mixture of chocolate and crème used as a filling for cakes and chocolate truffles; currently may also include such flavourings as wild strawberries and cinnamon.

  80.   Gazpacho:-A cold soup, usually containing tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and sweet peppers; originally of Spanish origin.

  81.   Gateau:- cake

  82.   Gaufre: waffle.

  83.   Gelée: aspic.

  84.    Génoise: sponge cake.

  85.     Glace: ice cream.

  86.    Glacé: iced, crystallized, or glazed.

  87.     Gnocchi: dumplings made of choux paste, potatoes, or semolina.

  88.      Goujonnette: generally used to describe a small piece of fish, such as sole, usually fried.

89.      Grillede:- Grilling( meat) 
90.        Grosso piece:- Joint

  91.        Gratiné (e): having a crusty, browned top.

  92.       Gruyère: strictly speaking, cheese from the Gruyere area of Switzerland; in France, generic name for a number of hard, mild, cooked cheeses from the Jura, including Comté, Beaufort, and Emmental.

  93.                   Haddock: small fresh cod that have been salted and smoked.

  94.                   Haricot: bean.

  95.                   Herbes de Provence: mixture of thyme, rosemary, summer savory, and bay leaf, often dried and blended.

  96.                   Hollandaise: sauce of butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice.

  97.                   Hongroise, à la: Hungarian style; usually with paprika and cream.

  98.                   Hors-d'oeuvre: appetizer; can also refer to a first course.

  99.                   Indienne, à l': East Indian style, usually with curry powder.

  100.            Infusion: herb tea.

  101.            Jambon: ham; also refers to the leg, usually of pork, but also of poultry.

  102.            Jardinière: refers to a garnish of fresh cooked vegetables.   

  103.            Julienne: cut into slivers, usually vegetables or meat.

  104.            Jus: juice.

  105.            Lait:- Milk

  106.            Laitance:- soft roe

  107.            Lattue:- Lettuce.

  108.            Lait: milk.

  109.            Laitue: lettuce.

  110.            Lapin: rabbit.

  111.                                                                      Lard: bacon.    

  112.            Larder: to thread meat, fish, or liver with strips of fat for added moisture.

  113.            Lardon: cube of bacon.

  114.            Légume: vegetable.

  115.            Macaron: macaroon, small cookie of almonds, egg whites, and sugar.

  116.            Macédoine: diced mixed fruit or vegetables.

  117.            Madère: Madeira.

  118.            Maïs: corn.

  119.            Maltaise: orange-flavored hollandaise sauce.

  120.            Mangue: mango.

  121.            Manière, de: in the style of.

  122.            Mariné: marinated.

  123.            Marmelade: traditionally a thick purée of fruit, or sweet stewed fruit; today purée of vegetable, or stewed vegetables.

  124.            Matignon: a garnish of mixed stewed vegetables.

  125.            Menthe: mint.

  126.            Mille-feuille: refers to puff pastry with many thin layers; usually a cream-filled rectangle of puff pastry, or a Napoleon.

  127.            Mimosa: garnish of chopped hard-cooked egg yolks.

  128.            Minute (à la): "minute"; something quickly grilled or fried in butter with lemon juice and parsley (prepared at the last minute).

  129.            Mirepoix: cubes of carrots and onions or mixed vegetables, usually used in braising to boost the flavor of a meat dish.

  130.            Miroir: "mirror"; a dish that has a smooth glaze; currently a fruit mousse cake with a layer of fruit glaze on top.

  131.            Moëlle: beef bone marrow.

  132.            Mornay: classic cream sauce enriched with egg yolks and cheese.

  133.            Moule: mussel. Also a mold.

  134.          Mousse: light, airy mixture usually containing eggs and cream, either sweet or savory.

  135.            Mousseline: refers to ingredients that are usually lightened with whipped cream or egg whites, as in sauces, or with butter, as in brioche mousseline.

  136.            Nantua: sauce of crayfish, butter, cream, and, traditionally truffles; also garnish of crayfish.

  137.            Nappé: covered, as with a sauce.

  138.            Nature: refers to simple, unadorned preparations.

  139.            Noisette: hazelnut; also refers to small round piece (such as from a potato), generally the size of a hazelnut, lightly browned in butter. Also, center cut of lamb chop. Also, dessert flavored with hazelnuts.

  140.            Non compris: see Service (non) compris.

  141.            Nonat: small river fish in Provence, usually fried. Also known as poutine.

  142.            Normande: in the style of Normandy; sauce of seafood, cream, and mushrooms. Also refers to fish or meat cooked with apple cider or Calvados; or dessert with apples, usually served with cream.

  143.            Nougat: candy of roasted almonds, egg whites, and honey; specialty of Montélimar.

  144.            Nougat glacé: frozen dessert of whipped cream and candied fruit.

  145.            Oeuf: egg.

  146.            Omelette norvegienne: French version of Baked Alaska; a concoction of sponge cake covered with ice cream and a layer of sweetened, stiffly beaten egg whites, then browned quickly in the oven.

  147.            Osso bucco à la niçoise: sautéed veal braised with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and orange zest; specialty of the Mediterranean.

  148.            Paillette: cheese straw, usually made with puff pastry and Parmesan cheese.

  149.            Pain: bread. Also, loaf of any kind.

  150.            Panade: panada, a thick mixture used to bind forcemeats and quenelles, usually flour and butter based, but can also contain fresh or toasted bread crumbs, rice, or potatoes. Also refers to soup of bread, milk, and sometimes cheese.

  151.            Papillote, en: cooked in parchment paper or foil wrapping.

  152.            Paquet (en): (in) a package or parcel.

  153.            Parfait: a dessert mousse; also, mousse-like mixture of chicken, duck, or goose liver.

  154.            Patagos: clam.

  155.            Pâte: pastry or dough.

  156.            Pâté: minced meat that is molded, spiced, baked, and served hot or cold.

  157.            Persil: parsley (flatleaf).

  158.            Petite marmite: earthenware casserole; the broth served from it.

  159.            Piment: red pepper or pimento.

  160.            Pistache: pistachio nut.

  161.            Plat du jour: today's special.

  162.            Plat principal: main dish.

  163.            Poché: poached.

  164.            Poêlé: pan-fried.

  165.            Point (à): ripe or ready to eat, the perfect moment for eating a cheese or fruit. Also, cooked medium rare.

  166.            Poire: pear.

  167.            Poitrine: breast (of meat or poultry).

  168.            PoLenta: cooked dish of cornmeal and water, usually with added butter and cheese; also, cornmeal.

  169.            Pommes de terre: potatoes.

  170.            Pont-Neuf: classic fries.

  171.            Porchetta: young pig stuffed with offal, herbs, and garlic, and toasted; seen in charcuteries in Nice.

  172.            Portugaise: elongated, crinkle-shell oyster.

  173.            Pot-au-feu: traditional dish of beef simmered with vegetables, often served in two or mote courses; today chefs often use it to mean fish poached in fish stock with vegetables.

  174.            Potage: soup.

  175.            Potée: traditional hearty meat soup, usually containing pork, cabbage, and potatoes.

   176.            Poulet (rôti): chicken (roast).

   177.            Poulet basquaise: Basque-style chicken, with tomatoes and sweet peppers.

   178.            Poulpe: octopus.

   179.            Pralin: ground caramelized almonds.

   180.            Praline: caramelized almonds.

   181.            Prix fixe: fixed-price menu.

   182.            Prix net: service included.

   183.            Profiterole(s): classic chou pastry dessert, usually puffs of pastry filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with hot chocolate sauce.

   184.            Provençale: in the style of Provence; usually includes garlic, tomatoes, and/or olive oil.

   185.            Prune (d'ente): fresh plum; (variety of plum grown in the famed Agen region of the southwest).

   186.            Quenelle: dumpling, usually of veal, fish, or poultry.

   187.            Quiche lorraine: savory custard tart made with bacon, eggs, and cream.

   188.            Radis: small red radish.

   189.            Ragoût: stew; usually of meat.

   190.            Raisin: grape; raisin.

   191.            Ramequin: small individual casserole. Also, a small tart. Also, a small goat's-milk cheese from the Bugey, an area in the northern Rhône valley.

   192.            Raviole de Royans: tiny ravioli pasta filled with goat cheese, from the Rhône-Alpes.

   193.            Repas: meal.     

   194.            Rhuharbe: rhubarb.

   195.            Rhum: rum.

   196.            Rissolé: browned by frying, usually potatoes.

   197.            Riz: rice.

   198.            Sauvage: wild rice.

   199.            Rizotto, risotto: creamy rice made by stirring rice constantly in stock as it cooks, then mixing in other ingredients such as cheese or mushroom.

  200.            Rognons: kidney.

  201.            Romarin: rosemary.

  202.            Rondee: round slice--of lemon, for example.

  203.            Roquefort: disc of blue veined cheese of raw sheep's milk from southwestern France, aged in village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.

  204.            Roquette: rocket or arugula, a spicy salad green.

  205.            Rôti: roast; meat roast.

  206.            Rouelle: slice of meat or vegetable cut at an angle.

  207.            Rouille: mayonnaise of olive oil, garlic, chilli peppers, bread, and fish broth; usually served with fish soups, such as bouillabaisse.

  208.            Roulade: meat or fish roll, or rolled-up vegetahle soufflé; larger than a paupiette, and often stuffed.

  209.            Roulé(e): rolled.

  210.            Roux: sauce base or thickening of flour and butter.

  211.            Royale, à la: "royal-style"; rich classic preparation, usually with truffles and a cream sauce.

  212.            Rumsteck: rump steak.

  213.            Sabayon, zabaglione: frothy sweet sauce of egg yolks, sugar, wine, and flavoring that is whipped while being cooked in a water bath.

  214.       Safran: saffron.    

  215.            Saignant(e): cooked rare, for meat, usually beef.

  216.            Saindoux: lard or pork fat.

  217.            Salade: salad; also, a head of lettuce.

  218.            Salade folle: mixed salad, usually including green beans and foie gras.

  219.            Salade lyonnaise: green salad with cubed bacon and soft-cooked eggs, often served with herring and anchovies, and/or sheep's feet and chicken livers; specialty of Lyon; also called Salade niçoise: salad with many variations, but usually with tomatoes, green beans, anchovies, tuna, potatoes, black olives, capers, and artichokes.

  220.            Salade panachée: mixed salad.

  221.            Salade russe: mixed diced vegetables in mayonnaise.

  222.            Salade verte: green salad.

  223.            Salé: salted.

  224.            Salmis: classic preparation of roasted game birds or poultry, with sauce made from the pressed carcass.

  225.            Salpicon: diced vegetables, meat, and/or fish in a sauce, used as a stuffing, garnish, or spread.

  226.            Salsifis: salsify, oyster plant.

  227.            Sanglier: wild boar.

  228.            Sardine: small sardine. Large sardines are called pilchards. Found year-round in the Mediterranean, from May to October in the Atlantic.

  229.            Saupiquet: classic aromatic wine sauce thickened with bread.

  230.            Sauté: browned in fat.

  231.            Sauvage: wild.

  232.            Savarin: yeast-leavened cake shaped like a ring, soaked in sweet syrup.

  233.            Savoie (biscuit de): sponge cake.

  234.            Savoyarde: in the style of Savoy, usually flavored with Gruyère cheese.

  235.            Serpolet: wild thyme.

  236.            Smitane: sauce of cream, onions, white wine, and lemon juice.

  237.            Sommelier: wine waiter.

  238.            Sorbet: sherbet.

  239.            Soubise: onion sauce.

  240.            Soufflé: light, mixture of puréed ingredients, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites, which puffs up when baked; sweet or savory, hot or cold.

  241.            Suprême: a veal- or chicken-based white sauce thickened with flour and cream. Also, a boneless breast of poultry or a filet of fish.

  242.            Table d'hôte: open table or board. Often found in the countryside, these are private homes that serve fixed meals and often have one or two guest rooms as well.

  243.            Tablier de sapeur: "fireman's apron"; tripe that is marinated, breaded, and grilled; specialty of Lyon.

  244.            Tarte: tart; open-face pie or flan, usually sweet.

  245.            Tarte flambée: thin-crusted savory tart, much like a rectangular pizza, covered with cream, onions, and bacon; specialty of Alsace; also called Flamekueche.

  246.            Tendre: tender.

  247.            Tendron: cartilaginous meat cut from beef or veal ribs.

  248.            Terrine: earthenware container used for cooking meat, game, fish, or vegetable mixtures; also the pâté cooked and served in such a container. It differs from a pâté proper in that the terrine is actually sliced out of the container, while a pâté has been removed from its mold.

  249.            Thym: thyme.

  250.            Tomates à la provençale: baked tomato halves sprinkled with garlic, parsley, and bread crumbs.

  251.            Tortue: turtle.

  252.            Tournedos Rossini: sautéed tournedos garnished with foie gras and truffles.

  253.            Touron: marzipan loaf, or a cake of almond paste, often layered and flavored with nuts or candied fruits and sold by the slice; specialty of the Basque region.

  254.            Tourteau: large crab.

  255.            Train de côtes: rib of beef.

  256.            Tranche: slice.

  257.            Triple crème: legal name for cheese containing more than 75 percent butterfat, such as Brillat-Savarin.

  258.            Tripoux: mutton tripe.

  259.            Truffe (truffé): truffle (with truffles).

  260.            Truffes sous la cendre: truffles wrapped in pastry or foil, gently warmed as they are buried in ashes.

  261.            TuiLe: literally, "curved roofing tile"; delicate almond-flavored cookie.

  262.            TuLipe: tulip-shaped cookie for serving ice cream or sorbet.

  263.            Turban: usually a mixture or combination of ingredients cooked in a ring mold.

  264.            Turban: usually a mixture or combination of ingredients cooked in a ring mold.

  265.            Vanille: vanilla.

  266.            Veau: veal.

  267.            Velouté: classic sauce based on veal, chicken, or fish stock, thickened with a roux of butter and flour; also, variously seasoned classic soups thickened with cream and egg yolks.

  268.            Vinaigrette: oil and vinegar dressing.

  269.            Vol-au-vent: puff pastry shell. Literally meant ‘to fly with the wind’.

  270.            Yaourt: yogurt.

  271.            Za'tar: Middle Eastern seasoning mix of ground sesame seeds, sumac berrries, thyme and salt.

  272.            Zeste: zest, or citrus peel with white pith removed.