Cooking Terms


geogeekgirl

Cooking Terms

Aspic: A transparent jelly, usually meat, which has been boiled down to become firm when cold.

Bake: Cook in oven.

Batter: A mixture of flour or liquid that can be beaten or stirred.

Beat: Mix vigorously over and over with a spoon or fork, or round and round with beater.

Bisque: A rich thick cream soup usually made from fish.

Blanch: To place fruits or nuts in boiling water to remove skins, also to dip vegetables in boiling water in preparation for freezing, canning, or drying.

Blend: Mix thoroughly two or more ingredients until smooth.

Boil: Cook in steaming liquid in which bubbles break the surface.

Bouillon: Clear soup made from lean beef or chicken.

Braise: To brown meat or vegetables in hot fat, then to cook slowly in small amount of liquid.

Broil: Cook directly under heating unit in range, or over hot coals.

Caramel: Burnt sugar syrup used for coloring and flavoring. Also a chewy candy.

Chop: Cut into pieces with knife or chopper.

Clarify: To make a liquid clear by adding beaten egg white and egg shells. The egg coagulates in hot liquid and cloudiness adheres to it. The liquid is then strained.

Cracklings: Crisp particles left after fat has been fried out.

Cream: To work foods until soft and fluffy. Usually applied to shortening and sugar.

Cube: Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch squares.

Cut in: Mix fat (margarine or butter) into a flour mixture with a pastry blender, a fork, or two knives.

Dice: Cut into very small 1/4 inch squares.

Dot: Drop bits of butter or cheese here and there over food.

Dough: A mixture of flour and liquid that is stiff enough to be kneaded.

Drain: Pour off liquid.

Drippings: Liquids resulting from meat being cooked.

Fold: Mix gently, bringing rubber scraper down through mixture, across bottom, up and over top until blended.

Fryer: Whole chicken.

Giblets: The liver, gizzard or heart of poultry.

Grate: Rub against grater to cut into small pieces.

Grease: Spread bottom and sides if pan with shortening.

Julienne: Food cut into very thin strips.

Knead: Work dough with your hands by repeating and folding-back, pressing-forward, and turning motion.

Marinate: To let foods stand in an acid mixture of oil and vinegar, flavored with spices, herbs, lemon juice or wine.

Melt: Heat until liquid.

Mince: Chop or cut into tiny pieces.

Panfry: Cook in small amount of fat in skillet.

Pare: Cut off outside skin, as from an apple or potato.

Peel: Pull off outer skin, from orange or banana.

Roll out: Flatten and spread with a rolling pin.

Shred: Cut into very thin strips.

Sift: Put through flour sifter or fine sieve.

Simmer: Cook in liquid almost to boiling but not hot enough to bubble.

Soda: Baking soda

Stir: Mix round and round with spoon.

Toss: Mix lightly.

Whip: Beat with rotary egg beater or electric mixer to add air.


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