Cooking Glossary

W|Z

Abalone

A delicious, edible conch-like shellfish. Native to America, it is found in Pacific waters off the coast of California.

Acerbic taste

Usually a tangy flavor that sharpens the palate; can be sour or bitter; and often defines the addition of vinegar in a recipe.

Adobo sauce

A Mexican seasoning paste or sauce made from ground chili peppers, vinegar and herbs.

Adzuki

Reddish-brown beans frequently used in Japanese desserts to add sweetness. Also known as aduki.

Al dente

From the Italian phrase to the tooth, meaning chewy. Usually applied to the cooking of pasta, but canalso apply to vegetables that are not fully cooked.

Anisette

Made with anise seed, this sweet liquor has a strong licorice taste and a thick, clear consistency.

Arugula

A salad green with a very strong, peppery tang, nice mixed with other lettuces; also called rocket.^ TopB

Bain-marie

Also called a water bath, it cooks delicate dishes such as custards, sauces and savory mousses withoutbreaking or curdling them. A pan, bowl, souffle dish, etc. of food is placed in a large, shallow pan of warmwater, which surrounds the food with gentle heat. The food may be cooked either in an oven or on top of a range.

Baklava

A cross between cake and a cookie, this Grecian dessert consists of phyllo dough layered with choppednuts, spices, and honey syrup.

Beignets

A French word for fritter, beignet refers to a doughnut or fried pastry famous to New Orleans cuisine. Itcan be served either sweet with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or savory, stuffed with seafood orvegetables.

Bind

To add an ingredient, such as an egg, which holds the other ingredients together.

Blanch

Blanching a vegetable means plunging it into boiling water for a few seconds to bring out its color andloosen the flesh of firm skins such as those of tomatoes and peaches. The cooking process is stopped byplunging vegetables into a bowl of cold water. This also heightens the color of the food.

Blintz

Similar to a crepe or pancake, a blintz is a small circle of thin batter fried on the stovetop and eitherrolled over and filled with cheese or used as a disk to hold meat, cheese, caviar, or other creative horsd'oeuvre fillings.

Bomba rice

A variety of rice grown in the Mediterranean region, mainly in Spain. Its creamy texture makes it idealfor serving with paella.

Bouquet garni

a bundle of herbs; usually bay, thyme, parsley and chervil ? tied together with string and dropped into apot to flavor soups, or meat, fish or poultry stocks. The bouquet is removed and discarded after cookingis done. The grain is also made by using just the leaves of the herbs, enveloped in a piece of cheesecloth.

Boxty

Irish potato pancakes are called boxty and made by simply grating potatoes and sauteing in butter withthe starch from the potato holding it all together.

Braise

A cooking method by which food (usually meat or vegetables) is first browned in fat, then cooked, tightlycovered, in a small amount of liquid at low heat for a lengthy time. The long, slow cooking develops flavorand tenderizes foods by gently breaking down their fibers.

Breadfruit

Related to the fig family, this large spherical fruit, grown in the West Indies, has a cream-colored fleshwith the texture of fresh bread. It is baked, grilled, fried or boiled, depending on whether served as asavory or dessert.

Brioche

The classic brioche shape has a fluted base and a lofty knot at the top. It comes in the form of small bunsor a large round loaf, and often encloses foods such as sausage or cheese.

Broccolini

Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and a Chinese vegetable. Broccolini has smaller florets and its stems aremore tender than traditional broccoli. The vegetable is new since the late 1990s and costs more, butthere is far less waste.

Butterflied

When a recipe calls for butterflying a meat, fish, or chicken, it means to cut the food down the center,but not all the way through, so that the meat opens up like a butterfly, flat and with two distinct halves.^ TopC

Caponata

Eggplant stars in this Sicilian cooked relish that also includes onions, olives, capers, tomatoes, anchoviesand vinegar.

Canola

A Canadian oil that is lower in saturated fat than most other cooking oils and contains Omega-3 fattyacids, reputed to lower cholesterol and serve as an antioxidant.

Caramelize

To heat sugar (preferably with water) until it liquefies and becomes a clear syrup ranging in color fromgolden to dark brown.

Carbonara, alla

Alla carbonara is the Italian term describing a pasta dish of spaghetti (or other noodles) with a saucecomposed of cream, eggs, Parmesan cheese and bits of bacon.

Cardamom

This native Indian spice is a member of the ginger family and has a warm, spicy- sweet flavor that is greatin everything from bread to desserts and is also found in tea from India called chai.

Carpaccio

Italian in origin, carpaccio is an appetizer of thin shavings of raw beef fillet which may be drizzled witholive oil and lemon juice or served with a mayonnaise or mustard sauce. Carpaccio also refers to any dishthat is made with something thin and raw.

Cavatappi

One of many shapes of pasta, this curly macaroni is great in casseroles where the sauce or meat can getcaught in its curves.

Celery root

Also known as celeriac, this is the root of a celery cultivated specifically for its root. Celery root gives adish a refreshing celery/parsley taste. It is splendid grated into salads or cooked in soups, stews andpurees. It can also be boiled, braised, sauteed and baked.

Chanterelles

Spot a chanterelle on the forest floor and you might mistake it for a piece of light topaz or a glistening

little trumpet. Chanterelles are firm and dense, and require a bit more cooking time in soups, stews, andsauces.

Charger

Larger than a dinner plate, this base plate plays host to the stacked place-setting of dinner, salad, andsoup plates. The charger can also be set without the china and just silverware, napkins and stemware.The table can be set in advance and the dishes brought to the table as the food is ready for serving.

Cheesecloth

Open woven fibers form a cloth which acts like a very fine sieve for draining foods such as cottagecheese and yogurt. Although lightweight, cheesecloth is a strong cotton that remains sturdy when wet.

Chive Stalks

The long green stems of the chive blossom herb. Stems are thin and are great for using in presentation of finished dishes. For example, use a stalk as a ribbon to tie up plated asparagus.

Ciabatta

In Italian, ciabatta means slipper. Ciabatta was created by a baker who formed dough in the shape of aslipper which he oven-baked to a crust. Ciabatta may be found in artisan bakeries and specialty foodstores. The bread's chewy character makes it an ideal dipper for a flavored olive oil.

Clafouti

Classic French dessert of fruit smothered with batter that is baked. Is also served as a morning coffeecake. Cherries are most commonly placed in a clafouti, but peaches plums or pears are also used.

Clarified butter (or drawn butter)

Butter that has been removed of milky solids. Used for cooking at higher temperatures and often fordipping, such as for seafood.

Clementines

These sweet fruits are a hybrid of the tangerine and Seville orange, but have a seedless, juicy flesh.Clementines are much smaller than an orange and rounder than a tangerine. This fruit is only availableduring the winter months.

Cloche

Dome-shaped, a glass cloche is ideal for covering cheese and other finger foods for the pre-dinner hour.Also known as a bell jar, it can be used for keeping plants from drafts and creating a hot-houseenvironment.

Clotted cream

Also known as Devonshire cream, this cream is made from unpasteurized milk that is gently heated until asemisolid layer of cream forms on the surface. Only recently has this traditional cream for scones beenimported from England to the United States.

Coarse salt

A Kosher salt whose coarse grains are additive free.

Coriander

Available in both leaf and seed forms, each with its own distinctive flavor. Seeds are used mainly forcooking and baking. Leaves are also known as cilantro, and are used in many ethnic specialties.

Couscous

An African grain of hard-wheat semolina. Couscous is prepared by simply constituting the hard grain withboiled water until the grain absorbs all of the water, and becomes similar to a tiny pasta or pastina.

Courgette

Popular in Mediterranean cookery, the word comes from the French and refers to a variety of squash,usually eaten when young and immature. But the term is often used loosely, meaning any kind of a summersquash can be used.

Cream

To mix a softened ingredient, like butter, alone or with other ingredients, such as sugar, until wellblended and completely soft.

Creme fraiche

A thick cream (like the thickness of sour cream) with a tangy, nutty flavor and velvety rich texture. It isthe ideal addition for sauces or soups because it can be boiled without curdling, and it is deliciousspooned over fresh fruit or other desserts such as warm cobblers or puddings. A pricey Americanfacsimile of France's authentic creme fraiche is sold in some gourmet markets. However, it can be madeat home. Combine 1 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container. Cover and letstand at room temerature from 8 to 24 hours or until ver thick. Stir well before coverin and