MODULE 13 - Reading Material (Menu Glossary)

Your Guide to
Emirates Cuisine
Service Training
Back to Contents
Back to Contents Back to Contents
Contents
Pronunciation Guide 4
Cooking Methods 8
Hors doeuvres 20
Soups 28
Salads 32
Main Meals 36
Vegetables 56
Pasta, Cereal and Grains 66
Sauces and Dressings 74
Desserts 84
Fruits, Nuts and Berries 94
Cheese 102
Bakery Items 116
Herbs and Spices 124
Condiments 132
Beverages 138
Cooking provides us not only with sustenance. A meal can be a social
event; it is often a conversation piece in its own right; and it is perhaps
the most fascinating meeting of art and science. The artistic and scientific
value of cooking was a subject worthy of Socrates attention and has been
debated by countless great thinkers since, as we have learned more about
the nature of our foods, how they are transformed by cooking and when
and why our culinary habits have changed.
Most of us enjoy our food. A little knowledge of where it comes from,
how it is prepared and how it is presented to us enhances that enjoyment.
So, while this booklet cannot cover the subject exhaustively, it will give
you plenty of fundamental information you can share with our Emirates
customers, when appropriate, so that everyone gets more out of meal
times.
Understanding the food you serve will also give you extra confidence.
You'll be comfortable answering questions about every aspect of a meal,
from its name to its ingredients and its origins.
To make it easy to absorb this information, we've divided it into numerous
sections in a logical order. Each section presents a single element of
the culinary experience: an introduction gives you a broad view of the
subject and some anecdotal history where possible; and the bulk of
the section offers detailed examples.
The pronunciation guide at the start of this booklet will help you with
uncommon phrases throughout all sections.
We hope you learn and enjoy using this informative product guide to
enhance your service delivery skills to our customers!
Service Training
2
Pronunciation Guide
Unusual terms featured in this culinary glossary are accompanied
by pronunciations enclosed in brackets [-].
Basic sounds used for this glossary are:
a as in pan
ah as in rather
air as in bare
ay as in mate
ch as in church
ee as in meat
eh as in get
g as in go
i as in rice
ih as in tip
j as in jazz
k as in kite
Pronunciation Guide
6
Cooking Methods
o as in rod
oh as in coat
oo as in mood
ow as in how
sh as in shirt
th as in thick
uh as in up
ur as in pert
zh as in seizure
Pronunciation Guide
7
We can define cooking generally as the transfer of energy from
a heat source into food. But the definition hardly does justice
to the array of flavours, textures and colours we can produce
by combining foods, various methods of cooking and a
myriad of equipment and utensils from around the world.
This section introduces us to the key methods and equipment
used to prepare dishes that might appear on Emirates menus.
La King [alla king]
Served in a velout with green pepper.
Air-Dried Meats
Air-drying is a preservation method from the days before refrigeration where meat is
cooked dry in an oven until the moisture disappears.
Alla Primavera [pree-muh-vehr-uh]
This Italian phrase means spring style and refers to the use of fresh vegetables
(raw or blanched), as a garnish to various dishes. One of the most popular dishes
prepared in this manner is pasta primavera pasta tossed or topped with diced or
julienne vegetables.
Amandine [ah-mahn-deen]
Dishes garnished with toasted almonds, e.g. broccoli
amandine.
Arabic Style
With tomato, coriander and baharat spices.
Barbecue [bahr-buh-kyoo]
Method of slow grilling meats using indirect heat
or smoke, typically from charcoal.
Blanch [blahnch]
Cooking method by which food is briefly plunged into boiling water and then
immediately into cold water to stop the cooking process. Often used before freezing
vegetables.
Braise [brayz]
Cooking method for meat, fish or
vegetables, where the food is slowly
cooked in hot fat and liquid in a
covered dish.
Brochette [broh-sheht]
French for skewer. Cubes of meat or
fish and vegetables threaded onto a
skewer and then grilled or barbecued.
Cooking Methods
10
Broil [br-oil]
A method of cooking by intense, direct heat.
Brunoise [broo-nwahz]
Small, diced vegetables used as a garnish.
Cajun [kay-jun]
A style of cooking associated with the South America, especially Louisiana. Dishes are
typically coated with spices, onions and green pepper.
Caramelise [kar-uh-muh-lize]
To heat sugar until it liquifies and becomes a clear syrup ranging in colour from golden to
dark brown.
Chargrill [ch-ah-r-gr-ill]
To grill food over charcoal.
Concass [con-cah-say]
The French term for chopping or pounding a
substance; either coarsely or finely. The term may
be applied to vegetables, herbs, meat, poultry,
game and fish bones.
Cornets [kor-nay/kor-neht]
French for horn, meaning horn-shaped or cone-shaped.
Coulis [coo-lee]
a. A liquid pure of cooked and seasoned vegetables or shellfish used to enhance
the flavour of a sauce, as an ingredient in soups, or as a sauce in itself.
b. Fruit coulis are sauces of cooked or raw fruits and served as an accompaniment
to hot or cold desserts.
Crole [kree-ohl]
A cooking style from Louisiana, USA. Usually
flavoured and garnished with tomatoes and
peppers.
Croquette [kroh-keht]
Minced meat or vegetables combined with
a thick, white sauce and seasonings, then
dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs
and deep-fried until crisp and brown.
Cooking Methods
Cure [k-ye-oh-r]
A method of preserving and flavouring food (such as meat, cheese or fish), by treating
it with salt and leaving it to hang for a period of time, or by exposing it to smoke.
Cutlet [k-uht-let]
a. Thin, tender cut of meat taken from the leg or rib section.
b. Finely chopped meat, fish, poultry or vegetables that is bound with a sauce or
egg mixture and formed into a cutlet shape. It is often dipped into beaten egg and
breadcrumbs before being fried.
Dauphinoise [doh-fee-noo-ahs]
French method for cooking thinly sliced potatoes in a gratin dish with cream, cheese
and garlic.
Devilled [deh-vihld]
Hotly-spiced, usually with hot mustard, black pepper or chilli.
Duchess [duch-his]
Pured potatoes, piped or formed into small, decorative shapes
and baked.
Dumpling [duhm-pling]
Small parcels of food. An outer casing of dough or pastry,
typically stuffed with meat, seafood or vegetables.
mince [ay-mans]
French term for food chopped into small slices.
Emulsify [eh-muhl-sih-fi]
To combine fats, such as butter or oil, with
vinegar or citric juices using an emulsifier
such as an egg yolk, which binds to each
set of ingredients to create a smooth and
even blend. Hollandaise is a classic
emulsified sauce.
Encrote [on-croot]
Cooked in pastry.
Escalope [eh-skuhl-ohp]
Thin slice of meat, fish or poultry, often
beaten thinner for quick cooking and usually pan fried. The classic method of preparing
veal escalope is to coat it with breadcrumbs.
Cooking Methods
12 11
Farce/Forcemeat [fahrs]
A seasoned mixture of raw or cooked ingredients, chopped or minced (ground). Used to
stuff eggs, fish, poultry, game, meat, vegetables or pasta.
Fillet [fih-lay]
A boneless piece of meat or fish.
Florentine [flohr-ehn-teen]
a. In the style of Florence, Italy a term that indicates the use of spinach in a dish.
e.g. eggs florentine.
b. Small biscuit of nuts and dried fruit covered with chocolate on one side.
Fondant potatoes [fon-do]
Cooked in the oven with stock.
Fondue [fon-doo]
French for melt. Can refer to food cooked in a central
pot at the table or, in French cooking, finely-chopped
vegetables that have been reduced to a pulp by
lengthy and slow cooking.
Frite [friht]
French for fried.
Fritter
Piece of food dipped in batter and deep-fried. It can be sweet or savoury.
Fumet [foo-may]
A concentrated stock made from fish, poultry
or game and used as a base for sauces.
Glc [glah-say]
French for glazed. Demi-glc means
half-glazed.
Glaze [glayz]
1. Smooth and shiny coating applied to food
as a thin liquid which then sets.
2. A syrupy substance obtained by reducing
meat, game or fish stock.
Gratin/Gratinated [grah-tehn/grah-tee-nay-ted]
Dish topped with cheese or breadcrumbs and heated in the oven until brown and crispy.
Grill [gri-ih-ll]
A method of cooking by intense, dry heat.
Gumbo [guhm-boh]
A Creole speciality and cooking style found typically in the Gulf of Mexico in the USA.
Gumbo is a thick, soupy stew of vegetables, fish or seafood and is spicy in flavour.
It is thickened with okra, as is typical for Cajun cooking, giving the dish its distinctive
texture.
Hash
Finely-chopped raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.
Julienne [joo-lee-ehn]
Foods that have been cut or shredded into thin, matchstick strips.
The julienne is cooked in butter in a covered pan until quite soft
and then used as a garnish, especially for soups and consomms.
Raw vegetables can also be cut as a julienne and served as an
hors d'uvre.
Leonardo [lee-oh-nahr-doh]
Garnished with cream, mushrooms and vegetable julienne.
Lyonnaise [lee-oh-nayz]
Preparation method associated with the cuisine of Lyon, France, and characterised by
the use of chopped onions, which are sauted, glazed in butter until golden and often
finished off with the pan juices and sprinkled with chopped parsley.
Macdoine [mas-eh-dwahn]
A mixture of diced fruits or vegetables.
Served hot or cold, either cooked or raw.
Marinade
[ma- ree-nahd/ma-ree-nehd]
A seasoned liquid in which foods such
as meat, fish and vegetables are soaked
(marinated), in order to absorb flavour.
Most marinades contain an acid (lemon
juice, vinegar or wine), and herbs or
spices.
Cooking Methods Cooking Methods
14 13
Masala [muh-sah-lah]
An Indian spice blend or Indian gravy.
Medallion [meh-dal-yon]
A small coin-shaped piece of meat, usually beef or veal.
Meunire [muhn-yayr]
A method of cooking fish by lightly dusting in flour and frying in butter.
Parisienne [puh-rih-sih-ehn]
Describes preparations typical of classic Parisian
restaurants.
Patty
Similar to a medallion, but a patty is ground or finely
chopped meat, fish or vegetables in a thin round
shape.
Paupiette [poh-pee-eht]
A thin slice of meat spread with a layer of forcemeat
and rolled up.
Piemontaise [pee-a-mon-tayz]
A term to describe the cooking style of Piedmont, Italy. Gnocchi Piemontaise are small
potato dumplings in tomato sauce, served with Parmesan cheese.
Poach [pohch]
To cook food gently in liquid just below the boiling point.
Polonaise [po-lo-nayz]
Preparation method associated in French
cooking with the cuisine of Poland.
Typically garnished with hard-boiled egg
yolk, parsley and breadcrumbs.
Portugaise [por-too-gayz]
A sauce made of garlic, tomatoes and
onions.
Pot-au-Feu [pot-oh-fuh]
French for pot on fire and used to
describe a thick French soup of meat
and vegetables cooked together.
Potted Shrimps, Lobster, etc.
Potted refers to a traditional preservation method. Today the term often describes
small cups, filled with lobster and aspic.
Provenale [proh-vahn-sahl]
Term referring to dishes prepared in the style of Provene, a region in south-eastern
France, and seasoned with herbs such as sage, oregano, rosemary and thyme.
Pure [pyoo-ray]
Fruit or vegetable mashed to a smooth, thick, paste-like
consistency.
Quenelle [kuh-nehl]
A small, round or oval dumpling made of seasoned fish,
game or veal, usually poached in stock.
Range [raynj]
A large stove with hotplates or burners and one or more
ovens, heated by solid fuel, oil, gas or electricity.
Rillet [ree-leh]
A traditional method of long, slow cooking, for preserving minced meats and fish.
Roulade [roo-lahd]
French term for a thin slice of meat, usually veal or beef, spread with a savoury stuffing
and rolled up.
Saut [soh-tay]
To cook food quickly in a small
amount of oil in a pan over
direct heat.
Sear [see-ur]
To brown meat quickly by subjecting
it to very high heat. The object of
searing is to seal in the meats juices.
Shashlik [shuhsh-lihk]
A Middle-Eastern term meaning
skewered meats.
16 15
Sichuan/Szechuan [sehch-wahn/sehch-oo-ahn]
Type of Chinese cooking known for its hot, spicy dishes.
Simmer [simah]
To cook food slowly and steadily in a sauce or other liquid over a gentle heat, just below
boiling point.
Smoke [sm-oh-k]
A curing process used to preserve fish, meat, poultry and seafood. Smoking produces
a salty flavour in foods by exposing them to smoke.
Steak [s-tayk]
A slice of grilled or fried beef (or horsemeat in
France).
Stew [stoo]
A method of cooking over a long period of time,
where food is simmered slowly in a small amount
of liquid in a covered pot.
Stock/Fond [stok]/[fon]
A flavoured liquid used as a base for making sauces, stews and braised dishes.
Tempura [tehm-poo-rah]
Japanese dish, cooked in a light batter and usually served with a light sauce.
Tagine/Tajine [tah-jeen]
A deep, glazed earthenware dish with a conical lid that sits flush with the rim, used for
slow-cooking a variety of vegetable and meat dishes throughout North Africa. Also used
as the term for food prepared in these lidded dishes.
Tandoori/Tandouri [tahn-doo-ree]
A type of Indian cuisine, particularly
popular in Pakistan and the Punjab
region, where food is prepared in a tall,
cylindrical clay oven, known as a tandoor.
Chicken and meat cooked in a tandoor
are coated in a red-orange paste, which
includes a mixture of tandoori spices
ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika,
tumeric and cayenne mixed together
with oil, lemon juice and pured ginger
and garlic.
Tandoori spices can also be added to yoghurt and used as a marinade. Tandoori ovens
are also used to bake traditional naan flatbread.
Tikka [tih-kah]
Hindi term for marinated chunks of meat, chicken, cottage cheese (paneer) or
vegetables marinated in spices and cooked on skewers.
Timbale [tihm-bahl]
a. A high-sided, metal container with a slightly tapered bottom used as a mould
in baking.
b. Also the name given to a dish (usually custard-based)
baked in such a mould.
Turn
a. To shape vegetables into a regular form using a paring
knife.
b. To rotate the position of a piece of roasting meat without
pricking it, so that it cooks evenly on all sides.
Viennoise [vee-ehn-oh-ahs]
A cooking style from Vienna, Austria, where meat
(usually veal) is breaded and pan-fried.
Wok
A round-bottomed cooking pan, popular in Oriental cuisine, used for stir-frying,
steaming, braising, stewing and deep-frying.
Zest
Small, grated strips of citrus peel, especially orange, lemon or lime rind, removed using
a grater, potato peeler or zester.
18 17
Hors doeuvres
Hors d'oeuvres are served to whet the appetite before the main
course of a meal. They may also appear with cocktails as a snack
to sustain guests as they wait for a meal to begin.
While canaps and crudits are typical hors duvres following the
French tradition, around the world different cultures use a variety
of snack foods. The Chinese, for example, often include dumplings
as hors duvres, and in Italy, where hors duvres are called
antipasto, one can expect to see cheeses and raw or marinated
vegetables, as well as cold cuts and cured meats such as prosciutto.
Al Rahib Salad [al ra-heeb]
Smoked aubergine salad.
Anago Gekkon [an-a-goh-geh-kon]
Quail eggs wrapped in eel.
Antipasto [an-tee-pas-toh]
Italian for starter, literally meaning before meal. The term for cold hors d'uvres.
Aspic [as-pihk]
A savoury jelly made from clarified meat, fish or vegetable stock or gelatine.
Baba Ganoush/Baba Ghannouj [bah-bah-gah-noosh]
A traditional Middle-Eastern aubergine pure, made with tahina
and olive oil. Possible seasonings include garlic and lemon.
Ballottine [bal-loh-teen]
A type of pt or terrine made of minced meat or fish.
Ballot is French for bundle.
Bamia Bil Zeit [bah-mee-ah bihl zeht]
Okra with oil.
Blini [blee-nih]
Small Russian buckwheat pancakes, traditionally served with smoked salmon and caviar.
Bresaola [brehz-ah-oh-lah]
Italian, air-dried, salted beef fillet that has been aged about two months. Usually thinly
sliced, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and served as an antipasto.
Canap [kanipeh]
Small appetiser or mini foods that can
be eaten with the fingers. Usually
served as an accompaniment to drinks.
Carpaccio [kar-pah-choh]
An Italian first course consisting of very
thin slices of raw beef served cold with
a creamy vinaigrette sauce made with
olive oil.
Hors doeuvres
22
Dim sum [dihm-suhm]
These dishes include a wide selection of fried and steamed dumplings with various
fillings, as well as other sweet and savoury items. Served as starters or lunch at a
Chinese meal.
Dolmas/Dolmades [dohl-mahs/dohl-mah-dehs]
Mediterranean cuisine: any of a variety of fruits, vegetables or leaves stuffed with
a savoury filling and baked (e.g. stuffed vine leaves/
squash/pepper).
Falafel [fah-lah-fehl]
Middle-Eastern chickpea fritter, often served in warm
pitta bread.
Fatayer [fah-ti-yuhr]
A triangular, stuffed pastry, usually served as an
appetiser.
Fatoush [fah-toosh]
A type of Middle-Eastern green salad with tomatoes, sumac and toasted pita bread,
usually served as an appetiser.
Foie Gras [foo-ah grah]
Considered a delicacy, foie gras is a rich pt made from duck or goose liver. The birds are
force-fed and fattened until the livers become enlarged. The livers are marinated in Armagnac
(brandy), Port or Madeira, stuffed with black truffle (type of edibile fungi), seasoned and
then pressed into a terrine. Foie Gras is extremely rich in flavour and has a silky, smooth
texture. Often served in thin slices at the start of a meal with sweet wine.
Forellenstrudel [fo-rehl-ehn-shtrood-l]
Smoked trout in strudel dough.
Futomaki [foo-toh mah-kee]
Thick sushi rolls.
Galantine [gal-ahn-teen]
A type of pt or terrine made from de-boned
poultry (mainly chicken or duck) stuffed with
minced meat.
Goose Liver Gateau [ga-toh]
The term gateau means cake, referring to
how the goose liver is moulded.
Gravadlax/Gravlax [grav-laks]
A Swedish speciality where the freshest raw salmon is cured in a mixture of sugar, salt
and fresh dill. True gravadlax should be left to marinate at a temperature of between
three and four degrees celcius for three to four days. It is often served with dill and
mustard dressing. It literally means salmon from the grave.
Gyoza [gyoh-zah]
Japanese dumplings.
Hommos/Hummus [Hoom-uhs]
Thick Middle-Eastern sauce made from mashed chickpeas seasoned
with lemon juice, garlic and olive or sesame oil. If sesame seed
paste (tahina) is added, it becomes hummus bil tahina.
Hummer Und Rucherlachsterrine
[hoo-muhr oond ro-eh-khuhr-lahks-tuh-ree-nuh]
Lobster and smoked salmon terrine.
Kebab [keh-bahb]
Small pieces of meat threaded on skewers and grilled or roasted.
Kibbeh [kee-beh]
Middle-Eastern dish, which basically combines ground meat (usually lamb), bulgur
wheat, pine nuts, onions and various flavourings.
Kofta [kohf-thah]
Hindi term for a fried and spicy minced meat, poultry or vegetable roll.
Kousa Mahshi [koo-sah mah-shee]
Stuffed baby marrows.
Loubieh Bil Zeit
[loo-bee-ah bihl zeht]
Arabic style bean salad.
Makdous [muhk-doos]
Pickled aubergine stuffed with almonds,
garlic and herbs.
Maki Sushi [mah-kee soo-shee]
A thin sushi roll. Vinegar-flavoured rice
wrapped in seaweed and filled with fish,
meat or vegetables.
Hors doeuvres Hors doeuvres
24 23
Manakish bil Zaatar [mah-nah-kihsh bihl zah-tahr]
Pizza with a blend of spices and olive oil.
Marinierter Lachs [mah-ree-nee-eh-tehr lahks]
Marinated gravadlax (a type of salmon).
Mashwi Kebab [mash-wee keh-bahb]
Grilled lamb mixed with herbs and spices.
Mezze [meh-zeh]
Greek for appetiser.
Moudardara [moo-dahr-dah-rah]
A cold dish made of lentils and rice, topped with
fried onion.
Mousse [moos]
French for froth or foam, mousse is a rich,
airy dish that can be sweet, e.g. chocolate mousse
or savoury, e.g. salmon mousse.
Moutabel [moo-tah-buhl]
A dip made from sesame seed paste and roasted aubergine.
Pakora [puh-koh-rah]
Deep-fried fritter popular in India, often served as an appetiser or a snack. Can be made
with vegetables, fruit, rice, fish or meat.
Pastrami [pah-strah-mee]
Highly-seasoned, dry-cured smoked
beef or turkey.
Pt/Terrine [pah-tay/teh-reen]
Classically, pt is minced meat baked in
a pastry. Today, it is also cooked without
the pastry, which was traditionally called
a terrine. Both names are now used
interchangeably. Can also be used
to describe the dish itself.
Polpo Marinato [pol-poh mah-ree-nah-toh]
Marinated octopus.
Salmon Tartare [tahr-tuhr]
Raw minced salmon mixed with seasoning; eaten as a starter or on cold canaps.
Samosa [suh-moh-sah]
Fried, triangular pastries that may be filled with vegetables or meat or a combination
of both.
Satay [sah-tay]
Pieces of meat or fish threaded onto skewers and
grilled over a flame. Several variations of these are seen
throughout south-east Asia. A spicy peanut sauce is
served with meat satay in Vietnam and Thailand.
Souffl [soo-flay]
A light, airy mixture that usually begins with a thick, egg
yolk-based sauce or pure that is lightened by stiffly beaten
egg whites. Souffls may be sweet or savoury, hot or cold.
Sushi [soo-shee]
A Japanese speciality based on boiled rice flavoured with sweetened rice vinegar.
Tabouleh [tah-boo-leh]
A Middle-Eastern dish made up of bulgur wheat (burghul), chopped tomatoes, onions,
parsley, mint, mixed with olive oil and lemon juice.
Tahina [ta-heen-a]
Sesame paste.
Temaki [teh-mah-kee]
Hand-rolled sushi.
Thon Fum [to foo-may]
French for smoked tuna.
Hors doeuvres Hors doeuvres
26 25
Trio Di Pesce Affumicato [tree-oh dih peh-shay ah-foo-mee-kah-toh]
Trio of smoked fish.
Vine Leaves
Leaves of the grape vine.
Vitello Tonnato [vee-tehl-loh toh-nah-toh]
A popular Italian dish, which consists of cold, sliced,
roasted veal accompanied by a sauce of pured tuna,
anchovy fillets, capers, lemon juice and olive oil.
Wurst [voorst]
German for sausage.
Yakitori [yah-kee toh-ree]
A Japanese dish of skewered grilled chicken, which
is first marinated in teriyaki sauce a sweetened
version of soy sauce with the addition of sake,
honey and ginger.
Hors doeuvres
Soups
27
Soup is made by combining ingredients such as meat, fish and
vegetables in simmering water or stock to extract their flavour.
There are two basic classes of soup: clear and thick. We can then
identify clear soups as either bouillon or consomm, while thick
soups fall into groups according to their thickening agent. Cream,
eggs and butter, bchamel sauce, flour and grains are common
thickening agents.
Bisque [bihsk]
A thick soup usually made of pured shellfish (lobster or mussels) and cream. Sometimes
poultry, meat or vegetables are used instead.
Bouillabaisse [boo-ya-bayz]
Thin stew made from a variety of fish, saffron and tomatoes. Traditionally associated
with the Provence region of France, especially Marseilles.
Bouillon [bool-yon]
Any broth (stock) made by cooking vegetables, poultry, meat or fish in water. The liquid
that is strained off after cooking is the bouillon. It is used as a base for soups and sauces.
Broth [bro-th]
Stock. See bouillon.
Chowder [chow-duhr]
A chunky seafood soup from North America, of which clam
chowder is the best known type.
Consomm [kon-suh-may]
French for soup, also used to describe a clear, flavourful
broth, mainly made from meat. See potage.
Dashi [dah-shee]
Soup stock used extensively in Japanese cooking and made with dried bonito flakes
(tuna), kombu (dried kelp) and water.
Gazpacho [gahz-pah-choh]
A cold soup from Andalusia, southern Spain, made from minced tomatoes, peppers,
onion, celery, cucumber, breadcrumbs, garlic and olive oil.
Goulash [goo-lahsh]
Meat and vegetable stew traditionally made
from beef and flavoured with Hungarian
paprika.
Krbissuppe [koo-uhr-bihs-zoo-puh]
A creamy pumpkin soup.
Minestrone [mih-nihs-stroh-nee]
Italian for big soup and a traditional
Italian vegetable stew flavoured with herbs
and often containing pasta.
Miso/Misoshiru [mee-soh/mee-soh-shee-ruh]
A fermented soya bean base from Japan used for soups and flavourings.
Soups
30
Mulligatawny [muh-lee-guh-tow-nee]
A traditional Indian soup flavoured with curry, cumin and coriander. The name is derived
from the Tamil milagu tannir meaning pepper water.
Osuimono [oh-soo-ee-moh-noh]
Japanese clear soup.
Pomodoro Zenzero [po-moh-do-roh zan-zeh-roh]
Fresh tomato soup, enhanced with ginger.
Potage [po-tahj]
French for soup and used to describe a pured soup that
can be thickened.
Royale
A type of custard, often used as a garnish for clear soups
in French cuisine.
Sauerampfersuppe [zow-uh-rahm-fuhr-zoo-puh]
German for cream of sorrel soup. Sorrel is a green vegetable similar to spinach with
a slightly sour flavour.
Soupe Loignon [soop ah lyo-nyo]
French for onion soup.
Spargelcremesuppe [sh-pahr-gehl-krehm-zoo-puh]
German for cream of asparagus soup.
Spinatcremesuppe [shih-naht krehm-zoo-puh]
German for cream of spinach soup.
Tomatencremesuppe [toh-mah-ten-krehm-zoo-puh]
German for cream of tomato soup.
Velout [veh-loo-tay]
A basic component of soups and sauces made by
thickening stock (fish, chicken or veal) with flour,
butter and egg yolks. Also known as blond sauce.
Vichyssoise [vee-shee-soo-ahz]
A French soup made from pured leeks or onions,
potatoes and cream. Served cold and garnished
with chopped chives.
Zuppa [zoo-pah]
Italian for soup.
Soups
Salads
31
Salad is a mixture of fresh vegetables and fruits; it may also contain
other ingredients, including meat and fish. Wonderfully versatile,
salads can be served as a starter, a main course or a side dish or even
as dessert when their primary ingredient is fruit. Salads are usually
prepared or served with one of the many dressings and
accompaniments that have been developed around the world.
Types of Salads:
Caesar Salad [see-zuhr]
A salad consisting of greens (classically Romaine lettuce hearts), tossed with a garlic
dressing, grated Parmesan cheese and croutons. Frequent additions include capers,
anchovies and egg. Reputedly created in 1924 by Italian chef, Caesar Cardini, in
Tijuana, Mexico.
Coleslaw [kol-slo]
A salad of grated carrot and shredded cabbage in mayonnaise. Nowadays yoghurt often
substitutes the mayonnaise, as it has a lower fat content.
Javanaise [jah-vah-nayz]
Orange and soured cream salad.
Nioise [nih-soo-ahs]
Originally from the Provenal city of Nice. Traditional
ingredients are local produce from this sun-kissed region of
France, such as tomatoes, capers and olives. Typical additions
include tuna, anchovies and egg.
Sakizuke [sah-kee-zoo-kee]
Japanese seaweed salad.
Waldorf [wol-dorf]
Created at New Yorks Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the original version of this salad contained
only apples, celery and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of
the dish. Waldorf salad is usually served on a bed of lettuce.
Salad Greens:
Arugula [a-ruh-goo-lah]
An aromatic salad green also referred to
as rughetta, roquette, rucola, rugola and
rocket. Known for its distinctive, peppery
flavour and ragged-edged leaves.
Salads
34
Fris [free-zay]
A green, yellow, curly salad leaf.
Mesclun [mehs-kluhn/fr. klahn]
Mix of young, small salad greens.
Radicchio [rah-dee-kee-oh]
Chicory with red leaves.
Rocket/Roquette/Rughetta
[ro-k-et]/[ru-g-et-a]
An aromatic salad green also referred to as arugula,
rucola and rugola. Known for its distinctive,
peppery flavour and ragged-edged leaves.
Rucola/Rugola [roo-koh-lah]
Italian names for this aromatic salad green also
referred to as rughetta, roquette, arugula and rocket. Known for its distinctive, peppery
flavour and ragged-edged leaves.
Salad Accompaniments:
Calamata/Kalamata Olive [kal-uh-mat-uh]
Almond-shaped Greek olive. Kalamatas are dark, purple/black in colour and rich in
flavour, making them ideal salad ingredients.
Palm Hearts [palm h-ah-rts]
Grown in tropical climates, the heart
is the much sought-after, inner portion
of the stem of the cabbage palm tree.
Palm hearts are ivory coloured and
considered a delicacy.
Salads
Main Meal
35
The main course of a meal can vary widely and be prepared in
numerous ways. It is often made up of cuts of various meats or
poultry, seafood or vegetables. Since the main course is usually
the most significant sizeable important dish in a meal, the courses
that come before often serve as preparation for the main course,
and those that follow serve to cleanse the palate.
Abalone [a-buh-loh-nee]
A type of shellfish widely used in Chinese and Japanese cooking. Considered
a delicacy.
Adobo [a-doh-boh]
Popularly regarded as the Filipino national dish and made of meat, poultry,
a combination of meat and poultry or seafood. It is seasoned with a dark,
tangy sauce (vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, bay leaf and garlic).
Alaska Crab Meat/Alaska King Crab
The meat of the giant crab from the colder waters of the
north Pacific.
Albacore Tuna [al-bah-kohr]
A high-fat tuna, the Albacore has the lightest flesh, white
with a hint of pink, and is the only tuna that can be called
white. Its mild flavour and prized white flesh make it the
most expensive canned tuna.
Anchovy [an-choh-vee]
Salted fillets of tiny fish used for garnishing and for
flavouring (e.g. in sauces and dressings).
Bangus Fish/Milk Fish [bahng-oos]
The most popular fish in the Philippines. Cultivated in brackish fishponds,
this is a bony fish with a taste similar to white fish.
Barramundi
[bah-rah-moon-dee]
A seawater fish with moist white
flesh, large flakes, fine bones
and a mild flavour.
Bass [bas]
A firm, white fish, sea bass is
one of a large group of seawater
fish found in the north Atlantic
and Mediterranean. Freshwater,
silver and yellow bass are also
available.
Main Meal
RED: Served hot BLUE: Served cold Poultry Vegetables Fish Meat
38
Beef Mignon [beef mee-nyon]
A cut from the beef tenderloin.
Beef Pastrami [beef pah-strah-mee]
Highly-seasoned, dry-cured, smoked beef.
Beef Tenderloin Wellington [beef tehn-duhr-lo-een well-in-ton]
A roasted fillet of beef covered with chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs
(duxelles), wrapped in pastry and baked.
Biryani [bihr-yah-nee]
Rice cooked with spices, meat, chicken, fish
or vegetables. Originally from the Indian sub-
continent.
Bolognese [boh-lohn-nee-eh-seh]
Minced beef in tomato sauce, often served with
pasta dishes.
Bonito [boh-nee-toh]
A marine fish related to, but smaller than the tuna. Caught in Atlantic, Pacific and
Mediterranean waters, it has a firm flesh and mild flavour.
Brisket [brihs-keht]
Cut of beef from the belly or breast, used for slow roasting, casseroles, stews
or mince.
Butterfish
Found off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts,
the small (average 250 g), high-fat
butterfish has a tender texture and
rich, sweet flavour. Also known as
dollarfish, Pacific pompano and
pomfret, butterfish is usually sold
whole. Can be baked, grilled, broiled,
sauted or smoked.
Caldereta [kal-deh-reh-tah]
Stew of beef or goats meat,
usually cooked in tomato sauce
and thickened with liver paste.
Chan Ad [shuh-nahd]
A type of mackerel found in Bahrain.
Chasseur [shah-sur]
French for hunter and used to describe a garnish, for meat or game, made from
a brown sauce with mushrooms.
Chateau potatoes [sha- toh]
Potatoes trimmed into olive shapes and sauted in butter.
Cherrystone Clam [ch-er-ih-st-ohw-n klam]
A medium-sized clam of the hard-shell variety, usually
eaten raw but also used in soups.
Clam [klam]
A mollusc. Eaten raw or cooked.
Cod [kod]
A large, saltwater fish with an elongated body. Fresh cod
has a white, flaky, delicate flesh. The eggs, known as roe,
are served freshly boiled or smoked.
Congee [kon-jee]
A watery Chinese rice porridge. The soup-like mixture can be served plain or with a
variety of salty, pickled or stir-fried dishes, such as chicken, fish or shrimp. To make
congee, rice grains are boiled in lots of water or broth until swollen.
Conger Eel [kon-gur]
Common to the English Channel
and Atlantic. The conger eel has
a long, smooth body and a
brownish-grey skin.
Cordon Bleu [kor-don-bluh]
French for blue ribbon, an award
given to outstanding chefs. In
culinary terms, it is a slice
of veal or chicken stuffed with
ham and cheese, breaded and
fried in butter.
Main Meal Main Meal
40 39
RED: Served hot BLUE: Served cold Poultry Vegetables Fish Meat RED: Served hot BLUE: Served cold Poultry Vegetables Fish Meat
Crab/Crabmeat [krab]/[krabm-ee-t]
Crustacean characterised by a wide, flat body protected by a hard shell.
Crabmeat has a fine and delicate flavour.
Crayfish [kray-fih-sh]
A type of shellfish. Crustaceans that look like small lobsters.
Cuttlefish [kuht-l-fih-sh]
A mollusc with an oval body, internal bone
(cuttlebone or quill) and tentacles. Cuttlefish
ink is used in sauces and for colouring pasta
and has a mild, sweet flavour.
Daing Na Bangus
[dah-eeng-nah-bahng-oos]
Milk fish marinated in vinegar, salt, pepper
and garlic, normally served fried.
Dauphine Potatoes
[doh-feen po-tay-tohz]
A French combination of potato pure and puff pastry, shaped into balls and
deep-fried.
Devilled Chicken [deh-vihld]
Chicken roasted or baked with hot mustard and browned with breadcrumbs.
Domburi/Donburi [dohn-boo-ree]
A Japanese rice dish topped with seafood, fish, meat, eggs and/or vegetables.
Duchesse Potatoes
[doo-shehs po-tay-tohz]
Pure of cooked potatoes seasoned
with butter, egg yolk and nutmeg.
Duxelles [dook-sehl]
A thick pt of chopped mushrooms
cooked with onion and thyme.
Duxelles is used as a stuffing or
garnish and in the preparation
of various la duxelles dishes,
including a traditional stuffing
for Beef Wellington.
Ebi-No-Almond-Agi [eh-bee-noh-ahl-ruh-mon-doh-ah-gee]
Fried almond tempura prawns.
Eel [ee-l]
A long, slimy and snake-like fish.
Filet DAgneau [fih-lay dah-nyoh]
French for fillet of lamb.
Filet Mignon [fih-lay mee-nyon]
A slice from the smaller end of the beef
tenderloin. It is very lean and tender.
Filetto Di Merluzzo Dorato
[fee-leh-toh dee mehr-loo-tzoh doh-rah-toh]
Pan-fried fillet of cod, topped with sauted spinach
and radicchio.
Fish Goujons [goo-jo]
Fish cut into small finger-like shapes, usually breaded and deep-fried.
Flounder [flown-duhr]
Member of a large species of flatfish prized for its fine texture and delicate flavour.
Fricasse [frih-kah-see]
A white stew made from poultry or other white meats. The meat is turned in fat but
not browned before being cooked in white sauce. A fricasse is usually cooked with
cream and garnished with small glazed onions and lightly cooked mushrooms.
Frikadelle [frih-ka-dehl-uh]
German word for pan-fried minced
meat, shaped in to small loaves.
Frittata [frih-tah-tah]
An Italian omelette with a variety
of fillings, e.g. potatoes,
mushrooms, pumpkin, ham,
cheese. Unlike a French omelette,
the ingredients are mixed with the
eggs rather than being folded
inside them. The frittata is cut into
wedges and normally eaten hot.
Similar to a Spanish omelette.
Main Meal Main Meal
42 41
Fritter [frih-tur]
Piece of raw or cooked meat, fish, fruit or vegetable coated in batter and deep-
fried until crisp, golden and cooked throughout.
Ful Medames [fool med-dah-mihs]
Slow-cooked fava beans, flavoured with oil and lemon. Ful Medames is a standard
breakfast in Egypt.
Garoupa [guh-roo-pah]
A type of white fish.
Geflgel und Pilzterrine
[geh-flew-gehl oond pihltz-tuh-ree-nuh]
German baked chicken and mushroom terrine.
Gefllte Hhnchenbrust
[geh-fewl-te hehn-shehn-broost]
German for stuffed chicken breast.
Geflltes Kalbsschnitzel [geh-fewl-tehs kahlbs-shniht-zehl]
German for stuffed fillet of veal.
Gindara No Miso Zuke [gihn-dah-rah noh mee-zoh zoo-keh]
Codfish marinated in miso paste.
Goujon [goo-jo]
Small strip of fish or meat in breadcrumbs.
Goulash [goo-lahsh]
Meat and vegetable stew traditionally
made from beef and flavoured with
Hungarian paprika.
Grouper [groo-pur]
The grouper is a large, marine fish
that can grow to a length of more than
a metre and weighs about 50 kg.
Gypsy [jihp-see]
A garnish for dishes (meat or game), usually with brown sauce, mushrooms
and peppers.
Haddock [ha-dok]
A seawater fish belonging to the cod family but generally smaller than the cod.
Haddock has a delicate, white flesh.
Hhnchenbrust Im Krutermantel
[hehn-shehn-broost ihm krow-tuhr-mahn-tehl]
German for pan-fried chicken breast with a herb coating.
Halibut [ha-lee-buht]
The largest of the flatfish varieties, halibut is found in the
northern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and
in the Barents Sea.
Hammour [hah-moor]
White fish, particular to the Gulf area.
Hash Brown Potatoes/Hash Browns
[ha-sh br-ow-n-z]
Finely chopped or grated potatoes, cooked and deep-fried
until browned and crispy.
Herring [heh-rihng]
A small, oily, saltwater fish found in the Atlantic and Pacific. Herring has a
tapered, bluish-green body with a silver belly.
Ikan Bilis [ee-kahn bee-lihs]
Small, dried fish. Similar to
anchovy.
Jambalaya [jam-buh-li-yah]
Creole cooked rice with tomatoes,
onion, green peppers and meat,
poultry or shellfish.
Jete Promenade Potatoes
[juh-tay pro-muh-nahd]
Sliced potatoes cooked in butter
with artichokes.
Main Meal Main Meal
44 43
John Dory/Dory [jon do-rih]/[do-rih]
Found in European waters, this white-fleshed sea fish, also known as St Peter's
fish, is an odd-looking creature with an oval, flat body and a large, spiny head.
The delicate flesh has a mild flavour and can be prepared in a number of ways,
including grilling, sauteing and poaching.
Kalbsrckensteak
[kalbs-rook-ehn-stehk]
German for pan-fried veal steak.
Kamaboko [kam-ah-boh-koh]
Japanese fish cake. Fish is filleted and
pounded before being moulded into a variety
of shapes.
Kani [ka-nee]
Japanese for crab.
Katsuo Boshi [kaht-soo boh-shee]
Dried bonito flakes.
King Fish
An oily fish with a firm flesh and delicate flavour.
Kippers [kihp-puhrs]
One of the most common varieties of herring, kippers are usually sold whole
and smoked. Often eaten grilled for breakfast in England.
Kofta [kohf-thah]
Hindi term for a fried, spicy, minced meat, poultry or vegetable roll.
Konbu Yaki [kon-boo-yah-kee]
Grilled tuna with kelp.
Lahmeh Bil Bazenjan
[la-meh bihl bah-zehn-jah]
Meat and aubergine dish cooked with
tomato, oil and garlic.
Lamb Makloubieh
[muhk-loo-bee-uh]
Marinated lamb cooked with rice,
and enhanced with Arabic pices.
Lamb Rack [l-a-mb rak]
A portion of the rib section of a lamb. Rack of lamb can be cut into chops or
served in one piece.
Lamb Shank [l-a-mb sh-a-nk]
Front leg of lamb, requires long, slow cooking methods such as braising.
Langoustine [lan-goos-teen]
The French name for saltwater crayfish, also known as the Dublin Bay prawn,
Norway lobster or scampi. Sold fresh and frozen, alive, cooked and both with
and without the shells.
Lasagne [luh-zahn-yuh]
Thin sheets of pasta, layered with various fillings including
minced meat sauce and cooked vegetables. Topped with
Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven.
Lobster Thermidor [thuh-mih-do]
Grilled or roasted lobster served in the shell with a
Bchamel or Bercy sauce.
Loin [lo-ihn]
Cut of lamb, which is taken from the meat along the backbone between the
shoulders and legs. Sold as a roasting joint, with or without bones, as well as
chops and steaks, which are good for grilling and barbecues.
Longanisa [long-gah-nee-sah]
Philippine style breakfast sausage made of minced/ground meat seasoned with
salt, vinegar, sugar, pepper and garlic.
Lotte [lot]
A mild, sweet-flavoured, seawater
fish. Other names include
anglerfish, monkfish and sea devil.
Macaire Potatoes
[mah-kehr po-tay-toh-z]
Mashed with butter and shaped
into patties.
Machbous [muhch-boos]
Rice cooked in Arabic spices.
Topped with either chicken or lamb.
Main Meal Main Meal
46 45
Mackerel [mak-uh-rehl]
The mackerel has a streamlined, greenish-blue body with black and blue bands
on the back and a silvery underside. An important food fish found throughout
the north Atlantic, Mediterranean and North Seas.
Magret De Canard [mah-greh duh kah-nahr]
Duck breast, usually taken from the fattened ducks that produce foie gras.
Mollusc [mo-luhsk]
A soft-bodied animal, usually with a shell
however squid, octopi and cuttlefish are
also molluscs and have no shell.
Monkfish [monk-fi-sh]
A mild, sweet-flavoured, seawater fish. Other
names include anglerfish and sea devil.
Mushroom Duxelles
[m-uh-sh-r-oo-m dook-sehl]
A thick pt of chopped mushrooms sauted with onion and thyme. Duxelles
is used as a stuffing or garnish and in the preparation of various la duxelles
dishes, including a traditional stuffing for Beef Wellington.
Mushroom Triangoli [m-uh-sh-r-oo-m trih-ahn-goh-lee]
Triangular ravioli filled with wild mushrooms, served with a mushroom sauce
and cheese topping.
Nasi Goreng [nah-see goh-rehng]
The Indonesian term for fried rice, of which there are hundreds of versions
throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and the surrounding areas. The rice can be
cooked with a wide variety of ingredients,
including meat, chicken, shrimp or other
shellfish. It can be seasoned with onions,
chillies, garlic, cucumber and peanuts.
Where noodles are substituted for rice,
the dish is called Bahmi Goreng. Often
eaten for breakfast.
Nasi Himpit [nah-see hihm-piht]
Rice cakes served with satay sauce.
Noisette [nwah-zeht]
French for hazelnut. Also used to refer to a small, round slice of meat taken from
the rib or loin.
Octopus [ok-to-pu-s]
A fairly large mollusc, the octopus has a head and eight equal-sized tentacles.
Its flesh is fairly delicate in flavour but must be beaten for a long period and
blanched before eating.
Ossobuco [o-soh-boo-koh]
An Italian dish comprised of veal shank braised with
vegetables, olive oil, white wine and stock.
Otak Otak [oh-tahk]
A fish mousse paste (usually mackerel), wrapped
in a banana leaf and steamed.
Paella [pi-yehl-ah]
A traditional Spanish dish of rice and saffron, which
often includes shrimps, lobster, chicken or chorizo, with artichoke and tomatoes.
Paupiette [poh-pee-yeht]
A thin slice of meat, usually veal or beef, rolled around a savoury stuffing then
fried, baked or braised. Also known as a roulade.
Perch [pe-r-ch]
A freshwater fish with a humped, greenish brown back marked with dark bands.
Perlhuhnbrust [pairl-hoon-broost]
German for grilled guinea fowl breast.
Piccata [pee-kah-tah]
Italian dish of thinly sliced pieces
of chicken or veal, lightly fried in
butter with lemon juice.
Pike [pik]
A freshwater fish, pike is readily
available in the northern
hemisphere and has a firm,
white flesh and sweet flavour.
Main Meal Main Meal
48 47
Plaice [play-s]
A flat, orange-spotted, sea fish, plaice is found in the North Sea and North
Atlantic. Available whole or in fillets, plaice can be grilled, fried or poached.
Pojarski [poh-jahr-skee]
A Russian method of preparing veal chops by detaching the meat from the bone,
mixing and seasoning it with butter and bread soaked in milk, then replacing
it on the bone and frying in clarified butter. Also used as a term for a cutlet of
chicken or salmon, covered in flour or breadcrumbs and sauted in clarified
butter.
Poussin [poo-sahn]
Sometimes called a spring chicken, as the bird
is only four to six weeks old, its flavour has not
developed and there is not much flesh on its
bones. One bird is perfect for a single serving.
Prawn [pr-oh-n]
Indigenous to the Mediterranean, prawns can
now also be found in the Atlantic. There are
several varieties of these small, clawless crustaceans. Also known as shrimps.
Prime Rib of Beef [pr-i-m rib of b-ee-f]
A tender cut from the rib section of the beef towards the neck.
Prosciutto [proh-shoh-toh]
The Italian word for ham, used in the names of raw hams such as prosciutto di
Parma.
Quiche [keesh]
Originally from Lorraine the quiche
has become a classic of French cuisine.
It is an open tart, filled with a mixture
of fresh cream, beaten eggs and a
variety of ingredients, such as
mushrooms, seafood or poultry.
Ragot [ra-goo]
A thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of
meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.
Ratatouille [ra-tuh-too-ee]
A popular dish from the French region of Provence made from aubergine,
tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, courgettes, garlic and herbs all simmered in olive
oil. Served hot, cold or at room temperature.
Ravioli Verdura [rav-ee-oh-lee vehr-doo-rah]
Ravioli with vegetable filling.
Red Mullet [muh-leht]
A marine fish (member of the goatfish family), with
a firm, white flesh and delicate flavour.
Roe [roh]
Fish eggs.
Roulade [roo-lahd]
French term for a thin slice of meat, usually veal or
beef, filled with a savoury stuffing and rolled up.
Rump of Beef [r-uh-mp of b-ee-f]
A lean, round cut from the top of the haunch.
Salisbury Beef Steak [sols-buh-rih b-ee-f stayk]
Made from ground, seasoned beef.
San Francisco Cioppino [san fran-si-sko choh-pee-noh]
San Franciscos Italian immigrants are credited with creating this delicious fish
stew made with tomatoes and a variety of fish and shellfish.
Sashimi [sah-shee-mee]
A Japanese dish of thin fillets
of raw fish.
Saumon [soh-mo]
French for salmon, a large pink-
fleshed fish found in cooler
waters throughout the northern
hemisphere and regarded as one
of the world's finest foods.
Main Meal Main Meal
50 49
Sausage Meat [s-oh-s-ayj m-ee-t]
Finely or coarsely-seasoned minced meat used in sausages. Alternative names
include farce and forcemeat.
Sawara Teriyaki [sah-wah-rah teh-ree-yah-kee]
Mackerel grilled with teriyaki sauce.
Scallops [skol-uhps]
Mollusc with a fluted shell. There are many varieties of scallop.
Scampi [skam-pee]
A prawn-like crustacean with pincers and a
firm, moist flesh. Also known as langoustine,
Norway lobster or Dublin Bay prawn.
Sea Urchin [ur-chihn]
A spiny, marine shellfish.
Seer Fish [see-ur fi-sh]
A seawater fish, native to the Indian Ocean,
often used in the Middle East.
Sharks Fin [sh-ah-k-s fihn]
Part of the tail of the dogfish (a small shark), sold dried as yellowish-white
needles. Considered a rare delicacy.
Shish Kebab [sheesh kuh-bahb]
A Middle-Eastern/Indian term meaning skewered meats, fish, fruit or vegetables.
Shish Taouk [sheesh-tah-ook]
Chicken kebab.
Siam Perch [si-am pur-ch]
A freshwater fish from Thailand.
Silverside of Beef
[silv-eh-r s-i-duh of b-ee-f]
A lean, oblong-shape cut from the
haunch (loin, side, tenderloin), used
for boiling, stews, casseroles and mince.
Sirloin of Beef [sur-lo-een of b-ee-f]
A cut from the rib section (saddle), sold as roasting joints and fillet steaks.
Sole [sohl]
An excellent, high-quality, seawater flatfish.
Soubise [soo-beez]
Bchamel sauce with onion pure and cream.
Squid [skwihd]
A sea mollusc related to the cuttlefish, also known
as calamari. Varies from mottled pink to grey when
raw and turns white when cooked. Tender if not
over-cooked, squid can be grilled or fried. Large
squid is added to stews or used for its ink.
Stroganoff/Stroganov [stro-gah-nof]
Thinly sliced beef, coated with a cream-based sauce and garnished with onions
and mushrooms. This traditional dish of classic Russian cookery has been known
in Europe in various forms since the 18th century.
Strudel [shtrood-l]
Pastry layers filled with fruits, such as apples, or savoury items like meat,
seafood, potatoes and mushrooms.
Sturgeon [stur-juhn]
A large fish that lives in the sea and migrates upriver to spawn. It is mainly fished
in the Black and Caspian Seas and the River Danube, essentially for its roe caviar.
Suprme [soo-prehm]
A French sauce made by adding cream
to a velout made from chicken stock.
Also a term used for boneless chicken
breast, duck and game birds.
Suzuki No Teriyaki
[soo-zoo-kee no teh-ree-yah-kee]
Sea bass coated with teriyaki sauce.
Sweetbreads [sw-ee-tbr-eh-d-z]
The thymus gland of a calf or lamb.
A delicacy for gourmets.
Main Meal Main Meal
52 51
Tai No Teppan Yaki [ti noh teh-pahn yah-kee]
Fillet of red snapper.
Taraichmi Yaki [tah-rah-ihchee-mee yah-kee]
Spicy cod grilled on a skewer.
Tenderloin [ten-duh-lo-een]
The most tender part of beef. Can be braised, roasted or pan fried.
Tendon [tehn-duhn]
Deep fried shrimp.
Threadfin [threhd-fihn]
A freshwater fish also known as Ikan Kurua.
Tikka [tih-kah]
Hindi term for chunks of meat, chicken,
cottage cheese (paneer) or vegetables,
marinated in spices and cooked on skewers.
Tournedos of Beef [toor-nay-doh of b-ee-f]
A cut from the middle of the beef tenderloin.
Tranche [trahnsh]
French for slice. A slice of meat or fish.
Tripe
The stomach of a cow or sheep
prepared as food. It has a tender
texture and delicate flavour.
Trout [trowt]
A carnivorous fish, with tasty flesh.
There are numerous varieties of trout
found in mountain streams, lakes and
rivers. The sea trout lives in coastal
rivers near the English Channel and
swims down to the sea, returning to
the rivers in autumn.
Main Meal
Turbot [tur-but]
A flat, seawater fish highly prized for its delicate and tasty flesh. Available as
fillets, steaks or whole. Suits poaching or grilling.
Unagi [oo-nah-gee]
Grilled eel coated with a sweet brown sauce.
Veal [v-ee-al]
Term generally used to describe a young calf from one
to three months old.
Veal Saltimbocca [v-ee-al sahl-tihm-bo-kuh]
Literally meaning hop in the mouth in Italian, it refers
to a Roman speciality made of finely sliced veal
sprinkled with sage and topped with a thin slice of
prosciutto. The veal is sauted in butter, and then
braised in white wine. The meat layers are often rolled
and secured with picks before being cooked.
Venison [vehn-ih-suhn]
Commonly associated with deer meat, venison is actually an umbrella term which
includes meat from elk, moose, reindeer, caribou and antelope.
Vitello Alla Campagnola [vee-tehl-oh ah-lah kahm-pah-nyoh-lah]
Veal escalope topped with spinach and mozzarella cheese.
Waterzooi [vah-tuhr-zoo-ee]
A creamy, Belgian dish of
freshwater fish or eel (sometimes
chicken is substituted), cooked in
bouillon and herbs.
Wellington [well-in-ton]
Usually a preparation applied to a
roasted beef tenderloin. The meat
is coated with finely chopped
mushrooms, shallots and herbs
(duxelles), wrapped in puff pastry.
Whitebait [whit-bayt]
Main Meal
54 53
Vegetables
The name given to the fry (young), of herrings and sprats, which are very common
along coasts and in the estuaries where rivers meet the sea. These small fish are
usually fried and eaten whole.
Yabby [ya-bee]
An Australian species of the freshwater crayfish family. Its colour ranges from
brown to green to purple and it has a sweet flavour.
Yakitori [yak-i-tori]
A Japanese dish of chicken kebabs cooked
over charcoal embers. The meat is threaded
onto bamboo skewers, soaked in teriyaki
sauce and grilled for 4-5 minutes.
Yorkshire Pudding
[yok-shuhr p-uhd-in]
A British speciality made of batter, eggs, flour
and milk, traditionally baked in the fat of the
roast beef, which it typically accompanies.
Main Meal
55
RED: Served hot BLUE: Served cold Poultry Vegetables Fish Meat
Refers to all plants or parts of plants that are eaten raw,
cooked or preserved.
Acar Kuning [Ah-kahr-koo-nihng]
Indonesian mixed vegetables.
Agedashi Tofu [ageh- dah-shee-toh-foo]
Fried Tofu.
Artichoke [ah-tee-chohk]
Flower-bud of a large, thistle family plant. Artichoke heart is a portion of the fleshy
artichoke base including the attached tender, pale leaves.
Asparagus [uhs-pa-ruh-guhs]
A perennial plant with an underground stem that produces
edible shoots which are regarded as a delicacy.
Aubergine [oh-buh-jeen]
French for eggplant, also known as brinjal. An elongated
or rounded fruit with a smooth shiny purple skin covering
a light firm flesh. A white variety also exists.
Bamboo shoots
A plant common throughout tropical Asia, whose young,
tender, and slightly crunchy shoots are served as a
vegetable. Bamboo shoots are ivory white in colour and conical in shape.
Bean Curd/Tofu
A basic food stuff of Far Eastern cookery, especially Japanese, prepared from Soya
beans, which are soaked, reduced to a puree, then boiled and sieved. The liquid
obtained is jellified by the addition of a coagulant (thickening agent).
Beet/Beetroot
Plant with a fleshy root. The red beet, with its fine dark red flesh, is used as a vegetable
and as a food colouring.
Bell Pepper
Another name for capsicum, pepper,
paprika or pimento.
Bhindi [bhihn-dee]
The Hindi term for Okra, A type of
vegetable with a green, tapered, oblong
shape. Also referred to Ladies fingers.
Broad Beans/Fava Bean
Flat green/white beans.
Vegetables
58
Broccoli [bro-coh-lee]
Originating in Italy the name is derived from the Italian broccolo, meaning cabbage
sprout. It has fleshy green stalk ending in bunches of green or purple flower buds and
surrounded with leaves. The stalks are sometimes eaten like asparagus and the flowers
and leaves are prepared like cauliflower.
Burdock [buhr-dok]
A large herbaceous plant which grows wild in Europe and is only eaten locally, but in
Japan it is cultivated as a vegetable. The roots, shoots and leaves are used in various
preparations.
Butternut Squash [but-ter-nut-pump-kin]
Butternut squash known in Australia Butternut
Pumpkin is an edible type of squash with a vase-like
shape. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to pumpkin
or sweet potato.
Caper [kay-puhr]
The flower bud of a shrub which is native to eastern
Asia. Capers are used as a condiment either pickled
in vinegar or preserved in brine.
Capsicum [kap-see-kum]
Another name for bell pepper, pepper, paprika or pimento.
Celeriac/Celeriac Salad [sell-ee-ree-ak]
A big round root from the celery family, used as a vegetable or for salads.
Celery [sehl-uh-ree]
Vegetable which grows in bunches that
consist of leaved ribs surrounding a tender
heart. Before the 16th century, celery was
used exclusively as a medicinal herb.
Chicory Lettuce/Endive
[chih-kuh-ree/on-deev]
A winter vegetable with tightly bunched
white leaves that form a firm elongated
heart.
Chrysanthemum Petals [krihz-an-thuh-muhm]
An ornamental plant whose petals are used in Japan, China, and Vietnam for preparing
salads. Their taste is similar to that of cress.
Chye Sim [chi-sihm]
Chinese green, leafy vegetable.
Cornichon [kor-nih-shohn]
A small cucumber especially grown for pickling. Used as garnish
and accompaniment for cold cuts or starters.
Courgette [coor-jet]
Also known as zucchini. Type of vegetable shaped like a slightly
curved cylinder. The color can vary from dark to light green.
Crudits [kroo-dee-tay]
Served as an appetizer, crudits are raw seasonal vegetables,
frequently accompanied with a dipping sauce.
Cucumber [kew-kuhm-buh]
The fruit of an annual climbing plant of the gourd family which may be eaten raw or
cooked.
Daikon/Dai-co [da-ee-kon]
A kind of radish, widely cultivated as a vegetable in the Far East, also called Japanese
radish or Satsuma radish.
Eggplant
Aubergine, brinjal. An elongated or rounded fruit with a smooth shiny purple skin
covering a light firm flesh. A white variety also exists.
Endive [on-deev]
It is a small, cigar-shaped head of cream-
coloured, tightly packed, slightly bitter
leaves. It is grown in complete darkness
to prevent it from turning green.
Fava Beans [fah-vah]
Flat bean similar to Lima beans
(broad beans).
Vegetables Vegetables
60 59
Fennel [fehn- uhl]
A type of aromatic plant with pale green, celery like stems and bright green, feathery
leaves. It has a broad, bulbous base that is treated like a vegetable and the leaves can be
used as a garnish.
Flageolet Beans [fla-zhoh-lay]
A small, pale, green bean.
Gherkin [gur-kihn]
Young fruit of a variety of small, dark-green cucumbers especially grown to make pickles.
Hash
A preparation of finely chopped raw or cooked meat,
poultry, fish or vegetables.
Haricot, Haricot vert [ah-ree-koh vehr]
Haricot is French for beans. Vert is French for
green. Green beans.
Horseradish
Though it has spiky, green leaves that can be used for
salads, horseradish is grown mainly for its large, white,
pungently, spicy roots. Bottled horseradish is available - white (preserved in vinegar)
and red (in beet juice).
Jalapeno Chili [hah-luh-pee-noh]
Named after Jalapa, Mexico, these are smooth, dark green chilies which range from hot
to very hot.
Jardiniere of Vegetable
French for vegetables of the garden.
Kaiware Sprouts/Mustard Sprouts
[kahy-wah-reh]
Sprouted mustard seeds. Used as a salad or
a hors doeuvre.
Kelp
Large brown seawed rich in iodine and potash.
Kohlrabi [kohl-rah-bee]
A vegetable of the cabbage family whose fleshy
stalk swells like a turnip.
Kumara [koo-mah-rah]
Vegetable similar to sweet potato.
Leek
Related to both the onion and garlic, its flavour and fragrance are milder and more
subtle. It has a thick, white stalk that is cylindrical in shape and has a slightly bulbous
root end.
Mange-tout [mahnj-too]
French for eat everything, refers to bean or pea, where
everything - pod to seed - is edible.
Marrow [ma-roh]
Green, oval squash.
Mimosa [mih-moh-sah]
An ornamental species of acacia whose yellow flowers can
be made into fritters and used to garnish salads and prepare
home-made liqueurs. The name is also given to certain egg
dishes using sieved hard-boiled egg yolk which superficially
resembles mimosa flowers.
Okra [oh-kruh]
Type of vegetable with a green, tapered, oblong shape. Also referred to as Ladies
fingers.
Pak-Choy Leaves/Bok-Choy
Chinese white cabbage. It resembles a bunch of wide-stalked celery with long,
dark-green leaves.
Pepperonata Potatoes
Mixture of peppers and onions sauteed in olive oil.
Pimento [pih-men-toh]
A large, red, heart-shaped, sweet pepper.
Another name for capsicum, pepper,
paprika or bell pepper.
Pot Herbs
Pot herbs traditionally include six
vegetables: orache, spinach, lettuce, sorrel
chard, and purslane. These are used not
only to flavor soups and stews but also
as vegetables, salad ingredients and as a
garnish.
Vegetables Vegetables
62 61
Pumpkin
A vegetable of the marrow (squash) family, which is round with a flattened top and base.
The orange or yellow pulp is surrounded by a green, yellow or orange ribbed rind.
Radish [ra-dihsh]
A plant of the cabbage family, cultivated for its edible root, which is generally eaten raw,
as n hors doeuvre or in salads.
Ratatouille [rat-ah-too-yee]
A vegetable ragout (stew) typical of Provenal
cookery, originally from Nice. It is made from
onions, courgettes, aubergines, sweet peppers
and tomatoes simmered in olive oil with herbs.
Rhubarb [roo-bahrb]
A hardy perennial plant, originally from northern
Asia, whose fleshy stalks are used as a pie filling
or to make jams or compotes.
Roesti potatoes [roh-stee]
A large potato cake made from layers of sliced potatoes, fried until golden. A Swiss
specialty, originally from Berne, it may be flavored with bacon strips or sliced onion.
Salsify [sal-sih-fee]
A root vegetable (can be easily mistaken for white asparagus).
Savoy Cabbage [sa-voy]
This mellow-flavored cabbage is considered by many to be one of the best for cooking.
It has loose, full head of crinkled leaves varying from dark to pale green.
Scallion/Spring Onion
[ska-lee-uhn]
Green onion. A variety of onion that
produces small white mild-flavored bulbs
with a long neck of stiff leaves. They
are usually eaten raw and thinly sliced in
sliced in salads.
Sea Weed
Sprouted mustard seeds. Used as a salad
or a hors doeuvre.
Vegetables
Shallot [shal-uht; shuh-lot]
A member of the onion family.
Sorrel [soh-rehl]
A green vegetable.
Squash [skwosh]
An edible gourd that is cooked and served as vegetable.
Sugar Snap Peas/Snow Peas
A variety of pea which is entirely edible - pod and all.
Swiss Chard
Belongs to the beet family, but only the stalks and leaves
are used.
Taro [ta-roh]
A potato-like, root vegetable.
Tiger Lily Bud
Preserved flower buds commonly used in Chinese cooking as a vegetable or a garnish
in various stir-fried dishes.
Turnip [tuhr-nihp]
A fleshy root vegetable, yellow or white in colour and often tinged with purple near
the leaf bases.
Wakame [wah-kah-meh]
Japanese seaweed often used as an appetizer garnish, but also in main courses
and soups.
Wasabi/Wasabe [wah-sah-bee]
Japanese horseradish, a root vegetable
(often referred to as Japanese mustard)
of green color with a pungent flavor.
Zucchini [zoo-kee-nee]
Type of vegetable shaped like a slightly
curved cylinder. The color can vary
from dark to light green.
Vegetables
64 63
Pasta, Cereal and
Grains
Pasta
Dough made from durum wheat semolina and water, which is
kneaded and cut into a wide variety of shapes. Eaten with sauces,
stuffed or added to soups for bulk, pasta is sold dried or fresh and
used in a wide variety of cuisines from Italy to China.
Rice
The starchy seed of an annual cereal grass, occurring in
south-eastern Asia and widely cultivated in warm climates.
Cereal
Any of several grasses cultivated widely for their seeds (grains).
Basmati [bahs-mah-tee]
A fragrant long-grain rice with a fine texture, grown in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Black Soybeans [blak b-ee-n]
Chinese speciality consisting of small black soybeans that have been preserved in salt.
They have an extremely rich, salty flavour and must be soaked in water for approximately
30 minutes before use. Fermented black beans are usually finely chopped before being
added to fish or meat dishes as flavouring.
Buckwheat [buhk-weet]
A type of grain used extensively in eastern European cooking. Buckwheat flour is
traditionally used to make blinis small pancakes eaten with caviar.
Bulgur/Bulghur/Bulgar [buhl-gur]
Crushed wheat kernels which have been parboiled, dried and then
had the bran removed.
Cannelloni [kan-nehl-loh-nee]
Pasta tubes, stuffed with minced meat, seafood or vegetables.
Couscous [koos- koos]
Using the same flour that goes into pasta, couscous is made by
rolling and coating durum or hard wheat semolina grains in fine wheat flour. Couscous
is a staple ingredient in north Africa, and it is also the name of a dish in which the
grains are steamed together with a spiced stew of vegetables and/or meat or chicken.
Dough [doh]
A mixture of flour and other ingredients used in baking. Dough is often stiff enough to cut
into shapes, it has a low moisture content and gluten forms the continuous medium into
which other ingredients are embedded. Dough is less liquid than batter and generally has
a lower fat and sugar content.
Fajita [fah-hee-tah]
A Mexican-American dish consisting
of strips of steak meat, chicken, fish
or shrimp, marinated in lime juice, oil
and garlic and then grilled. The meat
is wrapped in a flat, flour tortilla and
garnished with items such as grilled
onions and red peppers. Usually served
with refried beans, salsa, guacamole and
sour cream.
Pasta, Cereal and Grains
68
Farfalle [fahr-fah-leh]
Pasta in the shape of a bow or butterfly.
Fettuccine [feht-oo-chee-neh]
Flat, narrow strips of pasta.
Fusilli [foh-see-lee]
Spiral-shaped pasta.
Genmai Flakes [jen-ma-eh]
Japanese breakfast cereal similar to cornflakes. Manufactured by Kelloggs.
Glass Noodle [gl-ah-s]
Thin, translucent threads made from the starch of
mung beans. Typically used in Oriental cuisine.
Gluten
A protein in flour which, when mixed with water,
gives dough elasticity and strength.
Gnocchi [nyo-kee]
Small, Italian dumplings made of flour, semolina,
potato or choux pastry, usually served as a hot starter.
Gnocchi can be poached and then cooked au gratin (with grated cheese), in the oven.
Hokkien Noodles [hok-keen]
Yellow egg noodles.
Hor Fun Noodles [hor-fahn]
Chinese term for flat rice sticks popular in south-east Asia.
Kway Teow [kway-tee-ow]
Type of flat, white, Chinese rice noodle.
Lasagne [luh-zahn-yuh]
Thin sheets of pasta, layered with various
fillings, including minced meat sauce and
cooked vegetables, topped with Parmesan
cheese and baked in the oven.
Lentil [l-eh-n-tihl]
Small, round, flat seed of the legume plant.
These seeds are born two per pod.
Linguine [lihn-gwee-nee]
Very long, narrow ribbons of pasta.
Machbous [muhch-boos]
Rice cooked in Arabic spices.
Morokomi Hoso Udon [moh-roh-koh-mee ho-so oo-don]
Green tea soba noodles.
Mung Bean [moong]
Bean plant originating in the Far East, which produces small, green, yellow or brown
seeds. Widely cultivated for its shoots -commonly known as bean sprouts -which are
eaten raw or blanched.
Noodle [n-oo-d-el]
A flat type of pasta, made from flour, water and eggs,
cut into long strips and cooked in soup or boiling water.
Pappardelle [pah-pahr-dehl-leh]
Flat ribbons of pasta shaped to form a nest.
Penne [pehn-neh]
Smooth tubes of pasta, cut on the diagonal.
Pilaf/Pilau [pih-low]
A method of preparing rice originally created in the East.
Polenta [poh-lehn-tah]
A cornmeal porridge that is the traditional basic dish of northern Italy. Polenta can be
eaten fresh or after it has set; it may be served both hot or cold. Can also be grilled or fried.
Pumpernickel [puhm-puhr-nihk-ehl]
German rye bread.
Puy [poo-ee]
Small, grey, whole lentils, grown in France and
Italy, which keep their shape during cooking.
Pasta, Cereal and Grains Pasta, Cereal and Grains
70 69
Quinoa [kwihn-o-ah]
Dating back to the Incas, this grain is still grown in Bolivia and Peru. Regarded as a
superfood, quinoa is rich in complete protein and a useful source for vegetarians.
The small, round grains are similar to millet, but pale brown in colour, with a slightly
chewy texture. When cooked, the grains absorb liquid and become translucent, ringed
with white. Quinoa has a mild flavour and requires a lot of seasoning. Sometimes served
hot as a porridge with cream, dried fruit and brown sugar.
Ravioli [rav-ee-oh-lee]
An Italian speciality, ravioli are small pillows of pasta,
which can be filled with a variety of cheese, meat or
vegetable stuffings. Often served with tomato sauce
and grated cheese.
Risotto [rih-zo-toh]
Creamy Italian rice dish used with a wide variety of
vegetables or meat. The rice is first fried with onions
until golden brown and then cooked in stock.
Rye [ri]
A cereal native to western Asia. Rye flour is usually mixed with wheat flour and made
into a bread with a dense, brown texture and slightly sour taste. Some spirits, such as
vodka and whisky, are made from a rye base.
Semolina [sehm-oh-lee-nah]
Coarsely ground cereal, generally durum wheat. However, white semolina is made from
ground rice.
Senbei [sehn-beh]
Japanese rice crackers.
Siumai [shoh-mi]
Chinese dumpling.
Soba Noodles [soh-bah]
Japanese flour noodle made from buckwheat,
which gives it a dark, brownish-grey colour.
Sourdough
Fermented dough.
Strozzapreti [stroh-tzah-preh-tee]
Short, uneven pasta strands, which resemble rolled towels.
Sushi [soo-shee]
A Japanese speciality based on boiled rice flavoured with sweetened rice vinegar.
Tagliatelle [tah-lee-yah-tehl-eh]
Italian egg pasta in the form of flat ribbons, golden or green colour. Green tagliatelle
contains spinach.
Tortellini [tohr-teh-lee-nee]
Small, stuffed parcels of pasta used with a wide variety of
fillings. Unlike ravioli, which are flat pillows, tortellini look
like small hats.
Udon [oo-don]
Thick wheat noodles used in Japanese cooking.
Vermicelli [vur-mih-cheh-lee]
Meaning little worms in Italian, vermicelli are very thin
strands
of pasta, often used in soups.
Won Ton Wrapper [won ton rap-per]
Very thin sheets of dough made from flour, eggs and salt used
as a wrapper for dumplings known as pot stickers, as well as for
won ton. The wrappers are filled with vegetables or meat and can vary in thickness.
Also known as won ton skins or pot sticker wrappers.
72 71
Sauces and Dressings
Arrabiata [ahr-rah-beh-yah-tah]
A spicy pasta sauce made of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, fresh or
powdered chilli and basil.
Barnaise Sauce [ber- nayz]
A tarragon-flavoured, butter sauce.
Bchamel [beh-shah-mehl]
A white sauce made by adding milk to roux (a cooked mixture of equal amounts of flour
and butter, used to thicken many sauces).
Berbere [behr-beh-reh]
An Ethiopian spice blend containing garlic, red pepper,
cardamom, coriander, fenugreek and various other spices.
It's often used in stews and soups.
Beurre Maini [buhr may-nee]
A thickening agent made from flour and softened butter.
Charmoula/Chermoulla [sher-moh-lah]
A sauce and marinade used in Middle Eastern cooking,
made of stewed onions flavoured with vinegar, honey and a complex spice mixture
called rasel hanout, which contains cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin and
sometimes paprika and coriander. Chermoulla is used on meat and fish and can even
be adjusted to make a unique vinaigrette.
Chinese Ankake sauce [ahn-kah-kee]
Starchy Chinese sauce.
Choron Sauce [shoh-ron]
Tomato flavoured, smooth, rich, creamy
sauce, made from egg yolks and butter.
Cocktail Sauce
A combination of ketchup or chilli sauce
with prepared horseradish, lemon juice
and Tabasco sauce (or other hot red
pepper seasoning). It is used with seafood
and as a condiment for hors doeuvres, etc.
An essential element in all of the worlds cuisines, a sauce is a liquid
that enhances the flavour and appearance of a dish. There are so
many varieties from the French classics that characterised their
cuisine to Asian blends and beyond that one could spend years
studying sauces alone. This section of the guide will give you a
broad view of the most important sauces we use.
76
Cumberland Sauce [kuhm-bhur-land]
Redcurrant jelly.
Dijon Mustard Sauce [dee-zhon]
A sauce made with mustard from Dijon region in France.
Gravy
A sauce made from meat juices, usually combined with a liquid such as chicken or
beef stock, wine or milk -and thickened with flour, corn flour or some other thickening
agent. Gravy may also be the simple juices left in the
pan after meat, poultry or fish has been cooked.
Guacamole [gwa-kah mow-lee]
A Mexican dish of mashed avocado mixed with
lemon or lime juice and various seasonings (usually
chilli powder and red pepper). Sometimes finely
chopped tomato, onion and coriander are added.
Guacamole can be used as a dip, sauce, topping
or side dish. If making in advance, cover well as
guacamole will discolour.
Hoi-Sin Sauce [hoy-sihn]
A Chinese sauce thick, sweet, spicy, reddish-brown made from beans, garlic and
spices.
Hollandaise Sauce [ho-lehn-dayz]
Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolks,
a vinegar reduction and hot melted butter. It is
the basic sauce from which other sauces, such
as Barnaise and mousseline are made.
Jus [zhoo]
French for juice, which can refer to fruit and
vegetable juices, and the natural juices exuded
from meat.
Lyonnaise Sauce [e-yo-nayz]
Lyonnaise is a classic French sauce made with
onions and white wine, then strained and
served with meat or poultry.
Makhanwalla Sauce [muhk-khuhn-wah-lah]
Hindi for butter.
Maple Syrup [may-puhl]
Sap collected from the trunk of the maple tree. It is rich in sugar and has an aromatic
flavour.
Marengo [muh-rehng-goh]
A French sauce made with tomatoes, olives and garlic, often
used to garnish chicken or veal.
Marinade [ma- ree-nehd/ma-ree-nahd]
A seasoned liquid in which foods such as meat, fish and
vegetables are soaked (marinated) in order to absorb flavour.
Most marinades contain an acid (lemon juice, vinegar or wine)
and herbs or spices.
Mornay Sauce/Sauce Mornay [mohr-nay]
A bchamel sauce enriched with egg yolks and flavoured with grated gruyre cheese.
It is used to coat dishes that are to be glazed under the grill or browned in the oven,
including poached eggs, fish, shellfish and vegetables.
Nam Pla/Fish Sauce [nam plah]
This sauce is fundamental to Thai food. It is made with the liquid that comes from
fermented anchovies and is very pungent.
Nantua Sauce [nan-too-ah]
A crayfish sauce (lobster sauce).
Pesto [pehs-toh]
A green Italian sauce for pasta, typically
made from pine nuts blended with fresh
basil, parmesan cheese, garlic and olive
oil. The sauce can be stirred into freshly
cooked pasta, spooned on to thick soups,
toasted on bread or added to mayonnaise
and salad dressings. Red pesto contains
grilled red pepper or pimiento.
Sauces and Dressings Sauces and Dressings
78 77
Piquant Sauce [pee-kahnt]
Brown sauce for western dishes, made from chopped gherkins, sometimes with herbs.
Pistou Herb [pihs-too]
A blend of chopped basil, garlic and olive oil. It is the French version of Italy's pesto.
Pure [pyoo-ray]
Fruit or vegetable mashed to a smooth, thick, paste-like consistency.
Ragot [ra-goo]
A thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry,
fish or vegetables.
Red Pesto
A sauce or dressing made with red peppers, chillies,
garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese.
Rmoulade [ray-moo-lahd]
A mayonnaise-based sauce made from finely-
chopped capers, gherkins, anchovies and herbs.
Rouille [roo-yuh/roo-ee]
Garlic and saffron mayonnaise.
Russian Sauce/Dressing
A mayonnaise-based sauce flavoured with tomato ketchup.
Salsa [sahl-sah]
The Mexican and Spanish word for sauce.
Traditionally, a Mexican cold sauce made from
tomatoes flavoured with coriander, chillies and
onions. Generally, a cold chunky mixture of
fresh herbs, spices, fruits and/or vegetables
used as a sauce or dip.
Satay [sah-tay]
A spicy sauce based on soy sauce. It contains
sugar, oil, chilli, onion, garlic and shrimp.
It may also contain peanuts.
Sauce Diplomate/Diplomat Sauce
Also called riche sauce, it is made with lobster butter, truffles and lobster flesh and
accompanies delicate fish, such as John Dory, sole and turbot.
Shoyu [shoh-yoo]
Soy sauce.
Soy/Soya Sauce
This extremely important ingredient in Asian cooking is a dark, salty sauce made by
fermenting boiled soybeans and roasted wheat or barley. It forms a basic ingredient in
both Japanese and Chinese cooking.
Tabasco Sauce [tabas-koh]
A hot, thin, spicy sauce made from vinegar and red chilli peppers.
It can be used to season meat or sauces or added to cocktails for
an extra kick.
Tapenade [tah-peh-nad]
Tapenade is a paste made of black olives, capers, anchovies,
mustard, basil and parsley. It can be used on crostini or
bruschetta; with pasta and in sauces; as a marinade for meat
and also for adding to casseroles and stews.
Tartar Sauce [tahr-tahr]
Mixture of minced capers (the flower bud of a bush found in the Mediterranean region
and parts of Asia, generally pickled in vinegar brine), dill pickles, onions or shallots,
olives, lemon juice or vinegar and seasonings. It is traditionally served with fried fish,
but can also be used with vegetables.
Tartare [tahr-tahre]
1. Sauce made from mayonnaise, gherkins
and capers.
2. Steak tartare is made with minced beef,
served raw with egg yolk and
seasoning.
Sauces and Dressings Sauces and Dressings
80 79
Teriyaki [teh-ree-yah-kee]
A Japanese dish consisting of food, such as beef or chicken, which has been marinated
in a mixture of soy sauce, sake, sugar, ginger and seasonings before being grilled, broiled
or fried. The sugar in the marinade gives the cooked food a slight glaze. Teriyaki sauce is
made with the above ingredients.
Vinaigrette [vee-neh-greht]
A sauce commonly used to dress salads, comprising
oil and vinegar. Emulsified vinaigrettes use egg
and/or mustard to stabilise the dressing. Alternative
combinations using acids other than vinegar, such
as wine or citrus juice, are also called vinaigrettes.
Velout [veh-loo-tay]
A basic term used for soups and sauces. Butter, flour,
stock and usually cream and egg yolks are cooked
together to make velout.
White Sauce [wa-i-t]
The basis of many other sauces, made from flour, butter and milk. It has a smooth,
slightly thick consistency and is basically tasteless.
Salad Dressings:
Aoli [ah-ee-oh-lee]
A Provenal mayonnaise sauce with olive oil and garlic.
Balsamic/Balsamico [bal-sah-meek-oh]
A dressing made with special mild-tasting
Italian vinegar.
Basil Vinaigrette [ba-zihl-vih-nee-greht]
A dressing made with oil, vinegar and basil.
Caesar [see-zuhr]
Garlic vinaigrette dressing made with
Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
French Dressing
Also known as vinaigrette; made from a mixture of olive oil, wine vinegar, pepper and
salt, to which various flavourings can be added.
Italian Dressing
A salad dressing consisting of olive oil and white wine vinegar or lemon juice, seasoned
with various ingredients including garlic, oregano, basil, dill and fennel.
Marie Rose Dressing
Pink mayonnaise sauce with tomato pure.
Mayonnaise [may-uh-nayz]
Thick, creamy dressing that is a cold emulsion of vegetable oil,
egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar, mustard and seasonings.
Mousseline Dressing [moos-leen]
Mayonnaise with whipped cream.
Russian Sauce
A mayonnaise-based sauce flavoured with tomato ketchup.
Spicy Thai Dressing
Spicy Thai fish sauce with lime, chopped chillies and coriander.
Thousand Island Dressing
A mayonnaise-based salad dressing made with tomato sauce and finely chopped
ingredients such as stuffed green olives, green peppers, pickles, onions and
hard-boiled eggs.
Vinaigrette [vih-nee-greht]
Basic salad dressing made from a
combination of oil and vinegar to
which various seasonings can be added,
including mustard and garlic. Vinaigrette
is widely used as a dressing for salad
greens, as well as various meat, fish and
vegetable dishes. A wide variety of oils
can be used (such as olive, sunflower
and walnut). Lemon juice is frequently
used as a substitute for vinegar.
82 81
Desserts
From an old French word meaning to clear the table, dessert refers
to sweet foods served after the main part of a meal. Desserts are a
relatively recent addition to the standard meal plan in the Western
world. Before the rise of the middle class in the nineteenth century,
sweets were a rare treat, or even the sole preserve of the
aristocracy. Some cultures prefer to mix sweet and savoury dishes
throughout a meal rather than having a separate sweet course.
Apfel und Dattelkuchen [ap-fehl oond dah-tehl-koo-khuhn]
German for apple and date cake.
Baba/Savarin [bah-bah/sav-uh-rihn]
A yeast cake soaked in syrup, often flavoured with rum. In a ring shape, it is named
Savarin.
Baklava [bahk-lah-vah]
This popular Greek and Turkish pastry is made from layers of filo pastry, nuts and
honey. After it is baked, spiced lemon-honey syrup is poured over
the pastry after it is baked and left to soak into the layers.
Barquette [bahr-keht]
A small boat-shaped tart made of basic pie dough or puff pastry,
baked and then filled with various sweet or savoury ingredients.
Sometimes it is filled before it is baked.
Bavarois [bah-vah-rwah]
A French name for Bavarian cream, which is custard mixed with
whipped cream, various flavourings and gelatine.
Black Forest Torte
The famous Schwarzwlder Kirschtorte hails from Swabia in Germany's Black Forest
region. This exquisite dessert is created by layering kirsch-scented chocolate cake,
sour cherries and kirsch-laced whipped cream. A generous coating of whipped cream
garnished with chocolate curls and cherries completes the cake.
Bonbon
A sweet made of or dipped into fondant.
Budino Al Cioccolato [boo-dee-noh al chee-oh-ko-lah-toh]
Baked chocolate pudding.
Butterscotch [buh-tuh-skoch]
The flavour of butterscotch is a blend of butter,
brown sugar, cream and vanilla.
Caramel [ka-ruh-mehl]
Melted sugar that has been browned
by heating.
Cassata [kuh-sah-tah]
Italian dessert made with ice cream and
candied fruit. The name means little case,
due to its brick shape, although triangular
cassatas can be found.
Desserts
86
Chantilly [shahn-tee-lee/shahn-tee-yee]
A French term for a whipped cream flavoured with sugar, vanilla and brandy.
Charlotte [shahr-lot]
A classical dessert made from mousse with whipped cream or fruit and layers of sponge
cake as the outer cover.
Charlotte Fret Noir [shahr-lot fo-rehn-oo-ahr]
Black Forest cake.
Cheesecake
A cake made of sweetened cottage cheese or cream
cheese, eggs, milk, sugar and flavourings.
Choux Pastry [shoo]
Cream puff pastry dough made from water or milk cooked
with butter, flour and eggs.
Clafoutis [klah-foo-tee]
A dessert from the Limousin region of France, consisting of black cherries arranged in
a buttered dish and covered with a fairly thick pancake batter. It is served lukewarm,
dusted with sugar. There are numerous variations using red cherries or other fruits.
Clotted Cream
Thick, baked cream, traditionally from Devon and Cornwall in England. Served with
scones or desserts or made into ice cream.
Compote [kom-poht]
Chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slowly cooked in sugar syrup.
Coulis [koo-lee]
Smooth, thick fruit or vegetable sauce, e.g. apricot, raspberry, red pepper. It may be
used to enhance the flavour of a sauce or as the sauce itself.
Crme Anglaise [krehm ahn-glayz]
The French term for a rich custard sauce that
can be served hot or cold over cake, fruit or
other desserts.
Crme Brle [krehm broo-lay]
A type of custard, browned on top with burnt
sugar. Sugar is sprinkled on top and heated to
form a crust.
Crme Fraiche [krehm frehsh]
A matured, thickened cream with a slightly tangy, nutty flavour and velvety rich texture.
Crpe [krehp]
The French word for pancake.
Crumble [kruhm-buhl]
A British dessert of raw fruit topped with a crumbly pastry mixture and baked.
Custard [kuhs-tuhd]
A sweet sauce, usually quite thick, made from milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornflour.
Often used to accompany sweet dishes, the custard may be flavoured or may be chilled
and served semi-solid.
Demerara Sugar [dehm-uh-reh-rah]
A pale-coloured and mild-tasting raw cane sugar named
after its place of origin in Guyana.
Double Cream
Double cream is 48 per cent fat and is the most versatile
cream as it withstands boiling, whips and freezes well.
In the USA it is known as heavy cream.
clair [eh-klehr]
A small, log-shaped bun of choux pastry, filled with cream and coated with a chocolate
fondant icing.
Falooda [fah-loo-dah]
Vermicelli flavoured with sugar and rosewater.
Flan
A round tart with a sweet filling and fruits. A flan can also be made with a savoury filling
of vegetables or meat.
Fondant [fon-do]
A simple mixture of sugar, water and cream of
tartar mixture a fine white powder derived
from a crystalline acid deposited on the inside
of wine barrels boiled until it reaches a soft
ball stage.
Desserts Desserts
88 87
Frangipane [fran-jee-paneh]
A pastry cream used in the preparation of various desserts, sweets, cakes and pancakes.
It is made with milk, sugar, flour, eggs and butter, mixed with either crushed macaroons
or ground almonds.
Fudge [fuhj]
A very soft caramel that melts in the mouth and is
not sticky.
Ganache [gah-nahsh]
A rich icing/filling made of semi-sweet chocolate
and whipping cream.
Gateau/Gateaux (pl.) [gah-toh]
French for cake.
Gelato [jeh-lah-toh]
Italian for ice-cream.
Gnoise [jeh-noo-ahs]
Very light sponge cake.
Halva/Halvah [hahl-vah]
An Eastern sweetmeat based on roasted sesame seeds, which are ground into a smooth
paste known as tahini, then mixed with boiled sugar.
Kirschstrudel [keersh- shtrood-l]
A German sweet for homemade cherry strudel.
Latte Macchiato Cake [lah-tay mah-kee-ah-toh]
Cake made with milk and coffee.
Lebkuchen [leb-koo-khuhn]
A thick, cake-like cookie from Germany. It is
sweetened with honey, full of spices, citron
and almonds. Similar to gingerbread.
Macaroon [mak-uh-roon]
Small cookie made of almond paste, ground
almonds or both, mixed with sugar and egg whites.
Marquise [mahr-kees]
Various delicate desserts.
Meringue [muh-rang]
A mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and granulated sugar.
Mocha [moh-kah]
A variety of Arabian coffee bean grown on the borders of the Red Sea. Named after the
Yemeni port from which it was traditionally exported. Mocha is a strong coffee with a
distinctive aroma and a musky flavour; however, some people find it bitter. It is used
as a flavouring for cakes, biscuits, ice creams and confectionery.
Mousse [moo-se]
A name describing a light and creamy dish, which may be sweet or savoury.
Sweet versions are made with beaten egg whites, savoury mousses use gelatine.
Nougat [noo-gah]
Sweet made of sugar or honey, roasted nuts and sometimes
chopped, candied fruit. Can be chewy or brittle.
Omm Ali [oum-ali]
A traditional Middle-Eastern dish made from puff pastry,
raisins and pastachios, mixed with cream and rose water.
Oreo Cookie Cheese Cake [o-rih-yoh]
Cheese cake wherein the crust is made of Oreo cookies
(sandwich cookies squeezing a delicious white sugar
paste in between two thin black biscuits).
Panettone [pan-neh-toh-neh]
A large, round Italian cake that is a speciality of the city of Milan. It is traditionally eaten
at Christmas. It can be served as dessert, accompanied by a sweet wine.
Panna Cotta
The name for this cold dessert from Italy
means cooked cream, although not all
recipes call for the cream to be cooked.
To make panna cotta, cream is added
to gelatine and then flavoured with a
wide variety of ingredients, such as
vanilla or cinnamon. The mixture is then
cooled until it sets and is served with a
sweet sauce.
Desserts Desserts
90 89
Parfait [pahr-fay]
1. French for perfect a term used for an ice-cream dessert.
2. Nowadays, also used for a type of pt served as a starter.
Ptisserie [pah-tee-suh-ree]
Sweet or savoury pastries and cakes, generally baked in the oven.
Pavlova [pahv-loh-vah]
Meringue, usually with fruit and cream.
Petit four [peh-tee fohr]
Bite-size, iced and elaborately decorated cakes or small,
fancy cookies.
Praline [prah-leen/pray-leen]
1. An easily breakable candy made of almonds and
caramel. It may be eaten as candy, ground and used
as a filling or dessert ingredient or sprinkled on top
of desserts as a garnish.
2. A special patty-shaped candy from Louisiana made
with pecans and brown sugar.
Profiterole [proh-fiht-uh-rohl]
A small bun made with choux pastry, often filled with cream and dipped in melted
chocolate. It is also possible to make a savoury profiterole, usually with a creamy fish
or shellfish filling.
Sachertorte [zah-khahr-tor-teh]
A famous Viennese gateau, created by Franz Sacher. It is a sort of chocolate Savoy cake,
filled or spread with apricot jam and covered with chocolate glaze. It is traditionally
served with whipped cream and a cup of coffee.
Sorbet/Sherbet [sor-bay]
French for sherbet, this is usually made of
frozen, sweetened fruit juice and water.
Souffl [soo-flay]
1. An airy, fluffy, baked mixture (made from
eggs and seafood, meats, fruits, etc.), which
rises above the rim of the baking dish.
2. The term is also used for an ice-cream
dessert, which is not baked. Instead, the ice
cream rises above the rim of the dish.
Sponge Cake [sponj]
A cake that is usually lightened with baking powder or whisked egg whites.
Strudel [shtrood-l]
It is a type of German pastry made up of many layers of very thin dough spread with
a filling, then rolled and baked until crisp and golden brown. The most famous is the
Apfelstrudel (apple strudel).
Tarte Tatin [tahrt tah-tehn]
The name given to an apple tart that is cooked under a lid of pastry, but served with
the pastry underneath and the fruit on top.
Tartlette [tahrt-leht]
Pastry crust with shallow sides, a filling and no top crust.
The filling can be sweet or savoury.
Tiramisu [tee-ruh-mee-soo]
A light, Italian dessert composition of sponge cake soaked with
strong coffee, marsala wine and mascarpone cheese. Today,
chefs make many variations with different flavours.
Torte [toort]
A rich, dense cake typically made with many eggs and relatively little flour (as opposed
to a sponge cake or gteau).
Tourte [toort]
A round pie or tart, which can be savoury or sweet.
Tourte Carotte Miel
[toort kah-rot miel]
Baked carrot pie or tart.
Zwetschgendatschi
[zweht-zgehn-dat-chee]
A traditional recipe for baked plum
crumble cake, originating from Bavaria,
Germany.
Desserts
92 91
Desserts
Fruits, Nuts and
Berries
Fruits
Parts of a tree or bush that contain seeds and are often eaten for
their usually sweet flesh. Many fruits can be eaten raw or cooked.
They are often used to make marmalades and preserves, and their
juice goes into both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Nuts and Seeds
Dry fruit with a kernel and a hard shell. Nuts and seeds are very
versatile in cooking: they can be eaten raw, sprouted and roasted;
and can be pressed for oil. Their high oil content makes them a
good source of energy.
Berries
Berries are small, soft fruit with seeds. They are often brightly
coloured and come in bunches. Like other fruits, berries can be
used in hot or cold sauces, desserts, drinks and preserves.
Fruits:
Ananas [a-na-nuhs]
Arabic for pineapple.
Avocado [a-voh-kah-doh]
A pear-shaped tropical fruit with a leathery green skin and greenish-yellow flesh.
Crab Apple [krab-apuhl]
A small, tart, red apple, pickled with spice.
Currant [kur-ruhnt]
Dried grapes. These may be dried naturally, or artificially
by hot air.
Kiwi Fruit [kee-wee]
An edible fruit with fuzzy brown skin and green flesh.
Formerly known as a Chinese gooseberry.
Kumquat [kuhm-kwot]
Small citrus fruit, which looks like a tiny oval or round orange, originating in central
China but now cultivated in the Far East, Australia and America. Kumquats can be eaten
whole including the skin or used for pickling and preserves. They are particularly
good in stuffing for poultry.
Longan [long-guhn]
Literally means dragon-eye, which is an apt description after the skin has been removed.
Skin is similar to lychee but the longan is smaller, smoother and yellow tan in colour.
The flesh is white to off-white or pinkish in colour and surrounds a red-brown or brown
to black seed. It has a milder flavour and less acidity than lychee. It originated in China.
Lychee [lee-chee]
A fruit that originated in China and is now
grown in the Far East and the West Indies.
It is about the size of a small plum and has
a thin, hard, red, rough shell that is easily
removed. The white, juicy flesh surrounds
a large dark-brown stone. In Europe, fresh
lychees are available from November to
January, but they are probably most often
sold tinned, preserved in sugar syrup.
Fruits, Nuts and Berries
96
Mango
An egg-shaped fruit of a tropical Asian tree, with a juicy, peach-like flesh that contains
numerous fibres radiating from the husk of a single, large kidney-shaped seed. It has
leathery skin which is waxy smooth.
Mangosteen [mang-oh-steen]
A tropical fruit from south-east Asia, the mangosteen is the size of a small peach with
a leathery skin which, when peeled away, reveals five sweetly scented white segments.
Melon
The roundish fruit of several varieties of climbing plant. Melons have a hard rind and
a juicy, sweet flesh that is usually eaten fresh at the
beginning of a meal, as an hors doeuvre, or at the end,
as a fruit. It can also be used to make jams and pickles.
Morello Cherry [moh-rehl-oh]
A sour cherry with dark-red skin and flesh which is
used in a variety of processed products.
Nectarine [nehk-tuh-reen]
A variety of peach with a smooth reddish skin, tinged
with yellow. It has firm, sweet, juicy flesh. Nectarines
can be eaten plain and can be used instead of peaches in desserts.
Olive
Small, oval fruit of the olive tree, widely cultivated in Mediterranean regions. Olives are
harvested and preserved in oil or brine at various stages of development. The early olives
are green, while the later, more mature olives are black. They taste very different, and
black olives tend to have a more intense flavour. The fleshy pulp of the fruit is the
source of olive oil. The whole fruit is available in a variety of guises: flavoured; stuffed
or with stones, in oil or in brine; sliced or whole. It is used in cookery as a flavouring
or garnish, as an ingredient or as an hors d'oeuvre.
Papaya/Papaw/Pawpaw [puh-puh-yuh]
A large, tropical fruit with a smooth, yellowish
skin, its orange-coloured flesh has a central
cavity filled with black seeds. Originating
in Malaysia, it has a low calorific value and
can be eaten ripe or cooked as a vegetable
when unripe.
Passion Fruit
The edible fruit of the passionflower, a climbing plant, also known as granadilla,
originating in tropical America. The fruit is the size of a hens egg with yellowish-green
or brownish-red, leathery skin, which is smooth and shiny when unripe and wrinkled
when mature. The orange-yellow flesh, which is slightly acid and very fragrant, contains
small, edible black seeds.
Pear [pehr]
The fruit of the pear tree. It has a yellow, brown, red or green skin,
a fine, white, slightly granular flesh and a central core.
Peach [peech]
The fruit of the peach tree. It has a velvety skin, sweet and juicy
flesh which can be white or yellow in colour, and a single stone.
Pomegranate [pom-uh-gran-eht]
A shrub of Asiatic origin, cultivated for its large edible fruit. The fruit has a tough reddish-
yellow or green skin enclosing many seeds surrounded by sweet, pinkish, juicy pulp.
Pomelo [poh-mehl-oh]
The largest of the citrus fruits, sometimes known as shaddock. The pomelo is pear-
shaped with a thick skin and a bitter, coarse flesh similar in flavour to the grapefruit.
Prune [proon]
A dried red or purple plum, which is kept for a long time.
Quince [kwihns]
The yellow fruit of a tree native to Asia. It belongs to the apple family and is round
or pear-shaped. When ripe, the quince has a fine down and a wonderful perfume.
Quince should not be eaten raw because it is very hard and bitter but it makes
excellent preserves, especially marmalade.
Raisins [ray-zihns]
Dried red grapes. They may be dried
naturally, or artificially by hot air.
Rambutan [ram-boo-tan]
The somewhat hair-like covering is
responsible for the common name of the
fruit, which is based on the Malay word
rambut, meaning hair. The flesh is thick,
white or tinted rose, translucent, juicy and
sweet attached to an oblong, somewhat
flattened seed.
Fruits, Nuts and Berries Fruits, Nuts and Berries
98 97
Star Fruit
Also known as carambola, this yellow fruit becomes a five-pointed star when sliced
widthways. Star fruits have a slightly sweet and sour taste, so are often used more
for decoration in fruit salads.
Sultanas [sool-tah-nahs]
Dried green grapes. They may be dried naturally, or artificially by hot air.
Tamarind [tam-uh-rihnd]
Comes from the Arabic and literally means date of
India. The fruit of an evergreen tree. The brown
pods contain a bittersweet pulp, dotted with a few
hard seeds. Tamarinds are mostly used for preparing
jams, sorbets, chutneys, drinks and condiments.
Tangerine [tan-juh-reen]
A citrus fruit resembling a small, slightly flattened
orange. It originated in China and is also called
a mandarin.
Nuts and Seeds:
Ginkgo [gihnk-goh]
A type of sweet nut.
Hazelnut [hay-zuhl-nuht]
A hard-shelled nut of the hazel tree, with an oval or round kernel.
Linseed
Seed of the flax plant.
Macadamia [mak-uh-day-myah]
A relatively expensive nut that is native
to Australia. Its white kernel has a taste
reminiscent of coconut. In Asia it is used
in curries and stews; in the United States
it is used as flavouring for ices and cakes.
Marron
French for chestnuts. Used as garnish
or pure for main courses and desserts.
Pecan [pee-kuhn]
Olive-shaped, finely-flavoured nut.
Pine Kernel/Pine Nut
The small edible seed of the stone pine, which grows in the Mediterranean region. Pine
nuts are rich in protein and oily so they tend to go rancid quite quickly. They are
used in many savoury dishes, especially vegetarian ones.
Pistachio [pihs-tah-shee-oh]
Nut with a green kernel, about the size of a peanut.
Sunflower
An annual plant cultivated both for ornament and for its
seeds, from which oil is extracted.
Walnut [wol-nuht]
The fruit of the walnut tree, consisting of a hard-shelled nut
surrounded by a green, fleshy husk. The delicious kernel
is shaped like the two halves of a brain. Walnuts are used
in sweet and savoury cooking and are good pickled, and
served with cheese. They can also be used finely chopped with sweet dishes, or roughly
chopped with salads and stir fries. Best stored whole with shell on.
Berries:
Blueberry
A very small, blackish, edible fruit that grows on a North American shrub.
Cape Gooseberry
The fruit of the gooseberry bush, a large
berry with a slightly hairy skin, usually
green or amber-green in colour.
Juniper Berries [joo-nihp-uh]
Blue-black berries used for flavouring
sauces and game dishes. Famous for being
utilised in gin-making.
Redcurrant [kuh-ruhnt]
Small, red, acid-tasting berries, which
grow in clusters.
Zerach [zer-ach]
A tiny, dark red berry about the size of
pomegranate seed, with a tart, acidic taste. Also called as barberries, they are used
in Afghan rice dishes and can also replace a type of dried plum in North Indian dishes.
In Western cooking they can be added to fruit pies.
Fruits, Nuts and Berries Fruits, Nuts and Berries
100 99
Cheese
Cheese is a soft or firm, solid food, most often made from cows
milk. There are hundreds of types of cheese around the world,
with a variety of textures and flavours produced by different
characteristics of milk and by contrasting processing methods.
Cheese is used in the preparation of cooked dishes and eaten with
various accompaniments, such as grapes, nuts and crackers,
or as a course in itself.
Appenzeller [a-pehn-tzelluh]
A superb Swiss cheese made from cows milk, with a delicate, somewhat fruity flavour.
It has small holes.
Babybel
A semi-soft, creamy, French cheese made from cows milk.
Bel Paese [behl-pah-ay-zay]
Italian for beautiful country. A semi-soft cheese with a mild
buttery taste.
Belle Crme [behl-creem]
A young, soft, Canadian cheese made from cows milk.
Bocconcini [boh-kohn-chee-nih]
Small rounds of fresh baby mozzarella. It is a delicate, semi-soft,
white cheese traditionally made in Italy from buffaloes milk.
Bonne Mre [bon-mayr]
A soft cheese made from cows milk. It is produced in Denmark.
Bougon Mlusine [boo-gon mehl-oo-sihn]
A pasteurised goats milk cheese from the Loire Valley. It is matured for between two to
four weeks. The paste pulls away from the rind and has a spicy flavour, which develops
with age.
Caciocavallo [kah-choh-kah-vah-loh]
An Italian cheese made from cows milk and often smoked. It is compact and straw-
coloured with a pale, fine and oily crust.
Caciotta [ka-choht-tah]
A ripened, yellow, Italian cheese made from
cows milk. It is not too strong in taste.
California Sonoma Jack
A Californian, Cheddar-type cheese made
from cows milk. It has a mild flavour.
Camembert [kam-ehm-behr]
A very traditional French cheese with
an edible, white, downy rind (like Brie).
Today, Camembert is produced in many
countries, e.g. Australia (King Island
Camembert) and France (Cur de Lion).
Cheese
104
Christian (IX) [kris-tee-an]
A Danish cheese made from cows milk. It has a semi-soft texture and is flavoured with
caraway seeds.
Cur De Dame [kuhr-de-dahm]
A semi-soft cheese from France.
Comt [kom-tay]
A cheese made with cows' milk, which is cooked and pressed. It is ivory-coloured or
pale yellow and has a natural brushed rind, varying from golden-yellow to brown.
The cheese comes from the Franche-Comt region
of France and is also known as Comt Gruyre.
Traditionally, it should have small holes, not much
smell, a fruity flavour and a strong bouquet.
Derby/Sage Derby [dahr-bee]
A semi-hard, English cheese made from cows milk,
sometimes with sage leaves.
Double Gloucester [gloss-tuhr]
An English cheese, fine, full-flavoured with a semi-
hard texture and orange colour, made from cows milk.
Edam [ee-duhm]
A mild and buttery Dutch cheese made from cows milk.
Emmental [ehm-ehn-tahl]
A premium Swiss cheese made from cow's milk. It has a distinctive, nutty-sweet,
mellow flavour and big holes.
Feta [feht-uh]
A classic Greek cheese made from ewes' milk or
sometimes from goats' milk. It is used in sauces,
soups and salads. In Greek cooking, feta is
used mostly for gratins and pastries. It is a soft,
crumbly, white cheese. Greek, Romanian and
Bulgarian feta are best for serving as appetisers
or in salads. Firmer feta is usually less expensive
and is suitable for cooking purposes.
Fourme d'Ambert [form dahm-behr]
Fourme is any of various cows' milk cheeses
from central France that usually contain parsley
and are used in the same way as blue cheese.
Fourme d'Ambert comes from the Loire, Puy-de-Dome and the district of Saint-Flour;
it comprises a firm paste flavoured with parsley and a dry, dark-grey crust, mottled
with yellow and red. It has a strong flavour and is shaped into tall cylinders. It is usually
served cut horizontally.
Fromage Blanc [froh-mahzh blahn]
French for white cheese. An extremely soft, fresh cream cheese that has the consistency
of sour cream.
Fromage Frais/Quark/Ricotta/Cottage [froh-mahj fray/kwahk/rih-koh-tah]
Fresh cheeses, the curdled substance of milk with the water drained off. These are from
different countries and have slightly different production processes.
Gloucester [gloss-tuhr]
Also called double Gloucester, this dense, satiny, golden yellow
cheese is one of England's finest. It was once made only with the
milk from Gloucester cows (now almost extinct) and until the
end of World War II single (smaller) Gloucester rounds were also
available. The mellow, full-flavoured double Gloucester comes in
large, flat rounds or tall cylinders both with a natural rind. It's a
fine, multipurpose cheese, equally as good with a meal or after it.
Gorgonzola [gor-gon-zoh-lah]
An Italian cows milk cheese, pale in colour and streaked with blue. It has a distinct
smell and can be mild, strong or sharp in flavour depending on its maturity.
Gouda [goo-dah]
An excellent, mild, Dutch cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture and is
sometimes flavoured with pepper.
Gruviera [groo-vee-yeh-rah]
This Italian version of the Swiss Gruyre
has a sweet, nutty flavour that is just
like the original.
Gruyre [groo-yehr/gree-yehr]
A superior, Swiss cheese made from cows
milk. It has a rich, sweet and nutty flavour.
Halloumi [hahl-loo-mee]
A mild, salty cheese from cyprus with
a chewy texture made from goat's milk.
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Havati [ha-vah-tee]
A creamy, semi-soft Danish cheese with a mild taste.
Hereford Hop
Made in Gloucester since 1988. A full fat, hard cheese matured in locally produced hops.
A mild, buttery flavour enhanced by the strong aroma and contrasting taste of the hop.
Kasar [kah-sahr]
A traditional, ripe, Turkish cheese made from sheep's milk.
Kernheim [kairn-him]
An excellent Dutch cheese made from cows milk. It has a
semi-soft texture, creamy, white colour and a strong flavour.
Kras
A traditional, young, Turkish cheese made from cows milk.
Leicester Cheese/Red Leicester [lehs-tuhr]
A mature English cheese made from cows milk. It has
a semi-hard texture and an orange-red colour with a
creamy flavour and a nutty undertone.
Limburg [lihm-buhrg]
Soft cheese from Belgium or Germany with a strong flavour and odour.
Manchego [mahn-chay-goh]
A Spanish cheese made from ewe/sheeps milk. A rather fatty cheese with a creamy
colour and firm to the touch.
Maredsous [mahr-doo]
A Belgian cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture and a strong aroma.
Mascarpone [mas-kahr-poh-neh]
A fresh, Italian cream cheese, often used in desserts like tiramisu.
Mimolette [mee-moh-leht]
A cows' milk cheese characterised by its orange
colour, and shaped like a flattened ball. It is
a compressed cheese with a dry, hard, grey
or brown rind. Depending on its maturity,
the cheese may be supple, dry, or hard and
flaky; the nutty flavour of the young cheese
gradually becomes more piquant. The word
mimolette comes from the French molle
meaning fairly soft.
Monterey Jack [mon-teh-ray]
A Californian cheddar-type cheese with a mild flavour. Made from cows milk.
Morbier [moh-bee-ayr]
A French cheese made from cows milk. It has a creamy texture with a fairly strong
flavour. It is a firm cheese with a natural light-grey or slightly orange crust and a firm
creamy paste with a dark horizontal line running through the middle of it.
Mozzarella
[moh-tzah-rehl-ah]
An Italian fresh or unripened cheese made from the milk of the water buffalo and sold
swimming in whey. Fans often prefer its soft sponge-like texture and mild creamy
flavour to the alternative cows milk mozzarella, which can be more rubbery and
less flavoursome. It is used widely for cooking and in salads.
Munster [moon-ster/muhn-stuhr]
An originally French cheese of distinctive flavour. Today,
Munster is also made in other countries.
Neufchatel [noo-shuh-tell]
A mild-flavoured, French cheese made from cows milk.
It has a soft creamy texture.
Oka
A young, smooth, Canadian cheese made from cows milk.
Paneer [puh-neer]
A basic curd cheese used in Indian cooking.
Parmesan [pahr-muh-zahn]/ Parmigiano Reggiano
[pahr-mee-jee-ah-noh rehj-ee-ah-noh]
A hard, grainy cheese extensively used in Italian cuisine. Parmesan is often grated over
dishes, e.g. spaghetti Bolognese, and is made from skimmed or partially-skimmed cows
milk. There are Parmesan cheeses made
in Argentina, Australia and the USA,
but the most famous is Italys Parmigiano-
Reggiano, which is the true parmesan
cheese, manufactured from 15th April to
11th November in the province of Parma
and also in Bologna and Mantua. Parmesan
is always best grated just before use.
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Passendale [pa-sehn-dayl]
A young (ripened for 6 weeks) mild, creamy cheese made from cows milk from Belgian.
It has a light colour, semi-soft texture and holes.
Pecorino [peh-koh-ree-noh]
A hard, Italian cheese made from sheep's milk.
Peppered Cheese
A young cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture, mild flavour and a crushed
pepper crust.
Pont L'Evque [pon-lay-vehk]
A soft, classical, French cheese with a fairly strong
taste and aroma.
Port Salut [por suh-loo]
A semi-soft, smooth, buttery cheese made after an
ancient Trappist monk's recipe, which reaches back
to the French Revolution.
Provolone [proh-voh-loh-neh]
An Italian cheese made from cows milk. It has a firm texture and a smoky flavour.
Reblochon [reh-bluh-shohn]
A cows' milk cheese made in Savoy, with a pressed uncooked curd and a washed rind,
yellow, pink, or orange in colour. It is very creamy and fine-textured, with a sweet, nutty
taste. Its name comes from the French verb reblocher, meaning 'to milk a second time',
because the cheese used to be made in the Alpine meadows from the last milk to be
drawn from the cow, which is very rich in fat.
Red Windsor
A semi-hard, English cheese, made from cows milk and flavoured with elderberry wine.
Ricotta [ree-ko-tah]
An Italian ewes milk curd cheese that, when
unripened, is creamy, soft and smooth. It can be
eaten fresh with fruit or flavoured with sugar and
cinnamon as it has a rather bland flavour. It is used
in many Italian dishes, especially as a stuffing for
ravioli or in pastries.
Rubens [roo-buhns]
A young (ripened for 6 weeks), mild, creamy cheese
made from cows milk from Belgian. It has a light
colour and semi-soft texture but no holes.
Samso
A semi-hard, Danish cheese with many variations. Related cheeses are Danbo, Elbo, Fynbo,
Molbo, Maribo, Tybo, etc.
Scarmorza [skah-mohr-tzah]
A hard, cheese from the south of Italy, with a rather sharp taste.
Shanklish
A type of goats cheese from the Middle East.
Smoked Cheese
Various types of cheese can be found with the term smoked.
Carbon-flavoured liquid is used to give the cheese a smoky taste.
It does not undergo a smoking process like fish or meat.
Somerset Camembert [suhm-uh-seht kam-ehm-behr]
Made by the Lubborn Creamery in Somerset, England. It is made
using pasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet. Coated with a white,
bloomy rind. It has a smooth, creamy and buttery flavour.
Taleggio [tah-leh-jee-oh]
A semi-soft, Italian cheese made from cows milk. Its flavour ranges from mild to
pungent, depending on the age of the cheese.
Tilsit [tihl-ziht]
A cheese said to have originated in Tilsit, East Prussia (now part of Russia and Poland)
when Dutch immigrants accidentally created it while attempting to make Gouda.
A cheese made of cows milk, it is pressed, uncooked, pliable and golden-yellow,
with small regular holes and a polished, yellow-brown rind. Its flavour is mild but
becomes more pungent with age. A very strong version is called Farmhouse Tilsit.
Tilsiter [tihl-siht-uh]
A firm-textured Swiss cheese made from cows milk. It has a tangy taste.
Tomato & Basil Cheese
A smooth, very creamy cheese made from
cows milk, with tomato and basil bits
(Camembert type).
Tomme [tom]
A classical, French cheese with a semi-soft
texture.
Valhalla [vahl-hah-lah]
A Danish cheese made from cows milk.
It has a firm texture and strong flavour.
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Walnut Cheese
A processed cheese with walnut halves as garnish or chopped walnuts inside. Processed
cheese is made from different types of cheese that are melted and blended.
Wensleydale
A hard, salted, English cheese with a buttermilk flavour.
Varieties of cheese:
Blue-veined cheese is a general term for blue cheese. Mould-treated
cheese, mottled with blue veins comes in
many varieties, ranging from firm, crumbly
and strong flavoured, to mild, creamy and
brie-like.
Blue Simonsberg [see-mohns-bairg]
A South African blue cheese.
Bresse Bleu [brez-bluh]
Original French name Bleu de Bresse. Creamy-
textured, rich-tasting cheese made from cows milk.
Cambozola/Camenzola [kam-boh-zoh-lah/kam-ehn-zoh-lah]
A triple cream, German cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture and a pale,
white colour. It is made like Camembert and Roquefort.
Cashel Blue
Blue-veined cheese from Ireland. It is made with pasteurised cows milk and vegetarian
rennet. It has a crusty rind with a firm, moist interior and a fresh, slightly tangy flavour.
Chteau D'Arville [sha-toh-dahr-veel]
A premium blue cheese made from cows milk.
Danish Blue [day-nihsh]
A soft-textured cheese, fairly strong in taste,
made from cows milk.
Dolcelatte [dol-chee-laht-tee]
Italian for sweet milk. A soft, mild,
blue-veined cheese from Italy.
German/Bavarian Blue Cheese [buh-vair-ree-uhn]
Soft-textured with a mildly-sour flavour, made from cows milk.
Gorgonzola [gor-gohn-tzoh-lah]
One of the premier blue cheeses. Pleasantly sharp in flavour, soft-textured, made from
cow's milk.
Heritage Blue [huhr-ih-tayj]
Heritage is an Australian dairy brand.
Jersey Blue [juhr-zee]
A blue cheese made from cows milk. It has a semi-soft texture.
Maytag Blue Cheese [may-tag]
Maytag is a dairy brand name from Iowa, USA.
Rahm Blue Cheese [rahm]
An Austrian cheese made from cows milk, matured for about
three months, with blue veins and a white mould coating.
Roquefort [rok-for]
One of the premier blue cheeses. A French ewes' milk cheese. The cheese is blue-
veined, smooth and creamy, with a naturally formed rind. It has a strong smell and a
pronounced flavour.
Stilton [stihl-tuhn]
One of the premier blue cheeses. This famous English blue cheese is made from cows
milk. It has a crumbly texture and is rich in flavour.
True Blue
A creamy cheese made from cows milk. It
has a rich taste and a creamy colour with blue
markings.
White Stilton
Young Stilton withdrawn from the ripening
process, before it turns blue in colour.
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Boursin, a soft, triple cream cheese from France with a good
flavour, made from enriched pasteurised cows milk, aromatised
with herbs.
Boursin Legre [boor-sahn lay-zhayr]
The low-fat version of regular boursin.
Boursin with Herbs
Boursin seasoned with fine herbs.
Boursin with Pepper
Coated with crushed peppercorns.
Brie is ripened, soft cheese made from
cows milk with an edible, white, furry
skin (like Camembert).
Herb Brie
Brie made from cows milk with mixed herbs.
King Island Double Brie
An Australian product from King Island Dairies Pty Ltd. King Island is off the northern
coast of Tasmania.
Mini Caprice [ka-prees]
Brie produced in France.
Pepper Brie
Brie made from cow's milk and pepper.
Saga Brie with Pepper
Danish Brie. Saga is a brand name.
Somerset/English Brie
Brie made in England.
Swiss Brie
Brie made in Switzerland.
Cheddar, England's most famous cheese is made from cows milk
and is semi-hard in consistency. Today Cheddar is produced all
over the world, e.g. Australia, Canada and USA.
Aged Cheddar
Aged Cheddar has a sharp flavour.
Apple Smoked Cheddar
Old British Cheddar flavoured with an apple scent.
Colby [kohl-bee]
An American Cheddar cheese from Colby, Wisconsin.
Coon
A special method of preparing Cheddar.
Curworthy Cheddar [kuhr-wuhr-thee]
A Cheddar specialty from the Devon countryside.
Diamond Black Cheddar
An American product.
King Island Cheddar
An Australian product.
Cheshire [chesh-ur]
Hailing from Cheshire, England, this rich cows milk cheese has a semi-firm texture and
a mild, tangy and Cheddar-like flavour.
Goats milk cheese is pure white
in colour with a refreshing
flavour and a soft texture.
Chevin [shuh-vahn]
A goats milk cheese from South Africa.
It has a soft texture and strong aroma.
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Chvre [shayvr]
The French word for 'goat' has come to be used to refer to goats cheese. Chvres can
vary in maturity and strength of flavour, and range in texture from moist and creamy
to dry and semi-firm. They come in a variety of shapes, including cylinders, discs,
cones and pyramids, and are often coated in edible ash or leaves, herbs or pepper.
Saint Maure [sehn mohr]
Long, round-shaped cheese made from goats milk
San Maune - France. It has a semi-soft texture and
piquant flavour.
Wisconsin Goats Milk Cheese
Made in Wisconsin, USA.
Cheese
Bakery Items
115
Bread is made from a flour and water dough, usually with a raising
agent such as yeast. There are many different styles of bread often
regional specialties which may contain additional ingredients such
as fruit, vegetables, spices, nuts and seeds that set them apart.
Bread can be baked, fried or steamed, but always tastes best
when it is fresh.
Bagel [bay-guhl]
A doughnut-shaped yeast roll, originating from Jewish culinary traditions.
Baguette [bag-eht]
A French bread that has been formed into a long, narrow, cylindrical loaf with a crisp,
brown crust and a light, chewy interior.
Barquette [bahr-keht]
Boat-shaped pastry shell that can contain a sweet or savoury filling.
Bi-ajeen [bee-ah-jeen]
In a pastry.
Biscotti [bihs-kot-tee]
Twice-baked Italian biscuit.
Bouche [boo-shay]
French for mouthful. Small puff pastry shell filled with creamed
vegetables, meats, fish, etc.
Brioche [bree-yohsh]
A fine yeast dough, rich in butter and eggs, baked as bread.
Bruschetta [broo-sheht-tah]
Italian bread, sliced and grilled or toasted then brushed with garlic and olive oil.
Served as a starter or snack with a variety of toppings. A French baguette would make
a good alternative.
Bun [buhn]
A sweet or plain small bread or a round roll, designed to be cut in half and filled with
ingredients. To be made into a sandwich or consumed as is.
Calzone [kal-zoh-neh]
A pizza that is folded in half and closed with
a scalloped edge so that the food inside is
steamed and the flavours sealed in. It can be
stuffed with vegetables, cheese, meat, etc.
and is swollen in appearance. A calzone is
usually made as a single serving.
Choux [shoo]
A very light, double-cooked pastry, usually
used for sweets such as cakes and buns.
Also known as cream-puff pastry.
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118
Ciabatta [Chuh-bah-tah]
Italian for slipper, describing a long, wide, moist, aerated loaf of bread made with olive
oil. It has a soft interior and a crisp, thin crust.
Cocotte Potatoes [koh-kot]
Small, barrel-shaped potatoes, roasted in oil.
Cornes De Gazelle [korn duh guh-zehl]
French for gazelles horn. An oriental, crescent-
shaped pastry.
Crispelle [kris-pel-leh]
An Italian fritter served around Christmas time. Yeast
dough with black pepper in it, which is picked up
and dropped in olive oil without shaping.
Crostini [kros-tee-nee]
Traditionally a festive Italian appetiser. Baguette-style
bread is thinly sliced and lightly toasted and then
topped, usually with a moist spreadable pt made from a variety of ingredients such
as mushrooms, chicken livers, capers, garlic and ham. In addition to bread, fried squares
of polenta can be used.
Crouton [kroo-ton]
Small cube of bread that has been browned. Croutons are used to garnish soups, salads
and other dishes. They are available packaged, either plain or seasoned with herbs,
cheese, garlic, etc.
Feuillet [fuh-yuh-tay]
A piece of puff pastry cut into the shape of a
finger or triangle and filled or garnished with
cheese, ham, seafood, etc. For example:
Feuillet aux Pommes puff pastry with apples.
Filo/Philo [fee-loh]
Tissue-thin layers of pastry dough used in
various sweet and savoury preparations.
It comes from the Greek word phyllo
meaning leaf.
Focaccia [foh-kah-chee-ah]
Typical, flat Italian bread.
Galette [gah-leht]
Round, rather flat cake made of flaky pastry dough from France. The term also applies
to a variety of tarts, both savoury and sweet.
Gateau [gah-toh]
French for cake.
Jalousie [jah-loo-see]
French for Venetian blind. A small, rectangular pastry consisting of a strip of puff
pastry spread with vanilla-flavoured marzipan (almond paste), or a fruit preserve, and
topped with a slatted pastry lid resembling a Venetian blind.
Kaiser Roll
A kind of bread roll popular in the USA; typically a crusty, round
roll, often with poppy or sesame seeds. It is made by folding
corners of a square inward so that their points meet. It is often
used as a bun for sandwiches, including hamburgers.
Kraft Korn Bread
Brand of dark bread with cereals and seeds.
Macaroon [mak-uh-roon]
Small cookie made of almond paste, ground almonds, or both, mixed with sugar and
egg whites.
Melba Toast
This toast is very thin and dry. It is used to accompany caviar, soups and salads.
Mille-Feuille [meel-fuh-yee]
a. French for thousand leaves and used to describe sweet and savoury dishes made
from thin layers of puff pastry.
b. A French dessert made from rectangular
layers of puff pastry separated by layers
of cream, fruit ganache. Savoury dishes
are prepared in a similar way with a
filling of fish or shellfish.
Naan
A round flat bread made of flour. Naans
are a staple accompaniment to hot savoury
meals in central and south Asia, including
the Punjab and Rajasthan in north-
west India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran,
Uzbekistan and the surrounding region.
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Naans are made using yeast; milk or yoghurt may also be used to give greater volume
and make them thicker. Typically the naan will be served hot and brushed with ghee or
butter. It can be used to scoop other foods, or served stuffed with a filling.
Pandesal [pahn-deh-sal]
A crusty, salty bread roll from the Philippines.
Papillote [pah-pee-yoht]
Envelope of pastry. The term en papilotte is used to
describe a dish cooked in a parcel that protects the
food from the high heat of the oven and keeps in
the aroma and flavour. The dish is usually served in
the parcel so that each diner can unwrap their own.
Greaseproof paper is the best wrapping to use,
as foil does not puff up as well.
Paris Brest
A ring of pastry, filled with cream and sprinkled with almonds.
Pie [pi]
Sweet or savoury filling, baked in pastry.
Pita/Pitta Bread
A round, flat, wheat bread made with yeast. Typically pitta breads can be opened up to
form a pocket, which can be stuffed with a variety of fillings. Throughout the Middle
East, pittas are served with meals or cut into wedges and used to dip in dishes such as
baba ganoush and hummus. It is traditional in many Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean
cuisines and is believed to have originated in Ancient Greece.
Pithiviers [pee-tee-vee-ay]
A round French pastry, usually filled with
frangipane (almond filling). A speciality
of the town of Pithiviers in the Loire
region of France. Can also be savoury.
Pizzette [peet-tse-te]
Mini pizzas.
Puff Pastry [p-uh-f]
A very light pastry made in layers that expand
when cooked, leaving large air pockets inside.
Used for sweet or savoury dishes.
Pumpernickel [puhm-puhr-nihk-uhl]
A German coarse, dark bread with a slightly sour taste, usually made of a high
proportion of rye flour and a small amount of wheat flour.
Puri [poo-ree]
An Indian bread made from a dough of whole durum wheat flour, water and salt by
rolling it out into discs of approximately 12 cm diametre and deep frying in ghee or
vegetable oil.
Quiche [keesh]
Originally from Lorraine, the quiche has become a classic of
French cuisine. It is an open tart, filled with a mixture of fresh
cream, beaten eggs and a variety of mixed ingredients, such
as mushrooms, seafood or ham.
Roti Bread [roh-tee]
It is flat, fluffy on the inside but crispy and flaky on the outside.
The entire mixture is kneaded thoroughly, flattened, oiled and
folded repeatedly. It is then allowed to prove and rise and the
process is repeated. The final round of preparation consists of flattening the dough ball,
coating it with oil and then cooking on a flat iron skillet with a lot of oil.
Scone [skon]
A small baked bread, which originated in Scotland. Scones are often eaten as an
accompaniment to tea.
Shortbread
Crisp, dry, crumbly cake made with flour, butter and sugar.
Sourdough Bread
Made by using a small amount of so-called
starter dough, which has the yeast culture,
mixed in with new flour and water. This
bread has a very distinctive taste.
Strudel [shtrood-l]
Pastry layers filled with fruits or savoury
items like meat, seafood, potatoes or
mushrooms. Apple strudel is a traditional
dessert in Germany and Austria.
Tartlette [tahrt-leht]
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122 121
Pastry crust with shallow sides, a filling and no top crust. The filling can be sweet or
savoury.
Tourte [toort]
A round pie or tart, which can be savoury or sweet.
Vol-Au-Vent [vol-oh-vahn]
A round case of puff pastry, with a pastry lid, which
is filled after baking and served as a hot starter or
hors d'uvre. The filling is made of meat, seafood
or vegetables in a sauce.
Waffle [wo-fuhl]
A thin, light batter cooked on the stove between
the two buttered and heated plates of a waffle iron.
Waffle batter is made of flour, butter, sugar, eggs
and water or milk, with flavouring.
Wholemeal
Whole-wheat or other cereal.
Yeast
A microscopic living fungus that multiplies
rapidly in suitable conditions and is used in
bread-making to make the dough rise.
Bakery Items
Herbs and Spices
123
Herbs
Herbs are typically small, green, leafy plants grown to improve the
taste of food. Small amounts of leaf are used to add flavour to a dish
rather than substance. Many herbs have come to be associated with
certain cuisines. Basil, for example, is perhaps best known as the
base of the Italian pesto sauce.
Spices
Spices are among the many aromatic substances derived from the
dried bark, fruit, root or seed of plants that have fragrant or sharp
flavour. They are used sparingly to season food. Spices have
historically been valuable items of trade and were prized discoveries
for explorers in the ancient and medieval world.
Herbs
Anise [ah-nees]
An aromatic plant, which originated in India and Egypt.
Basil [ba-zihl]
Herb belonging to the mint family. It has a strong, sweet smell.
Burdock [buhr-dok]
A large herbaceous plant, which grows wild in Europe and is
only eaten locally, but in Japan is cultivated as a vegetable.
The roots, shoots and leaves are used in various preparations.
Cayenne [cay-enne]
Cayenne pepper is a hot red pepper used to flavour dishes.
Chervil [chuhr-vuhl]
A mild-flavoured member of the parsley family, this aromatic herb has curly, dark leaves.
Chive [chiv]
Fragrant herb, related to the onion and leek, with slender, vivid green, hollow stems.
It has a mild onion flavour.
Cilantro [sih-lahn-troh]
Type of herb. It is also known as coriander and Chinese parsley.
Coriander [ko-ree-an-duhr]
Coriander is the world's most commonly used herb. It is also known as cilantro and
Chinese parsley in spite of the fact that the name comes from the Greek, koris,
meaning a bug. Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now
available worldwide. Both the fresh
leaves and seeds are used. The herb
has a fresh taste and is an important
ingredient in curry.
Dill
Herb with green, spiky leaves used for
fish, meats, chicken, salads and garnishes.
Herbs and Spices
126
Fennel [fehn-ehl]
Also known as nigella. Aromatic plant of Mediterranean origin, which is now widely
cultivated. The feathery leaves and seeds have a slight aniseed flavour and both are
used in a variety of recipes. The leaves are also used as a garnish. The fennel bulb
can be used raw in salads, or it can be cooked.
Lemon Grass
A tall, sharp-edged grass that tastes and smells like
lemon. The white part of each stem is chopped
and used in Asian cooking.
Mint
A very fragrant aromatic plant used in infusions,
to flavour liqueurs, sweets, syrups, and as a
culinary herb.
Oregano [o-rehg-ah-noh]
Wild marjoram. It has a pungent flavour that is
popular in Mediterranean dishes such as pasta, pizza sauces and tomato dishes.
Parsley/Persil [pahrs-lee/puhr-sihl]
A herb originating in southern Europe and cultivated mainly for its aromatic leaves,
which are used to flavour or garnish many dishes. Available as curly or flat-leafed
varieties.
Rosemary
An aromatic European shrub, widely cultivated for its grey-green leaves. Herb often
used in Mediterranean cooking for lamb, beef and chicken dishes.
Sage [sayj]
A rather pungent herb often used in
Mediterranean cooking.
Sorrel [soh-rehl]
A leafy herb with a slightly sour taste.
Used in soups, sauces, purees and garnishes.
Tarragon [ta-ruh-gon/ta-ruh-guhn]
An aromatic perennial herb, often used in French cooking. Its narrow, dark green,
pointed leaves have a distinctive aniseed flavour and can be used to flavour oils and
vinegar. Tarragon is particularly good with chicken.
Turmeric [tur-mer-ic]
Is a spice commonly used in curries and other South Asian cuisine. Turmeric is also used
to give a yellow colour to prepared food.
Thyme [tim]
A type of herb, belonging to the mint family.
Zaatar [zah-tahr]
a. An aromatic herb with soft, dark green leaves, native to the
Middle East.
b. A popular, Middle-Eastern spice blend composed of toasted
sesame seeds, drie thyme.
Spices
Anise [ah-nees]
A plant with aromatic seeds. Aniseed is the seed of anise.
Baharat [bah-hah-raht]
Arabic word for spices. It is a combination of cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, cassia
bark, nutmeg, coriander and pepper. Paprika is added for colour.
Cajun Spices/Cajun Style
[kay-juhn]
A spice mixture including garlic, chilli
and onions. Used in Cajun cooking
from south-eastern USA.
Caraway Seed [ka-ruh-way]
Aromatic seeds used in European and
Indian cooking.
Herbs and Spices Herbs and Spices
128 127
Cardamom [kahr-duh-muhm]
Cardamom seeds are contained in small pods about the size of a cranberry. The
spice has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy-sweet flavour and is widely used in
Scandinavian and East Indian cooking. Cardamom can be bought in the pod or ground
but, as the ground seeds soon lose their flavour, it is preferable to use the pods, either
removing the seeds and grinding them or grinding the whole pod quickly with a pestle
and mortar.
Cinnamon [sih-nuh-muhn]
Type of spice. It is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree.
Cumin [koo-mihn]
A spicy-smelling seed of a Mediterranean herb.
Five-Spice Powder
Popular ancient spices used in Chinese cuisine for
a variety of savoury dishes, e.g. stir-fried meats or
red-cooked dishes. It is a blend of spices consisting
of ground star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds
and Szechwan peppercorns. Like curry powder,
the combination of spices can vary according to
the manufacturer; however, star anise is usually the
flavour that stands out.
Gumbo Spices [guhm-boh]
A spice and herb mixture used in Creole cooking.
Masala [muh-sah-lah]
An Indian spice blend or Indian gravy.
Paprika [pah-prih-kah]
Milder than cayenne, paprika is the ground
red powder of mild and hot peppers and
is an important ingredient in Hungarian
goulash and in Spanish sausages and salamis.
Herbs and Spices
Saffron [saf-ruhn]
The most expensive spice in the world fortunately goes a long way. It is derived from
the dried, yellow-orange stigmas of the saffron crocus flower; it takes over 14,000 of
these tiny stigmas to produce each ounce of saffron; it can be used either whole or in
powdered form, giving a distinctive flavour and yellow colour to Spanish paella and
Italian risotto. It is also a classic ingredient in the French fish soup bouillabaisse.
Sansho Pepper [sahn-shoh]
A Japanese seasoning made from the dried berries of the ash
tree. Known as pepper in Chinese cooking.
Sichuan/Szechwan Pepper
[sehch-wahn/sehch-oo-ahn]
Sichuan or anise pepper is actually not pepper but the
very hot and peppery dried red berries of a type of ash tree.
The berries are roasted and ground to make a very pungent
and aromatic seasoning used in Chinese cuisine. Sichuan
pepper is also one of the spices in Chinese five-spice powder.
Star Anis [ah-nees]
The fruit of a shrub native to the Far East, star anise is shaped like an eight-pointed
star and contains seeds with an aniseed flavour. It is used widely in Chinese cooking.
Sumac [soo-muhk]
Ranging from brick-coloured to dark-purple-red, this berry which is sold ground or in
its dried-berry form. It has a fruity, sour taste.
Vanilla [vuh-nihl-lah]
A climbing plant native to Mexico.
The pods are harvested when barely ripe,
then plunged into boiling water and dried,
or exposed to the sun until they are dark
brown. The pod becomes frosted with
vanillin crystals, which gives them their
characteristic smell and flavour.
Herbs and Spices
130 129
Condiments
Beverages are simply drinks. They are almost always largely water.
Since we have a greater need for water than food, beverages are
an important part of our daily consumption, at meal times and
otherwise. In many cultures, taking certain beverages involves
considerable etiquette or ceremony.
Food substances used to heighten the natural flavour of foods to
stimulate the appetite, to aid digestion or else to preserve certain
products. The term is used today to include spices, seasonings,
sauces, fruit and various cooked or uncooked preparations.
Achar [a-char]
Relish from East India that are pickled, salted and seasoned. Taste ranging from sweet to
hot and very hot.
Balsamic Vinegar
Dark brown vinegar from Modena, Italy, made from reduced grape juice aged in
wooden casks. The best quality product can be over 100 years old but is more
commonly sold at three to four years of age.
Capers [kay-puhrs]
The flower bud of a shrub. Capers are used as a condiment, either
pickled in vinegar or preserved in brine. When pickled, they are
sour but full of flavour.
Chutney [chuht-nee]
From the East Indian word chatni, this spicy relish contains fruit
or vegetables, vinegar, sugar and spices. It can range in texture
from chunky to smooth and in degrees of spiciness from mild to
hot. Chutney is a delicious accompaniment to curried dishes. The sweeter chutneys also
make interesting bread spreads and are delicious served with cheese.
Compote [kom-poht]
Chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slowly cooked in sugar syrup.
Concass [kon-ka-say]
A mixture that is coarsely chopped or ground, such as a tomato concass.
Confit [kon-fee]
French term for preparing foods in
particular ways in order to preserve them,
either by cooking them slowly in their
own fat (confits of goose and duck),
by coating them with sugar syrup
(confectionery and candied fruit),
or by bottling them in alcohol (cherries
and fruit), in vinegar (capers, gherkins
and pickles), or in sweet-and-sour
preparations (chutneys).
Condiments
134
Gari [ga-ree]
Japanese pickled ginger. Ginger slices that have been pickled in salt and sweet vinegar.
Gari has a delicate pink colour and should be eaten between bites of sushi to freshen
the palate.
Harissa [hah-ree-sah]
Pure made from small peppers, cayenne, oil, garlic
and coriander, pounded with cumin and dried mint
or the leaves of a verbena (an ornamental flowering
plant) leaves.
Hijiki [hee-jee-ki]
Dried seaweed for sprinkling.
Horseradish
Though it has spiky, green leaves that can be used
for salads, horseradish is grown mainly for its large,
white, pungent, spicy roots. Bottled horseradish may
be white (preserved in vinegar) or red (in beet juice).
Kono Mono [koh-noh moh-noh]
Japanese pickles.
Lunu Miris [loo-noo mih-rihs]
Spicy chutney made with dried fish.
Meaux Mustard [moh]
Capital of Brie region in France. Tiny mustard grains partially crushed and blended with
light vinegar and aromatic herbs.
Mustard [muhs-tuhd]
A herbaceous plant whose seeds are used to
prepare the condiment of the same name.
There are three varieties: black mustard spicy
and piquant; brown mustard less piquant;
and white or yellow mustard much less
piquant but more pungent. Mustard seeds are
sold whole, ground into powder or processed
into prepared mustard. Mustard seeds can be
stored for up to a year in a dry, dark place
and powdered mustard for about six months.
Whole seeds are used for pickling and for flavouring cooked meats and vegetables.
Powdered mustards and freshly ground seeds are used in sauces, as a seasoning in
main dishes and as an ingredient in salad dressings. Different blends of made-up
mustard include Dijon, English and French. It is often eaten with meats and can
be used to add flavour and thickness to sauces.
Peperonata [peh-peh-roh-nah-tah]
An Italian style mixture of sweet peppers, onions and garlic cooked in olive oil. It is
served hot, as a condiment with meats or is cold, as an antipasto (before a meal).
Raita [ri-thah]
Yoghurt salads popular in India. Raitas are a combination of thick,
whole-milk yoghurt and various chopped vegetables (such as
cucumbers, aubergines, potatoes or spinach, or fruits (such as
bananas or tomatoes). They are seasoned with black mustard
seeds, garam masala (ground mixed spices) and herbs. Raitas
are usually served as an accompaniment to the main course.
Relish
A condiment, originating in India, which resembles chutney but is
more highly spiced. It is a sweet and sour pure made from sour
fruits and vegetables, with the addition of small pickled onions, gherkins and spices,
(mainly ginger, chilli peppers, cinnamon, white pepper, cloves and nutmeg),
which are simmered with soft brown sugar and vinegar.
Sambal [sahm-bahl]
An Indonesian condiment made with red chilli peppers, grated onion, lime, oil and
vinegar. The name is also used to describe the dish that it accompanies.
Shibazuke [shee-bah-zoo-keh]
Japanese pickled cucumber.
Tapenade [tah-peh-nahd]
A thick paste made of capers, anchovies,
ripe olives, olive oil, lemon juice,
seasonings and sometimes small pieces
of tuna. It is used as a condiment and
served with crudits, fish, meat, etc.
Condiments Condiments
136 135
Taramasalata [tah-rah-mah-sah-lah-tah]
This Greek speciality is a thick, creamy mixture made with tarama (pale-orange carp
roe), lemon juice, milk-soaked breadcrumbs, olive oil and seasonings. Served as a dip.
Tsukemono [soo-keh-moh-noh]
The general name for Japanese-style, pickled vegetables, which are served with
practically every Japanese meal, breakfast included.
Ume-boshi [oo-meh bo-shee]
Pickled plum eaten as a condiment.
Worcestershire Sauce
[woos-tuhr-shuhr/woos-tuhr-sheer]
A thin, spicy, dark brown condiment developed in
England from flavours discovered in India. It is used
as a sauce, a seasoning, a condiment and in drinks.
It is made of a very odd assortment of ingredients
including anchovies, tamarind, vinegar, molasses
(a dark sugar) and cloves.
Condiments
Beverages
137
Beverages are simply drinks. They are almost always largely water.
Since we have a greater need for water than food, beverages are
an important part of our daily consumption, at meal times and
otherwise. In many cultures, taking certain beverages involves
considerable etiquette or ceremony.
Coffee:
The coffee tree, native to Sudan and Ethiopia but now widely
cultivated, bears small red berries that contain the seeds
(coffee beans).
Arabic Coffee
On Emirates, Arabic coffee is prepared using ground coffee beans, cardamom, saffron
and rosewater.
Brewed Coffee
There are two basic methods of brewing coffee:
a. The Turkish method consists of pouring coffee into boiling
water, together with an almost equal quantity of sugar. The
mixture is then heated until it is on the point of boiling. This
operation is repeated three times. A special small, conical pan
with a wide base is used for the process. Before serving, a few
drops of cold water are poured into the saucepan to settle the
grounds. The piping hot coffee is served either in cups or in small glasses.
b. The French method is to pour boiling water onto ground coffee, held between two
perforated discs that act as a filter. French coffee must never be boiled and
certainly not reheated.
Cappuccino [kap-poo-chee-noh]
The Italians have produced cappuccino coffee, so called because of its pale brown
colour, reminiscent of the robes of the Capuchin monks. This consists of strong coffee
to which frothy cream or milk is added. It is sometimes served with a pinch of powdered
chocolate on the top.
Decaffeinated
[dee-ka-fee-nay-tehd]
Caffeine (a stimulant found in coffee
and tea) is removed from the coffee
by a special process.
Espresso
Black, Italian-style coffee. It is made in a
special pressurised apparatus, by forcing
steam from boiling water through the
ground coffee.
Beverages
140
Tea:
The most universally consumed beverage, made by infusing the dried
leaves of an Asiatic evergreen shrub.
Ceylon Tea
These are quite strong infusions with a natural, simple
taste and can be drunk at any time.
Camomile/Chamomile
[kam-uh-meel/kam-uh-mil]
Resembling a daisy, this aromatic flower is dried
and used to flavour Chamomile tea. Reputed to
be a soothing drink.
Earl Grey Tea
A variety of black tea flavoured with oil of bergamot,
a type of citrus.
Jasmine Green Tea
A speciality of China and Japan, prepared by subjecting the leaves to fierce heat.
It is highly favoured by the Chinese and also Muslims, who are forbidden to drink
fermented tea.
Suleimani Tea [Soo-lay-mah-nee]
Light black tea. Very sweet and usually drunk
with a lump of sugar kept under the tongue.
Beverage Equipment:
Chawan [chah-wahn]
Japanese teapot.
Kyuso [kyoo-soh]
Japanese teapot.
Yunomi [yoo-noh-mee]
Japanese teacup.
Beverages
142 141

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