add (verb): to put something else in - Add grated cheese to the white sauce and stir.

A la carte (adj.) - separately priced items from a menu, not as part of a set meal.

Al dente (adj.) - cooked so it's still tough when bitten, often referring to pasta

A la grecque (adj.) - served in the Greek style of cooking, with olive oil, lemon juice,
and several seasonings, often referring to vegetables

A point (adj.) - cooking until the ideal degree of doneness, often referring to meat as
medium rare

Acidulation (n.) - the process of making something acid or sour with lemon or lime
juice

Aerate (v.) - the process when dry ingredients pass through a sifter and air is
circulated through, changing the composition of the material, often referring to flour

Aspic (n.) - a dish in which ingredients are set into a gelatine made from a meat
stock or consommé

Au gratin (adj.) - sprinkled with breadcrumbs and cheese, or both, and browned

Au jus (adj.) - with its own juices from cooking, often referring to steak or other
meat

Au poivre (adj.) - coated with loosely cracked peppercorns and then cooked, often
referring to steak

Au sec (adj.) - the descriptor for a liquid which has been reduced until it is nearly
dry, a process often used in sauce making

bake (verb): to cook in an oven - I can bake cakes and pies, but I can't bake bread.

barbecue (verb): To cook food (usually meat) by using fire or hot coals on a grill
outside.
“I’m going to barbecue some sausages for lunch.”

beat (verb): to mix eggs, cream, etc. with a fork, a beater, or a whisk - To make
scrambled eggs, beat the eggs before cooking them.

blend (verb) : To mix two or more substances so they combine together. Often done
in an appliance called a blender which has quickly rotating blades. You can blend
fruit to make your own smoothie.
Bain Marie (n.) - a container holding hot water into which a pan is placed for slow
cooking, otherwise known as a "water bath" or "double boiler"

Barding (v.) - to cover a meat with a layer of fat, such as bacon, before cooking,
effectively maintaining the moisture of the meat while it cooks to avoid overcooking

Baste (v.) - to pour juices or melted fat over meat or other food while cooking to
keep it moist

Beurre blanc (n.) - a sauce made with butter, onions, and vinegar, usually served
with seafood dishes

Bisque (n.) - a thick, creamy soup, with a base of strained broth (see coulis) of
shellfish or game

Blanching (v.) - to plunge into boiling water, remove after moment, and then plunge
into iced water to halt the cooking process, usually referring to vegetable or fruit

Braising (v.) - a combination-cooking method that first sears the food at high
temperature, then finished it in a covered pot at low temperature while sitting in
some amount of liquid

break (verb) : To separate into smaller parts by force. “Break the eggs into a glass
bowl.”

boil (verb): to cook in boiling water - Will you boil the vegetables, or steam them?

Brining (v.) - the process of soaking meat in a brine, or heavily salted water, before
cooking, similar to marination

broil (verb): To cook meat or vegetables on a rack with an extremely high

temperature.

burn (verb): to spoil food by cooking it for too long or at a temperature that's too
high - Please don't burn the toast.

carve (verb): to cut slices or small pieces from a large piece of cooked meat - Who'd
like to carve the roast chicken?

Chiffonade (n.) - shredded or finely cut vegetables and herbs, usually used as a
garnish for soup

Concasse (n.) - to roughly chop raw or cooked food by peeling, seeding, and
chopping to make it ready to be served or combined with other ingredients, usually
referring to tomatoes
chop or chop up (verb): to cut into small pieces with a sharp knife - It's easy to cut
yourself when chopping onions, so be careful.

cook (verb): to prepare food for eating - What are you cooking for dinner?

cookbook or cookery book (noun): a book of recipes, often with pictures - Can I
borrow that cookbook with all the Asian recipes?

combine (verb): To put two or more things together.

Consommé (n.) - a type of clear soup made from richly flavored stock that has been
clarified, a process of using egg whites to remove fat

Confit (n.) - meat cooked slowly in its own fat, usually referring to duck

Coring (v.) - to remove the central section of some fruits, which contain seeds and
tougher material that is not usually eaten

Coulis (n.) - a thick sauce made with fruit or vegetable puree, used as a base or
garnish

Croquette (n.) - a small round roll of minced meat, fish, or vegetable coated with egg
and breadcrumbs

crush (verb) : To cause to separate or flatten by extreme force, often used with
garlic.

Deglaze (v.) - to remove and dissolve the browned food residue, or "glaze", from a
pan to flavor sauces, soups, and gravies

Degrease (v.) - to remove the fat from the surface of a hot liquid such as a sauce,
soup, or stew, also known as defatting or fat trimming

dice (verb): to cut food into small cubes or squares - Dice the carrots and potatoes
and add them to the soup.

dish (noun): food that's cooked in a certain way - My favorite Indian dish is
vegetable curry.

drain (verb) : to remove excess liquid from food after washing or cooking it. “Drain
the water from the pot of spaghetti.”

Dredging (v.) - to coat wet or moist foods with a dry ingredient before cooking to
provide an even coating

Dress (v.) - to put oil, vinegar, salt, or other toppings on a salad or other food
Effiler (n.) - to remove the string from a string bean or to thinly slice almonds

Emincer (n.) - to slice thinly, similar to julienne style, but not as long

Escabeche (n.) - a dish consisting of fish marinated for approximately one day in a
sauce of olive oil, vinegar, herbs, vegetables, and spices, and then poached or fried
and allowed to cool

Fillet (n.) - a boneless piece of meat, poultry, or fish; the French version, spelled as
"filet," is also used when referencing a cut of beef that is boneless, such as filet
mignon

Flambe (v.) - the process of adding alcohol such as brandy, cognac, or rum to a hot
pan to create a burst of flames

Frenching (v.) - the process of removing all fat, meat, and cartilage from rib bones
on a rack roast by cutting between the bones with a sharp paring knife, often
referring to lamb, beef, or pork rib

fry (verb): to cook food in hot oil, butter or fat - Heat some olive oil in a frying pan
and then add the diced tomatoes.

grate (verb): to cut tiny slices from cheese, vegetables, chocolate, etc. with a grater -
Grate half a cup of cheese and sprinkle it on top.

Galantine (n.) - a Polish dish of de-boned stuffed meat that is poached in gelatin
stock, pressed, and served cold with aspic or its own jelly

Galette (n.) - flat, round cakes of pastry, often topped with fruitor a food prepared in
served in the shape of a flat round cake, such as "a galette of potatoes"

Gazpacho (n.) - a Spanish dish of cold, uncooked soup, which typically contain
tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, oil, and vinegar

grease (verb): to rub butter or oil onto a baking pan or dish to stop food from
sticking - Should I grease the cake tin with butter or oil?

grill (also US "broil") (verb): to cook directly over or under a very hot gas flame or
electric element - Is the fish grilled under a gas grill or an electric grill?

Harissa (n.) - a spicy, aromatic chile paste made from a variety of hot peppers and
spices, often used in North African and Middle Eastern cooking

herb (noun): a plant used for adding flavour to food - Good cooks always know
which herbs to use.
Infusion (n.) - the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from a
vegetable in water, oil, or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in
the liquid over time, also known as steeping

Involtini (n.) - food such as meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, wrapped around a
filling such as cheese, cured meats, or nuts

Irradiation (n.) - the process of exposing food to radiation, designed to eliminate

disease-causing germs from foods

Isinglass (n.) - a pure, transparent form of gelatin, obtained from the bladders of
certain fish, used in jellies as a clarifying agent

ingredient (noun): any food, liquid, herb or spice that's used to make a particular
dish - Chilli and fish sauce are basic ingredients in many Thai dishes.

Jacquarding (v.) - the process of poking holes into the muscle of meat in order to
tenderize it, also known as needling

Jeroboam (n.) - an oversize wine bottle holding about three liters

Jus lie (n.) - meat juice that has been lightly thickened with either arrowroot or
cornstarch

Kipper (n.) - a whole herring that has been split into a butterfly fashion from tail to
head, gutted, salted, or pickled

Kirsch (n.) - a fragrant, colorless, unaged brandy distilled from fermented cherries ,
used with fondue

Kissing Crust (n.) - the portion of an upper crust of a loaf of bread which has touched
another loaf when baking

knead (verb) : To press and stretch dough with your hands. Usually used when
making bread. “Knead the dough for the pizza base.”

Liter (noun): a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one
kilogram of water under standard conditions, now equal to 1,000 cubic centimetres
(about 1.75 pints). "a litre bottle of wine"

Lactobacillus (n.) - a bacterium usually found in fermenting products, such as

yogurts

Larding (v.) - the process of inserting strips of fat into a piece of meat that doesn't
have as much fat, to melt and keep the meat from drying out
Liaison (v.) - a binding agent of cream and egg yolks used to thicken soups or sauces

mash (verb): to crush food like cooked potato until it's a smooth mass - Could you
mash the potatoes, please?

measure (verb): To obtain an exact quantity or amount of an ingredient. “Measure

exactly half a teaspoon of curry.”

melt (verb): to turn a solid substance into a liquid by heating - Melt some butter in a
saucepan and then add the flour.

microwave (noun/verb): To heat up food with a microwave oven. “Remove the

food from the metal container before you microwave it.”

Macerate (v.) - the process of softening or breaking into pieces using liquid, often
referring to fruit or vegetables, in order to absorb the flavor of the liquid

Marinate (v.) - the process of soaking foods in seasoned and acidic liquid before
cooking for hours or days, adding flavor to the food

Mesclun (n.) - a salad consisting of tender mixed greens such as lettuce, arugula, and
chicory, herbs, and edible flowers

Mignonette (n.) - roughly cracked or coarsely ground peppercorns, used for au

poivre dishes or for mignonette sauce, which contains vinegar and shallots as well
and is often used for oysters

mince (verb) : to grind food, normally meat, into small pieces. A machine is often
used to do this.

Mise en place (v.) -the preparation of ingredients, such as dicing onions or

measuring spices, before starting cooking

Mother (n.) - the base sauce used to make other variations of the original sauce;
there are five variations: brown or espagnole, velouté, béchamel, tomato sauce, and
emulsions

mix (verb): to combine two or more substances - The flour is mixed with a little oil
and warm water to make a dough.

Nappe (n.) - the ability of a liquid to coat the back of a spoon or the act of coating a
food, such as a leg of lamb, with glaze

Needling (v.) - injecting fat or flavors into an ingredient to enhance its flavor
Nutraceutical (adj.) - used to describe food that provides health or medical benefits
as well as nutritional value, also known as functional food

open (verb): To remove the top from a can or jar.

Oeuf (n.) - the French term for egg

Oignon brule (n.) - literally meaning "burnt onion," a culinary term for a half-peeled
onion seared on a skillet

Ort (n.) - a scrap or morsel of food left over after a meal

Ouzo (n.) - an anise-flavored, strong, colorless liquor from Greece

peel (verb): to take or cut the skin off a vegetable or fruit - I get juice all over my
fingers if I peel an orange.

pinch (noun): a very small amount of something like salt or ground spice - Add a
pinch of salt to the water before boiling vegetables.

pour (verb): To transfer liquid from one container to another. “Pour the chocolate
sauce over the pears.”

preheat (verb): to turn on and heat an oven or grill before cooking - It's important
to preheat your oven before baking scones.

prepare (verb): to make food ready for cooking or eating - It takes an hour or more
to prepare this dish.

Parboiling (v.) - the process of adding foods to boiling waters, cooking until they are
softened, then removing before they are fully cooked, usually to partially cook an
item which will then be cooked another way

Parcooking (v.) - the process of not fully cooking food, so that it can be finished or
reheated later

Pâté (n.) - a mixture of seasoned ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable
paste

Paupiette (n.) - a thin, flattened piece of meat, rolled with a stuffing of vegetables or
fruits, which is then cooked before served

Persillade (n.) - a sauce or seasoning mixture of parsley chopped with seasonings,

often used as part of a saute cook's mise en place
Polenta (n.) - a mush or porridge made from yellow or cornmeal which originated in
Northern Italy
Praline (n.) - a confection of nuts cooked in boiling sugar until brown and crisp

Quadriller (v.) - to make criss-cross lines on the surface of food, as part of food
presentation

Quatre-epices (n.) - literally meaning "four spices," a finely ground mixture of

generally pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves, used to season vegetables,
soups, and stews

Quenelle (n.) - a small quantity of a mixture of creamed fish or meat with a light egg
binding, usually formed into a round shape, and then cooked

recipe (noun): a list of ingredients and instructions for cooking a particular dish -
My grandmother gave me this recipe for apple pie.

roast (verb): to cook foods like meat and vegetables in an oven - Why don't we roast
some vegetables as well?

Remouillage (n.) - a stock made from bones that have already been used once to
make a stock, making it weaker

Render (v.) - to cook the fat out of something, such as bacon

Rondeau (n.) - a wide, shallow pan with straight sides and two loop handles, often
used for searing and poaching

sauté (verb): to fry quickly in hot oil or fat - To begin, sauté the onions and garlic in
a saucepan.

Scald (v.) - to heat a liquid so it's right about to reach the boiling point, where
bubbles start to appear around the edges

Sear (v.) - a technique used in grilling, baking, or sautéing in which the surface of the
food is cooked at high temperature until a crust forms

Staling (v.) - a chemical and physical process in which foods such as bread become
hard, musty, or dry, also known as "going stale"

Steep (v.) - to allow dry ingredients to soak in a liquid until the liquid takes on its
flavor, often referring to coffee, tea, or spices

Sweat (v.) - gently heating vegetables in a little oil, with frequent stirring and
turning to ensure emitted liquid will evaporate; usually results in tender, or in some
cases such as onions', translucent pieces
serve (verb): to give someone food that's been prepared or a drink - Make sure the
food's still hot when you serve it.

slice (verb): To cut into thin or wide portions that are of similar size. “Slice the
tomatoes and add them to the salad.”

spice (noun): a plant part, often ground into a powder, that adds flavour to a dish -
Which spices did you add to this sauce?

sprinkle (verb): to add a few drops of liquid or a substance like salt or pepper by
shaking a container or by using your fingers - Why do you sprinkle so much salt on
everything?

squeeze (verb): to extract a liquid or soft substance from something by

compressing it firmly. Squeeze the juice from three lemons.

steam (verb): to cook in hot steam from boiling water - Steaming vegetables
destroys fewer nutrients than boiling them.

stir (verb): to move a spoon or other implement around to mix something - If you
don't stir the sauce enough, it'll be lumpy.

stir-fry (verb): to fry quickly over a high heat while stirring - Lots of people stir-fry
all kinds of meat and vegetables these days.

tablespoon (abbrev: "tbsp") (noun): a large spoon used for serving, or the amount
of an ingredient that fits in one - Add a tablespoon of flour to the melted butter and
stir.

teaspoon (abbrev: "tsp") (noun): a small spoon or the amount of an ingredient that
fits in one - You didn't use more than half a teaspoon of chili powder, did you?

tenderize (verb): to make meat softer and easier to eat by beating it or adding
marinade before cooking it. “I think we should tenderize the steak before cooking
it.”

Tempering (v.) - raising the temperature of a cold or room-temperature ingredient

by slowly adding hot or boiling liquid, often referring to eggs

Tourner (v.) -to cut ingredients such as carrots or potatoes into a barrel-like shape
that form six or seven sides on the length of the item being cut, using a Tourner
knife or a paring knife
Trussing (v.) - to tie meat or poultry, such as turkey with a string, woven through
the bird parts by using a needle, in order to create a more compact shape before
cooking
Ultra-pasteurization (n.) - the process of heating up milk products to 280 degrees
Fahrenheit for a few seconds and chilling it down rapidly, resulting in milk that's
99.9% free from bacteria and extending their shelf-life

Unleavened (adj.) - made without yeast or any other leavening agent, often referring
to bread.

Vandyke (v.) - to cut a zig-zag pattern around the circumference of a lemon to create
decorative garnishes for food presentation

Velouté (n.) - a type of sauce in which a light stock, such as chicken of fish, is
thickened with a flour that is cooked and then allowed to turn light brown

Victual (n.) - any food or provisions for humans; all food is a "victual"

Vol-au-Vent (n.) - a round pastry that is baked and then filled with meat or
vegetables after the fact

Xanthan gum (n.) - a food additive, commonly used to thicken salad dressings, that is
water-soluble and produced by the fermentation of sugar with certain
microorganisms

wash (verb): To immerse food in water to make sure it becomes clean. “Wash the
strawberries before cutting them into pieces.”

weigh (verb): To measure the weight (grams, ounces or pounds) of something.

“Weigh the mix to make sure you have the right amount.”

Whip (v.) - to beat food with a mixer to incorporate air and produce volume, often
used to create heavy or whipping cream, salad dressings, or sauces

whisk (verb): to mix something very quickly with a whisk - Break the eggs into a
bowl and whisk until smooth.

Xylitol (n.) - a naturally fulfilling alcohol found in most plants such as fruits and
vegetables, widely used as a sugar substitute in sugar-free chewing gums, mints, and
other candies

Yakitori (n.) - a Japanese dish of small pieces of boneless chicken that is marinated,
skewered, and grilled

Zest (v.) - to cut the zest, or the colorful part of the skin that contains oils and
provide aroma and flavor, away from the fruit.