Culinary Dictionary
Letters A - I    ~    Letters K-Z

~ J ~

Jalapeno - A small green chile pepper that is mildly hot. They are named after Jalapa, the capital of Veracruz. Serrano peppers are a good substitute when there are no jalapenos on hand.

Jasmine Rice - A fragrant long grain rice from Thailand that is distinctly aromatic, soft and sticky when cooked. The length of each grain four to five times its width.

Jicama - A bulbous, brown root with a crunchy white interior used in Latin American cooking. The sweet and nutty interior is great for crudite platters and salads. It can be found from May to November in many Mexican markets.

Julienne - Foods that are cut into very thin, match-stick like strips.
 
Jus - A lightly reduced stock used as a sauce for roasted meats.

 
 
 ~ K ~
Kosher - Foods that are prepared in accordance with Orthodox Jewish law.
 
 
 ~ L ~
Larding - Salt pork strips inserted into meat with a special needle. Used to add flavor and moisture to meat.

Lardons - Julienne of bacon. Strips of salt pork used for larding.

Larder - To insert thin strips of fat into meats before roasting.
 
Leeks - A member of the onion family which does not form a bulb. Leeks are a thick stalk that resemble a large green onion without a bulb. Select Leeks that are about 1" thick with clean, bruise-free white bases and fresh green tops. Leeks are frequently used as an ingredient in soup or sautéed and served as a side dish.
 
 
 ~ M ~
Macerate - Soaking vegetables in salt, sugar or syrup to remove a bitter taste before canning or using in a recipe.
 
Marinate - To let food stand in a mixture called a marinade - a liquid, dry rub, or a paste before cooking. Some marinades are for added flavor. Marinades that contain an acid such as lemon, wine, or vinegar are for tenderizing and some marinades are meant to do both.
 
Marzipan - An almond paste mixture is used to wrap cakes, cookies and candies. Marzipan is also formed into fruit and vegetable shapes and sold in candy stores.

Mascarpone Cheese - An Italian cream cheese most often used in desserts. It is said to have originated in Lombardy in the 16th century. The name comes from the Spanish 'mas que bono' (better than good). It has a soft and buttery consistency, resembling stiffly whipped cream. Mascarpone goes well with savory dishes as well as fruit and desserts. It is found in most supermarkets and Italian groceries. It can be expensive. Here is a recipe for a good substitute from the Stars Desserts cookbook. 4 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/4 teaspoon tartaric acid. Line a mesh strainer with a dish cloth folded over to make a double thickness. Rest the strainer over a bowl, making sure the strainer does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream in a double boiler over medium high heat. When the cream reaches 180 degrees F, add the tartaric acid and stir for 30 seconds. Remove the cream from the stove and continue to stir for another 2 minutes. Pour the cream into a lined strainer and refrigerate. When it is cold, cover it with plastic wrap. Let the cream sit in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. It will become very thick and firm. The mascarpone will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups.

Milk Chocolate - This is the most popular form of eating chocolate in the United States, probably because of its mild, mellow flavor. It has only 10% chocolate liquor and usually contains about 12% milk solids. Milk chocolate has a less robust flavor than sweet or semisweet.
 
Mince - To cut food into very small pieces. The terms "finely chopped" and "minced" can be interchangeable.
 
Miso - A paste made from fermented soybeans used in Japanese cooking, mostly in soups and sauces.
 
Mochi - A Japanese food made from pounded brown rice. It's sold refrigerated, in flat squares. Mochi can be broiled.
 
Molasses - A syrup made from natural sugarcane juices, clarified, reduced, and blended. To produce table sugar, raw sugar is processed into refined sugar. The remaining syrup is the sweetest molasses. Additional processing results in darker and stronger tasting molasses called black strap.
 
Mole - Thick Mexican cooking sauces made with chiles and flavored with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, herbs, and other ingredients.
 
Mousse - Sweet, light whipped dessert mixtures usually made from cream and flavored with fruit or chocolate.
 
~ N ~

Napa Cabbage - This oval-shaped broad-leafed head has very crisp, pale green crinkled leaves and a sweet, delicate flavor. It is used extensively in stir-fried dishes and soups, and absorbs flavors beautifully.

Nicoise - Italian dishes made with tomatoes; Nicoise olives, garlic, beans, anchovies, etc, prepared "Nice" style. Salad Nicoise is made with potatoes, olives, beans, and a vinaigrette dressing.
 
Nougat - A confection made from sugar and honey, sometimes mixed with fruit and/or nuts.
 
Nutella - A commercial brand of a creamy paste made of chocolate and hazelnuts. Nutella is used in making candy, flavored milk, and in spreads.
 
 
 ~ O ~
Olive Oil - Grades of olive oil are determined by the method of extraction and the acid content. Extra virgin is the finest olive oil, with a 1% acid content. Superfine has a 1.5% acid content, fine has a 3%. Virgin olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives with no further refinement, has a 4% acid content. Store olive oil, tightly sealed, in a cool dark place, since it quickly becomes rancid when exposed to heat or light.
 
 
 ~ P ~
Paella - A Spanish dish containing rice, shellfish, chicken and ham.

Pancetta - An Italian cured meat made from the belly (pancia) of the big (the same cut used for bacon). It is salted but lightly spiced, but not smoked. You can buy it at Italian delis
 
Pannetone - An Italian cake traditionally served at Christmas time. It's made from dough that's studded with raisins, candied fruit, and pistachios.

Papillote - (French) Cooked in foil or parchment paper to seal in flavor, then served and cut open at table.
 
Parchment Paper - A paper that can withstand high heat, especially good to use as a liner or covering when making foods such as candies or chocolate because they will not stick to it.
 
Pareve/Parve - Under kosher dietary laws, a category of food made without meat or milk products.
 
Pate - Very finely chopped meat, poultry, or liver which has been baked and is served cold, often as a spread.
 
Penne - Small smooth pasta tubes. Pasta tubes with ridges are penne rigati, also known as mostaciolli. Manicotti are large pasta tubes.
 
Pesto - A tasty pasta sauce made with olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, and fresh basil; It sometimes contains nuts and other herbs.
 
Poach - To gently cook food in water or a broth, just below the boiling point.
 
Polenta - Coarsely ground yellow cornmeal, cooked and flavored with onions, garlic, and cheese. Polenta is sometimes served as an Italian mush, with soups or stews. It's also spooned into a greased baking pan; allowed to set; then sliced, sauted, and topped with cheese and tomato sauce.
 
Praline - A confection containing nuts, made from a syrup.
 
Proof - Swelling or expanding. When yeast swells and becomes bubbly, it "proofs". Dough proofs when it swells and rises to twice its original size.

Proscuitto - The Italian word for ham, used in the names of raw hams coming from Italy, in particular Proscuitto di Parma and Proscuitto di San Daniele.
 
Puree -To press through a sieve or process in a blender to a smooth consistency.

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 ~ Q ~
Quesadilla - A corn empanada filled with meat and deep fried. Quesadillas served in many restaurants are simply made with flour tortillas, filled with cheese, folded over and cooked.
 
Quiche - A dish that is a light custard mixture of eggs, cheese and sometimes a meat or vegetable fillings, baked in a pastry shell.
 
 
 ~ R ~
Radicchio - A salad green with red and white leaves; varieties range from mild to bitter.
 
Ragout - A stew made from poultry, meat, fish, or vegetables cut into pieces seasoned with herbs and spices and cooked in a thick liquid. In a brown ragout, the meat is browned, sprinkled with flour, and cooked in water or broth. In a white ragout, , the meat is cooked but not browned, then sprinkled with flour and cooked in broth.
 
Ramekin - A small baking dish usually ceramic or earthenware, often used as a baking dish in a water bath.
 
Reduce - Boiling a liquid until its volume is reduced by evaporation, thickening and condensing the liquid and intensifying the flavor.
 
Render - Melting animal fat over low heat to separate it from any connective tissue, turning this tissue crisp and brown. The clarified fat is then strained. Cooking fatty meats, such as bacon or spare ribs, until the fat melts.
 
Resting - Meat juices are driven from the surface as it cooks. Allowing meat to "rest" before slicing lets the juices return to the surface, resulting in more flavorful meat.
 
Ricer - A kitchen gadget that looks like a large garlic press. Also called a potato ricer, it forces cooked foods such as potatoes or turnips through tiny holes.
 
Risotto - An Italian rice and cheese dish served as either a main course or as a side dish.

Roasted Garlic - Process: Cut the top third of the garlic head off and discard it. Drizzle the remainder with olive oil and put it in aluminum foil. Bake in a 400° F oven until edges of the garlic are caramelized (about 40 min.).

Roasting, Peeling, and Seeding a Bell Pepper - Many methods exist for roasting peppers. Among them are roasting them atop a stove, in an oven broiler, on a grill, and in hot oil. Using the broiler to roast peppers is a preferred method.

Roasting: Preheat the oven broiler for 15 minutes. Place the peppers on the top rack (3-4 inches away from flame). Once a side has blackened., turn (with tongs, fork, towel, or other utensil). Repeat until all sides are blackened. If you are using this method for chili pepper, other than the bell pepper, you have to monitor closely so as only the skin and not the flesh of the pepper is charred. The bell pepper has a hardier skin and does not burn so easily.

Peeling: Two different methods can be employed to peel a charred pepper. Place the peppers in a plastic or paper bag. Fold over the top of the bag, so no steam can escape. This way the steam will build up between the flesh and the skin, making peeling even easier. When the pepper is cool enough to handle (20 minutes), take out of the bag and peel the rest by hand. OR Submerge the charred pepper into a bowl of ice cold water. This will stop the cooking process and aid in the removal of the skin. Once the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off the rest of the skin. Seeding: If you are going to be using the peppers whole, make a slit down one side, leaving a small space at both ends. Carefully remove the inside with a knife or small spoon. Otherwise, just remove the stem, remove the seeds and veins with your fingers, and rinse the pepper under water. 
 
Roulades - Slices of meat or pastry, stuffed with cheese.
 
Roux - A mixture of flour and fat such as butter or margerine, used to thicken sauces, gravies, soups, and stews. Rouxs can also be made with bacon or meat drippings or poultry fat. After thickening, rouxs are cooked for a short time. In Creole cooking rouxs are cooked for a longer time, until they are a dark brown color.
 
 
 ~ S ~
Salt - Canning Salt - Canning or pickling salt is made without additives that could produce a cloudy brine. Table salt contains iodine plus an anti-caking agent which would cause pickling brine to be slightly cloudy and make home-canned foods unattractive.
 
Salt - Sea Salt - Salt comes either from the sea or from mining deposits left by prehistoric salt lakes. Sea salt is the compound remaining when sea water is evaporated. This natural salt product dissolves quicker, has more minerals and does not have a very strong salt flavor. It has a sweet, more palatable flavor that enhances the natural flavors of food.
 
Salt - Table salt - Sodium chloride plus iodine plus an anti-caking agent to make it free-flowing.
 
Samosas - Indian deep fried dumplings stuffed with curried vegetables. The most common fillings are potatoes or cauliflower with peas.
 
Scald - To heat milk almost to the boiling point just as tiny bubbles start forming on the inside edge of a pan.
 
Scone - A lightly sweetened English pastry, similar to but more dense than biscuits; Scones usually contain raisins or currants.
 
Score - Making shallow cuts in meats before cooking, making the meat more tender.
 
Sear - Frying meats quickly to seal in the juices.

Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate - This is the chocolate most often called for in cake and cookie recipes. 'Bittersweet' and 'semisweet' are often used interchangeably, though bittersweet generally has more chocolate 'liquor' (the paste formed from roasted, ground cocoa beans). Most semisweet chocolate contains at least 35% chocolate liquor, while some fine bittersweets contain 50% or more. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate have a deep, smooth, intense flavor that comes from the blend of beans used rather than added dairy products. Sugar, vanilla, and cocoa butter are added to the liquor to lend an even richer taste.
 
Semolina Flour - A coarsely ground flour made from durum wheat, which is the hardest wheat variety. It has the highest protein of all flours. It's the best flour for making pasta because it retains its shape and firmness and doesn't become mushy or sticky while cooking.

Sesame Oil - Used extensively in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, this highly aromatic and richly flavored oil ranges in hue from golden to dark brown. It is sometimes used as a cooking oil, but most often is used as a seasoning accent in stir-fries, dressings, sauces and marinades.

Shallots - An onion variety that produces clusters of bulbs. Their flavor is slightly less intense than that of onions. Shallots are excellent for pickling.
 
Simmer - To slowly cook a liquid at just below the boiling point.
 
Skim - To remove fat and other substances from the surface of cooked or cooking liquids.
 
Shallots - Shallots are part of the onion family, with mild, garlic-tasting roots.
 
Season - To coat a pan or other metal cooking surface with oil and then heat it. This prevents sticking by sealing tiny pits on the surface.
 
Smorgasbord - A commonly used term for a buffet of many dishes served as a single course or a complete meal. Smorgasbord is actually a Swedish word for a buffet that would include such foods as pickled herring, marinated vegetables, smoked and cured salmon, and other appetizers.
 
Spatzle - A coarse German noodle made from flour, eggs, oil, and water. Spatzle are cooked, then fried in butter. They may also be sprinkled with herbs or grated cheese.
 
Steam - To cook foods in a perforated container suspended over boiling water.
 
Stew - A long cooking method in a covered pot using liquid. A stew is a one dish meal produced by cooking a combination of meat, fish or poultry and vegetables by this method.
 
Stir Fry - To rapidly saute or fry while stirring chopped meat, poultry or fresh vegetables over high heat.
 
Stock - A broth from cooking meats, fish, shellfish, and vegetables, the basis for soup making.
 
 
 ~ T ~

Tahini - An oily paste made from ground sesame seeds. A sweetened dark variety also exists. It can be found in health food stores and the ethnic section of most grocery stores.

Tamarind Paste - A vitamin-rich, tangy, prune like pulp from the pods of a tropical Asian tree. It is used as a seasoning in curries and chutneys or made into drinks, jams, or sorbets. 

Tart - A covered or uncovered pastry shell filled with fruit.
 
Tartare - A term used to describe a seasoned paper thin raw steak dish called steak tartare. Also, Tartare sauce is a mayonnaise based sauce frequently served with seafood.
 
Temper - To slowly add a hot liquid to to an egg mixture or other food being prepared to raise the temperature without making them curdle or begin to cook.
 
Tofu - Tofu, or soy bean curd, is a soft cheese-like food with a naturally mild flavor. It's found in several varieties, from soft to extra-firm. Soft tofu can be used to make cake frostings, dips and spreads. Firmer tofu is used in stir-fries, soups, and many other dishes. Tofu can be found in the dairy section in most stores. It's an excellent source of calcium, low in sodium, low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol.
 
Tiramiso - An Italian dessert made of sponge cake, typically soaked with an espresso syrup and layered with a sweet cheese and chocolate sauce.
 
 ~ U ~
Ugli - A citrus fruit hybrid created from a grapefruit and a tangerine.
 
Unbleached Flour - Bleaching is a term referring to the whitening of flour. Because newly milled flour may not make the best quality baked goods, it is stored for a few months. During this time, oxidation occurs and produces a whiter flour with a finer texture and improved baking quality. The nutritional value of unbleached flour is the same as bleached flour.

Unsweetened Chocolate - (also called baking chocolate): You don't eat unsweetened chocolate. It has no added sugar and is generally composed of 55% cocoa butter and 45% chocolate mass from the bean. It has an intense chocolate flavor that has to be tempered by sugar and other ingredients.
 
 
 ~ V ~
Vermicelli - This pasta literally means "Little Worms". It is slightly thinner than Spaghetti and looks like fine strands. Angel hair pasta is a very fine form of vermicelli. Vermicelli is good topped with any sauce, or as a salad or stir-fry ingredient. It is versatile enough to also be used in certain puddings and souffles. Variations include Chinese vermicelli (made with soya flour) and Far Eastern vermicelli (made with rice flour).

Vichyssoise - A chilled soup, commonly made with potatoes and leeks. Some recipes also use zucchini, apples, and carrots.
 
Vinaigrette - A dressing made with oil and vinegar, commonly used on salads. Vinaigrettes may also contain mustard, citrus juices or wine.

Vindaloo - The spiciest of all curry dishes. Vindaloos primarily come from central and southwestern coastal India . They are composed of a complicated roasted spice blend which includes mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, cloves, coriander seeds, and tamarind concentrate. One must include red chilies in the mix. Vindaloo sauce is usually served with meat over rice. You can purchase commercial vindaloo pastes and sauces in most Indian grocery stores or the ethnic food aisle in larger grocery stores..
 
 
 ~ W ~
Wasabi - Japanese horseradish, a root that is dried and ground to a fine powder. The powder is reconstituted and used with soy sauce as a dipping sauce for sushi and sashimi.
 
Welsh Rarebit - A cheese sauce made with ale and seasoned with mustard, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. It's traditionally served on toast, sometimes with bacon bits. It can also be used as fondue.
 
Whipping Cream - Also called heavy cream. Fat content is around 40 percent; Will double in volume when whipped.
 
Whisk - A kitchen tool with strands of looped wire used for beating. To whisk means to mix or beat with a wire whisk.

White Chocolate - White 'chocolate' doesn't contain a drop of chocolate. But it does have cocoa butter, from which it gets its faintly chocolaty flavor. The cocoa butter is blended with milk and sugar to form the creamy confection, which is used for both eating and cooking.

 
 ~ Y ~
Yeast - A leavening agent used in doughs and batters. Bread yeast is available as a dry granulated powder and as fresh yeast cakes. It is best activated at a temperature of 110 degrees F to 115 degrees F (the temperature of a baby bottle or a comfortable bath). Anything too cold won't activate it, too hot will kill it. Past it's expiration date, yeast may rise slower, but it is still safe to use.

 
 ~ Z ~
Zest - The colored skin of citrus fruit - not including the white layer.