Recipe Terminology Hunt
Marble
To gently swirl one food into another; usually done with light and dark batters for cakes or cookies.
Preheat
To heat an oven or utensil to a temperature before using it.
Baste
To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings or a sauce in order to add flavor and prevent drying
Blanch
To partially cook fruits, vegetables, or nuts in boiling water or steam.
Coat
To evenly cover food with crumbs, flour or a batter.
Al dente
"To the tooth", a term to indicate pasta is cooked just enough to keep a firm texture.
Marinade
A liquid in which food is allowed to stand in order to flavor or tenderize it. Marinate refers to the process. Do not use a metal container. Do not marinate meats, poultry or fish at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.
Dash
A measure equal to 1/16 teaspoon.
Mince
Chopping food into tiny irregular pieces.
Pare
To cut off the skin or outer covering of a fruit or vegetable, using a knife or vegetable peeler.
Garnish
To add visual appeal to a fished dish.
Whip
To beat a food lightly and rapidly in order to incorporate air into the mixture and to increase its volume.
Sear
To brown a food, usually meat, quickly on all sides using high heat to seal in the juices.
Simmer
To cook a food in liquid that is kept just below the boiling point; a few bubbles will form slowly and burst just before reaching the surface.
Steam
To cook a food in the vapor given off by boiling water.
Stew
To cook food in liquid for a long time until tender, usually in a covered pot; also the name of a mixture prepared this way
Chill
To cool a food to below room temperature in the refrigerator or freezer, or over ice.
Julienne
To cut food into thin match like sticks about two inches long.
Snip
To cut food, often fresh herbs, dried fruit, with kitchen shears into very small, uniform pieced using short, quick strokes
Dice
To cut into uniform pieces, usually 1/18 to 1/4 in on all sides.
Cube
To cut into uniform pieces, usually a half inch on all sides.
Score
To cut narrow grooves or slits partway through the outer surface of a food to tenderize it or to form a decorative pattern.
Butterfly
To split foods in the middle without completely separation the halves, them spreading the halves to resemble a butterfly.
Cut in
To work a solid fat such as shortening, margarine or butter into dry ingredients, usually with a pastry blender.
Knead
To work dough with the heels of your hands in a pressing and folding motion until it becomes smooth and elastic.