Cooking Terms Starting With "K"
- kebab - small chucks of meat, fish, or shellfish that are usually marinated before being
skewered and grilled, broiled or pan-fried (pieces of vegetables often are added to the
skewer); also called "shish kebab" - knead - to press and fold dough in order to give it a smoother consistency needed for
leavening - kosher salt - very coarse salt
Cooking Terms Starting With "L"
- larding - putting strips of fat into pieces of meat to help the braised meat stay moist and
juicy during cooking - leaven - yeast: also the process of whipping egg whites that produces air bubbles and
causes the rising of baked items
Cooking Terms Starting With "M"
- marble - to swirl or layer one food item into another to create a ribbon effect when
cooked and sliced - marinade - a liquid sauce that is used to soften and flavor meats before cooking (most
marinades contain ingredients such as vinegar, oil, lemon, wine, beer, herbs and spices) - marinate - to cover a food item with a liquid substance (see above)
- medallion - a small piece of meat (beef, chicken, pork, veal) lightly pounded into an oval
or a round - meringue - sweetened egg whites beaten until stiff but light
- mince - to chop into very fine pieces
- mirepoix - a mixture of rough-cut or diced vegetables, herbs and spices used for
flavoring - mise en place - a French cooking term for having all your ingredients prepped and ready
to use before starting to cook (very important!) - mount - the addition of small pieces of cold butter to a sauce as a finishing process
- mull - heating wine, cider, or juices with spices, citrus and sugar
Cooking Terms Starting With "N"
- nap - to cover a food item with a thin, even layer of sauce
Cooking Terms Starting With "O"
- organic - grown or raised without chemicals or artificial growth enhancers, without
chemical fertilizers or chemical pesticides (this is a favorite topic of mine) - oven bake - to cook foods surrounded by hot dry air
- oven broil - to cook with radiant heat from above
- oven poach - to cook in the oven with a small amount of water or another liquid
Cooking Terms Starting With "P"
- pan broil - cooking food in a heavy pan without added fat and removing any fat that is
produced as you cook the item - pan fry - to cook in a moderate amount of fat, uncovered
- papillote - a cooking method where a product is wrapped in a special paper or foil and
baked so that the food cooks in its own juices - parboil - to cook partially in a simmering or boiling liquid for a short period of time
- parchment paper - a special, non-stick, silicone coated, heat resistant paper used in
cooking - pare or peel - to remove the outer layer of skin from certain foods (usually fruits and
vegetables)
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