Healthy Food Recipe

Posts Tagged ‘terms in cooking’

Sometimes the methods described in a recipe can be confusing. Here are some common food preparation terms and their meanings.

Bake – To cook in an oven. When applied to meats in uncovered containers, it is generally called roasting.

Baste – To moisten the foods during cooking to add flavor and to prevent drying of the surface. The liquid is usually melted fat, meat drippings, fruit juice, sauce, or water.

Beat – To stir a mixture using rapid, regular motions, use a wire whisk, spoon, hand beater or mixer.

Method incorporates air and makes mixture light, fluffy or smooth.

Blend – To mix two or more ingredients thoroughly.

Boil – To cook in a liquid that is at boiling temperature. Bubbles will rise continually and break on the surface.

Bread – To coat a food with bread or cracker crumbs or other food. The surface may first be coated with beaten egg or other liquid.

Broil – To cook by direct heat on a rack or spit.

Brown – To cook food with moderate or high heat until brown in color.

Chop – To cut into pieces with a knife or other sharp tool, blender, or food processor.

Coat – To spread food with or dip it into a substance such as flour or a sauce until it is covered.

Combine – To stir two or more ingredients together until the mixture looks uniform.

Cream – To mix fat and sugar with a spoon or mixer until soft and smooth.

Cube – To cut food into small cubes.

Cut – To divide food with a knife or scissors.

Cut In – To mix fat throughout with dry ingredients using two knives or a pastry blender until fat has coated the dry ingredients. Pieces should be the size of peas.

Dice – To cut into small cubes.

Dredge – To cover or coat with flour or other fine substances such as bread crumbs or corn meal.

Fold – To combine one ingredient with another by gently turning the mixture with a spoon.

Fry – To cook in fat. A small amount of fat is used for pan-frying, sauteing, or stir-frying; deep-fat fried foods are submerged in fat.

Glaze – To coat with a glossy mixture that adds to flavor and appearance.

Grate – To produce pieces of a specific size by rubbing food (such as carrots or cheese) on a grater or chopping in a blender or food processor.

Grease – To rub the surface of a pan or dish with a small amount of fat to prevent food from sticking. Use a brush or a bit of waxed paper or use cooking spray.

Grill – To cook food on a rack with direct heat.

Macerate – To soak foods in a liquid to soften them and to absorb flavor.

Marinate – To let food stand in a liquid.

Mince – To chop or cut into very small pieces.

Pare – To cut off the outside covering such as skins of vegetables or fruits.

Peel – To remove the outer covering of foods such as oranges or bananas.

Pinch – The amount of a substance that can be held between the thumb and forefinger and is smaller than ¼ teaspoon.

Reduce – To decrease volume of liquid by rapidly boiling.

Roast – To cook uncovered in an oven.

Saute – To cook in a small amount of fat.

Scald – To heat liquid to just below the boiling point.

Score – To cut shallow slits on the surface of food.

Simmer – To cook food over low heat in a liquid just below the boiling point. Bubbles will form slowly and break apart just below the surface.

Steam – To cook food in steam over boiling water in a closed container.

Stew – To simmer food in a liquid.

Stir – To mix ingredients with a circular motion.

Stir-fry – To fry thinly sliced food quickly in only a little oil, continuously stirring with a tossing motion.

Toast – To brown by direct heat or in a hot oven.

Toss – To mix foods lightly with a lifting motion.

Whip – To beat food to incorporate air and increase volume.