
Photo by ollesvensson, Flickr
Trying to cook, but stumped by your recipe instructions? This glossary of cooking terms is here to help!
Bake | Cook with dry heat in an oven. |
Blend | Mix two or more ingredients together. |
Blanch | To immerse in rapidly boiling water, allowing food to cook slightly. |
Boil | Heat until bubbling, usually on the stove. |
Braise | Cook slowly in fat in a closed pot with small amount of moisture. |
Broil | Cook on a grill under strong, direct heat. |
Chop | Cut into small pieces. |
Cream | Blend ingredients until soft and smooth. |
Fry | Cook in bubbling oil or fat, usually in a pan or griddle on the stove. |
Garnish | Decorate a dish, usually with herbs, in order to enhance its appearance. |
Grate | Rub the food against a grater to create shavings. |
Julienne | Cut into long, thin strips. |
Knead | Press and fold dough with the hands until it is smooth. |
Marinate | Soak or brush food with a sauce or liquid mixture of seasonings for a period of time. |
Mince | Cut or chop food into tiny pieces. |
Melt | Heat a solid food (like butter) until it becomes liquid. |
Pan-fry | Cook in a small amount of fat. |
Pare | Slice off a thin layer of skin, usually when peeling fruits or vegetables. |
Poach | Cook in simmering liquid. |
Purée | Mash foods until perfectly smooth. |
Reduce | Cook or boil down until very little liquid is left. |
Roast | Cook meat or poultry in the oven by dry heat. |
Sauté | Fry rapidly in a small amount of oil on high heat. |
Sear | To brown very quickly using intense heat. |
Sift | Pour dry ingredients through a sifter to mix them thoroughly together. |
Simmer | To cook in liquid that is just below boiling point. |
Skim | To remove fat or scum from the surface of a liquid during cooking. |
Stew | To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid for a long time. |
Steam | To cook over boiling water. |
Toss | Mix ingredients together lightly with a lifting motion. |