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. |