Cooking Terms

cream To beat sugar and fat together until fluffy.

Cut in To cut fat into flour with two knives, or a pastry blender, until it is distributed in small particles throughout the mixture.

Brown To bake, dry, or toast a food until the surface is brown.

Knead To work dough with the “heel” of the hands, using a pressing motion, accompanied by folding and stretching until smooth and elastic.

Simmer To cook below the boiling point, bubbles form slowly and break on the surface.

Scald Heat liquid to just below boiling point

Steam To cook in the steam generated by boiling water

Dice and Cube To cut into very small cubes. Dice: ¼ Inch Cube: ½ Inch

Mince Chopping food into fine pieces

Blanch Dip a food briefly in boiling water and then in ice water to stop the cooking process

Reduce To boil a mixture in order to evaporate the liquid and intensify the flavor. “Cooking Down”

Whip Beat quickly and vigorously to incorporate air into a mixture, making it light and fluffy.

Flour To sprinkle or coat chicken or fish with a powdered substance, usually with crumbs or seasonings.

Dredge Coat food heavily with flour, breadcrumbs, or cornmeal.

Bread Coat a food with 3 different layers: flour, then a liquid with egg and milk, then seasoned crumbs or cornmeal.

Baste Pour liquid over food as it cooks.

Clarify To make a liquid clear by removing solid particles.

Candy Cook a food in a sugar syrup.

Al Dente Cooking pasta “to the tooth” or long enough that there is a bite to it, not mushy.

Butterfly To split foods in the middle without separating halves, then spread resembling a butterfly.

Julienne To cut food into thin, matchstick sized pieces

sear To brown a food, usually meat, quickly on all sides using high heat to seal in the juices.

Snip To cut food, often fresh herbs, with kitchen shears into very small uniform pieces.

boil To heat a liquid until large rolling bubbles rapidly move throughout the pan.