Momma Penguetos' Easy Guide To Food ©

Kitchen Terms!

Before we get cooking, let's go over some simple kitchen terms! These are first-level kitchen terms, so don't worry about getting confused! You got this! 

AL DENTE

Al Dente is a fancy term for "Too The Tooth". When you know something (mostly pasta and rice, but it can be transferred to vegetables and beans) is 'Al Dente', you can easily bite into it and it isn't crunchy/stiff.  

BROIL*

To broil something is almost the same as grilling. But instead of an outdoor grill, you move one of the oven slats to the top and wait until your oven to heat to a very high temperature. 

BLEND

To blend something is to combine two or more ingredients. Think of a blender, its the same thing!

CLARIFY

Clarifying is more often referred to butter; Gently melt the butter, letting the milk solids and fat to separate, then skim off the solids. 

CURDLE

When egg-based mixtures are cooked too quickly and the protein separates from the liquids, leaving a lumpy mixture behind.

DICE

A knife skill cut – the exact measurement changes but the shape is always a small square.

DOLLOP

A small amount of soft food that has been formed into a round-ish shape. Yogurt, whipped cream, and mashed potatoes are all examples of foods that can be dolloped.

DEEP FRY

To cook food in a deep layer of hot oil.

FLAKE

Refers to the process of gently breaking off small pieces of food, often for combining with other foods. For example, you would flake cooked fish to combine with cooked, mashed potatoes to make fish cakes,

GRILL*

Grilling food is applying dry heat to food either from above or below. In South Africa, grilling refers to cooking food under the grill in your oven (in the States this is called broiling) or can also refer to cooking food in a pan with grill lines.

GLAZE

A glaze is a sticky substance coated on top of food. It is usually used in terms of baking or cooking meats where a marinade will be brushed over the food continuously to form a glaze.

GREASE

Refers to applying a fat to a roasting tray or cake tin to ensure that food doesn't stick.

GRIND

Grinding something is the same as using a machine to grind your coffee beans.

HULL

A hull is the shell or husk of a fruit or vegetable. Hulls can include; corn, onion, and most notably, strawberries.

INFUSE*

To allow the flavor of an ingredient to soak into a liquid until the liquid takes on the flavour of the ingredient.

KNEAD

To work the dough into a soft, uniform and malleable texture by pressing, folding and stretching with the heel of your hand.

JULIENNE

This refers to a knife skill cut where the shape resembles matchsticks.

MARINATE

To impart the flavor of a marinade into food, usually requires some time to allow the flavours to develop. Can also be used to tenderise a cut of meat.

ROAST

Technically defined as a method of dry cooking a piece of meat, where the hot air envelopes the food to cook it evenly and to allow it to caramelize nicely.

POACH

To cook in gently bubbling liquids such as a stock or a broth.

PURÉE

Cooked food, usually vegetables, that have been mashed or blended to form a paste-like consistency.

PICKLE

The process of preserving food in a brine, which is a salt or vinegar solution.

ROUX

A roux is made from butter, flour, and a small amount of milk, depending on what you plan on making with the roux.

STEEP

Similar to infuse, steeping is the process of allowing dried ingredients to soak in a liquid until the liquid has taken on the flavour of the ingredient.

SIMMER

Process of cooking in hot liquids kept just below boiling point.

SKIM

To remove a top layer of fat or scum that has developed on the surface of soups, stocks or sauces.

STEAM

Method of cooking food by using steam.

SEAR OR BROWN

A method of cooking food over high heat until caramelization forms on the surface. This is often done before braising the food, to give it added flavor and is not usually intended to cook the food all the way through.

SWEAT

This refers to the gentle cooking of vegetables in butter or oil under a lid, so that their natural liquid is released to aid the cooking process. Often vegetables cooked this way will end up looking translucent.

SCORE

Shallow, diagonal cuts made on the surface of meat and vegetables for the purpose of rendering fat, encouraging crispiness and flavor absorption.

TBSP 

TBSP stands for tablespoon, its a little bigger than a teaspoon.

TSP

TSP stands for teaspoon. Its smaller than a tablespoon, but they're both easily confused.

WHIP

The process of beating food with a whisk to incorporate air and to increase volume.

WHISK

The process of using a whisk to incorporate air into food or to blend ingredients together smoothly.

ZEST

Refers to removing the outer part of citrus (called the zest) either by using a grater, a peeler or a knife.