the food : glossary bbbv

amaretti
macaroons (Italian)
amuse-bouche
small savoury snacks serve pre-hors d’oeuvres
antipasti
starters (Italian)
arborio rice
short-fat-grained Italian rice used for risotto
arrosto
roast
arugula
salad leaf similar to rocket
assiette
platter
aceto
vinegar (Italian), eg Balsamico
achar
Indian pickle
agrodolce
sweet and sour
aiguillette
strips ofr vegetables
aïoli
garlic mayonnaise from Provence
ajo blanco
purée sauce of garlic and almonds (Spanish)
al dente
cooked until firm and crunchy (pasta/vegetables)
alloro
bay leaf (Italian)
allumettes
baked puff pastry strips with a sweet or savoury filling or garnish
au gratin
topped with breadcrumbs and grated cheese and browned under the grill

babaganoush
aubergine purée (Middle Eastern meze dish)
bain-marie
a hot-water bath for cooking at a slow, even heat
baklava
Turkish and Greek sweet made from filo pastry
ballotine
stuffed or rolled
basmati
aromatic long-grained rice
baton
stick-shaped
bavarois
Bavarian cream – a sweet custard made with eggs, cream and gelatine and served cold
béarnaise
tarragon-flavoured butter emulsion sauce
beaum
measure used for sugar boiling
béchamel
roux-based white sauce
beignets
deep-fried fritters or doughnuts
billycan pickles
olives, capsicum, onions, carrot in a light pickling spice
beurre blanc
light emulsion sauce of white wine, vinegar, shallots and butter
bhaji
vegetable fried in batter (Indian)
biryani
oven-baked rice with vegetables
bisque
thickened (shellfish) puree soup, usually with tomato and cognac
blanc
flour mixed with water for simmering vegetables such as salsify
blanch
to cook food briefly in boiling water
blini
leavened buckwheat flour pancake
bonne-bouche
small savoury bite often in a vol-au-vent case
borlotti
dry speckled haricot bean
bouchées
small sweet or savoury puff pastry bites
bouillon
unclarified stock
bouquet garni
bundle of herbs such as parsley, thyme, bay leaf, used to flavour stews and casseroles
bourride
garlic fish stew from Provence
brandade
purée of (cod) pulses , olive oil, shallots and garlic
brioche
rich yeast bread enriched with butter and eggs
brochette
skewer of vegetabls
brodo
stock (Italian)
brunoise
finely diced mixed vegetables used as a base for soups and sauces or garnish
bruschetta
grilled bread

canapé
small piece of food served hot or cold as an appetiser
cannellini beans
white kidney beans
cannoli
Sicilian pastry tubes filled with ricotta cheese, chocolate and candied peel
capsicum
bell pepper
caramelise
to slowly brown sugar or foods such as onions and carrots over heat
carciofo
globe artichoke
carpaccio
originally thin slices of raw red meat, now also applied to fish and vegetabls
chard
spinach-like leaves with thick, white edible ribs
charlotte
moulded dessert of pastry cream, custard, mousse or puréed fruit
chartreuse
herb-flavoured, brandy-based liqueur
chemiser
to line a mould
chermoula
Moroccan marinade
Chingkiang vinegar
dark vinegar similar to balsamic (Chinese)
chinois
conical strainer
choisum
Chinese greens with yellow flowers
choucroute
sauerkraut
choux
pastry for sweet fillings
chowder
Corn and seafood stew-like soup
clafouti
baked batter tart, usually with cherries
clarified
removal of impurities from butter, stock or jelly
cloud ears
dried Chinese mushroom
cocotte
lidded earthenware cooking pot for slow-cooking
compote
fruit poached in syrup
concassé
roughly chopped
confit
cooked slowly and preserved
consommé
clear, concentrated stock
coque, à la
cooked in its shell, eg eggs
coka bread
Griddled onion potato and thyme flat bread
coulis
purée of fruit or vegetables
court bouillon
seasoned poaching liquid, usually for fish
couverture
confectioner’s chocolate high in cocoa butter, used for coating and ornamental work
crème anglaise
custard sauce
crème pâtissière
custard or pastry cream, thickened with flour or starch
crêpe
thin pancake with sweet or savoury filling
cromesquis
croquette
crostini
bread canapés
croustade
edible casing of puff pastry or hollowed-out bread containing savoury foods, eg stew
croûte
bread or pastry crust

dacquoise
layers of meringue with whipped cream or buttercream and fresh berries
daikon
large white radish
dariole
small cylindrical mould and sweet or savoury items baked in it
dashi
Japanese stock made from bonito flakes and konbu seaweed (dulse)
dauphinoise
sliced potatoes baked in cream, seasoned with nutmeg and garlic
deglaze
dissolve caramelised sediment in a roasting pan by adding wine or stock
dégorger
to soak fish or sometimes vegetables to remove impurities
délice
used to describe delicate pieces of sweet and savoury foods
demi-tasse
half-cup (espresso coffee cup)
dim sum
small Chinese snacks
dum
Indian steaming method especially for pilau
duxelles
finely chopped mushrooms and shallots, sweated in butter and used as a stuffing, flavouring or garnish

emulsion
mixture of mutually insoluble liquids in which one is suspended in another
en cocotte
cooked in a small round dish (used for pot-roasting)
en daube
originally applied to meats cooked in a Provencal stewing pot
en papillotte
baked in parchment paper
endive
plant used raw in salad or braised as a vegetable
entrée
savoury dish served as a main course
escalope
thin slice

falafel
dried broad bean rissoles
farce
stuffing or
fenugreek
plant of which the seeds are ground and used as a spice in curries and chutneys
feuillantine
puff pastry strips brushed with egg, sprinkled with sugar and baked
feuilletage
puff pastry
fèves
broad beans
flageolet
small, pale-green kidney bean
flambé
foods served or prepared by pouring over alcohol and igniting
focaccia
flat, round, flavoured Italian bread
fricassée
White casserole
fumée
smoked
funghi
wild mushrooms (Italian)

gailan
spring greens (Chinese)
galangal
root from the ginger family, used in Thai cuisine
galette
flat, round, sweet or savoury cake or biscuit
ganache
cake topping or filling made from couverture (qv) and cream
gazpacho
cold thick broth of tomatoes, garlic, onion etc
gelato
ice cream (Italian)
ghee
clarified butter
girolles
similar to chanterelles (qv) but usually picked smaller
glacé
iced or glazed
gnocchi
small Italian dumplings cooked in boiling water and served with sauce
gougère
ring of choux pastry with savoury filling, often cheese
goulash
stew with paprika
grana
grating cheese
gratin
sweet or savoury dish that is browned under a grill
gravadlax
same as gravlax
gravlax
raw salmon cured in sugar, salt, pepper and dill
gremolata
mixture of parsley, garlic and lemon zest, used to garnish osso bucco
griottines
morello cherries, usually preserved in alcohol

halloumi
goats’ milk cheese
Hashe
chopped or minced finely
harissa
medium-hot chilli paste used in Moroccan cooking
harusame
transparent, rice-flour noodles
hoisin
sauce made from soy, flour, vinegar, garlic, sesame, salt and pepper

infuse
to soak ingredient, eg herbs' in liquid to impart flavour
insalata
salad

jaggery
unrefined sugar
jalousie
baked pastry tart topped with latticed pastry strips
julienne
food, particularly vegetables, cut into thin strips
jus
juice extracted

kebab
skewered meat fish or vegetables
ketjap manis
thick, sweetened soy sauce
khao niao
Thai glutinous rice
khoshaf
macerated dried fruit salad containing apricots, raisins and almonds
konafa
Turkish pastry which resembles shredded wheat
kulfi
Indian ice cream made from reduced milk
kway teow
Malaysian flat noodles

laifen
Chinese tubular noodles
laksa
Malay soup with noodles and seafood or vegetables
linguine
thin, flat pasta noodle
lyonnaise sauce
sauce of chopped onions sautéd in butter with white wine and vinegar

mace
outer covering of nutmeg
macerate
to soften fruit by soaking in liquid
mandolin
manual vegetable slicer
mantecato
the action of beating butter and Parmesan into risotto
marinade
seasoned liquid for flavouring and tenderising
marmite
stockpot
marquise
usually a ganache (qv) - based chocolate dessert
Marsala
fortified wine from Sicily
masala
Indian spice mix, eg garam masala
medallion
small round cut
membrillo
quince paste
mesquite
tree from America, the wood of which is used for barbecuing
meunière, à la
lightly floured food cooked in butter and served with butter and lemon
mignonette
coarsely crushed peppercorns
millefeuille
layers of puff pastry alternated with sweet or savoury fillings
mirepoix
diced vegetables (usually carrot, onion, celery) and often ham or bacon, used to flavour sauces, stocks and soups
mirin
sweet Japanese rice wine
mise en place
preparation of food or small items of equipment
miso
fermented soya bean paste
mizuna
peppery-flavoured salad leaf
machoui spice
African spice mix including allspice
monté
to enrich by incorporating butter, egg yolks, cream
mousseline
a light fish or meat mousse
mushimono
steaming (Japanese)

nage, à la
cooked in a court bouillon
napper
to lightly coat in sauce
nimono
simmering technique (Japanese)
nori
thin, black seaweed sheets used for wrapping sushi

OO
grade of pasta flour

pak choi
Chinese white cabbage
pakora
deep-dried vegetable fritter (Indian)
paneer
fresh milk curds used in Indian cookery
paner
to coat with egg and breadcrumbs
panna cotta
cooked-cream Italian dessert similar to bavarois (qv)
pappardelle
long-flat egg noodles with a crimped edge
parfait
enriched ice-cream made from a sugar, egg yolk and double cream base
passato
puréed and sieved or strained
paupiette
thin slice of meat or fish or vegetable wrapping a savoury stuffing
pavé
square sponge cake layered with butter-cream; mousse or pâté prepared in a square mould
pavlova
meringue and cornflour dessert topped with whipped cream and fruit
pecorino
ewes’ milk cheese
peperonata
pepper and vegetable stew
persillade
chopped parsley spiked with crushed garlic
piatto
plate or dish (Italian)
piccata
escalope
pieds de mouton
a wild mushroom
pilaf
Turkish dish of long grain-rice simmered in flavoured liquid of Indian pilau
pimento
large, sweet red pepper
pimenton
Spanish paprika
pirozhki
small savoury pastries
plancha, à la
grilled on a griddle
polenta
maize flour
pont-neuf
puff pastry filled with frangipane cream and macaroons
picklewitch
fried little sandwich full of cheese and pickles
praline
almonds caramelised in sugar, crushed and added to confections
provençal
sauce of tomatoes, onions and garlic sautéd in olive oil
purée
finely mashed and sieved food

quenelle
light dumplings formed into small ovals

ragoût
thick, rich stew
raita
yogurt-based side dish (Indian)
ras-el-hanout
Moroccan spice mix for tagines
ratatouille
Provencal vegetable stew of diced aubergine, tomato, courgettes, green peppers, onions and garlic cooked in olive oil
ravioli
small, filled pasta squares
rémoulade
sauce of mayonnaise combined with mustard, gherkins, parsley, capers, chervil and tarragon
ripieno
stuffing (Italian)
romesco
Catalonian sauce of tomato, almond, sherry, garlic and paprika
rosti
grated and fried potatoes
roux
mix of flour and butter cooked together slowly and used to thicken soups and sauces

sabayon
egg yolks and wine whisked over simmering water until thick and frothy
sablé
French shortbread
sachertorte
rich chocolate cake, coated in ganache with apricot jam
salsa
Italian and Spanish for sauce
salsify
root vegetable with oyster-like flavour
samosa
deep-fried meat or vegetable patty
sansho
prickly ash powder
sauce gribiche
sauce of mayonnaise, capers, gherkins, herbs and hard-boiled egg whites
sauté
to cook quickly in hot fat or oil
savarin
yeast cake baked in a ring mould, soaked in rum and served with crème pâtissière and fruit
score
to make parallel cuts on surface of food
sfoglia
hand-made pasta
shaoxing
amber-coloured rice wine
shiitake
dark-brown Japanese mushroom with an earthy flavour
Sichuan peppercorns
fragrant Chinese seasoning from a plant unrelated to pepper
skorthalia
Greek garlic sauce
soba
buckwheat noodle
soffritto
a sauce/stew base of fried diced vegetables and sometimes pancetta
sorbet
water ice, usually fruit, but can be wine, chocolate, etc
soufflé
sweet or savoury baked pudding made with whipped egg whites
star anise
star-shaped, aniseed-flavoured seed
sumac
Middle-Eastern spice related to the cashew nut
Sushi
Japanese vinegared rice

tabbouleh
salad of bulgur wheat mixed with tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, mint and parsley
tagliolini
thin Italian noodles
tahina
crushed sesame-seed paste
tamarind
spice from fruit of native Indian tree
tamis
sieve
tandoor
Indian clay oven
tapenade
paste of capers, black olives, anchovies, garlic and often tuna
tarka
Indian method of tempering spices in hot oil
tarte tatin
French apple tart baked upside-down
tartufo
truffle (Italian)
tempura
seafood and vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried
teriyaki
marinated in mirin and soy
terrine
mixture of vegetables and seasonings in a lined dish
tian
shallow gratin of chopped vegetables
tikka
marinated pieces of vegetables(Indian)
timbale
food such as rice or vegetables pressed into a single-portion mould
tofu
soya-bean curd
torte
German for round cake or flan
tostada
Spanish for toast
tournedos
round cut usually beef
Tiger nut
Also known as chuffa or earth almond, tiny tuber roots very popular in spain and mexico. Makes base for refreshing drink Horchata
tranche
slice
trifolato
a method for sautéing vegetables in oil, garlic and parsley
truffe
truffle
tuile
crisp biscuit, traditionally with almond

udon
white Japanese wheat noodles
Umplum
Saki chilli and umboshi plum dressing

velouté
French sauce made with white stock and thickened with roux
verjuice
sour grape or crab apple juice used in place of vinegar
vermicelli
thin pasta noodles often used in soups
viennoiserie
yeast dough bakery products
vierge
whipped butter seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon juice and served with vegetables

wakame
Japanese seaweed
wasabi
Japanese horseradish, green paste or powder used as a condiment
Wally
Dill pickle
won ton
wrappers of Chinese noodle paste similar to ravioli

X

not a lot

yakimono
Japanese grilling and pan-frying
yellow bean
sauce made from puréed, fermented soya beans
yuzu
asian citrus fruit

Z

zahtar
Lebanese seasoning of thyme, salt and sometimes sumac
Zhug
A yemini chilli herb paste