Glossary of Culinary Terms And Their Meanings

Definition

Culinary terms are a list of some cuisine and service terms written in French because it was in France that cuisine terms were developed and codified.

Glossary of culinary terms and their meanings

1. ABATS: This refers to meat offals, like heart, head, liver, kidney etc
2. ABATIS DE VOLAILLE: This refers to poultry offals (e.g. giblets)
3. AILE: Wings of poultry birds or game
4. A LA CARTE: This refers to dishes prepared according to individual order and are individually prized.
5. ASSAISONNER: To season meat or food.
6. AU FOUR: Baked in the oven.
7. BARQUETTE: A boat shaped pastry tartlet.
8. BEURRE MANIE: Equal quantity of flour and butter used for thickening sauce.
9. BEUREE FONDU: Melted butter
10. BLANCHIR: To blanch. (a), To make white in case of Bones and meat by briefly immersing in boiled water and removed after 3 to 5 minutes. (b) To retain the colour of vegetables. (c) To skin tomatoes. (d) To make limp as for certain braized vegetables. (e) To cook without colour as for the first frying of Irish potatoes.
11. BLANQUE: A white stew cooked with stock from which sauce Is made.
12. BLANC: Water to which flour has been added and use to keep vegetable while when cooking eg. celery
13. BOUILLIR: To boile e.g, water.
14. BOUQUET GARNI: A bundle of herbs like parsley, thyme, pepper corns and bay leaves used to flavour stews, casseroles, sauces etc.
15. BOUILLON: Stock
16. BOMBE: An ice cream of different llavours in bomb shapes.
17. BEURRE NOISETTE: Golden brown butter that may have a little lemon juice added to take away the greasiness and add bite.
18. BIRYANI: Long grained rice, spiced and coloured yellow with saffron. An oven baked rice to accompany meats (lndian).
19. BRUNOISE: This means a small dice.
20. BOUCHER: To fill
21. CARTE DU JOUR: Menu for the day.
22. CUISINE: Cookery
23. CONCASSE: Coarsely chopped e.g. parsley, tomatoes etc
24. CONSOMME: Abasic clear soup.
25. COUPE: An individual service bowl.
26. COUPE: To cut.
27. CREPE: Savoury Pancake.
28. DARIOLE: Aspecial mould for bakIng.
29. DARNE: A slice of round fish unbonned. (Steak)
30. DEMI GLAZE: Equal quantities of espagnole and brown stock boiled till it reduces to half.
31. DEGRAISSER: To skim fat off boiling liquid.
32. DESOSSER: To burn out meat.
33. DUXELLE: Finely chopped mushroom, cooked with boiled shallots.
34. ESCALOPE: A thin slice.
35. ESTONFFADE: Brown etc.
36. ESPAGNOLE: Basic brown sauce.
37. FARCE: A service stufling.
38. FEULLETAGE: Puff pastry for making savory and sweetdishes
39. FINES HERBS: Chopped mixed herbs like parsley, terragen, chervil, garlic
40. FRAPPE: Chilled or very cold
41. FRICASSEE: A white stew where meat or poultry is cooked in the sauce
42. FUME: To smoke fish, chicken etc.
43. GATEAU: Acake of more than one portion.
44. GIBIER: Bush meat.
45. GLACE: French menu term for ice.
46. HACHE: Finely chopped or mixed.
47. HORS D’OEUVRE: Hot or cold appetizer / first course dish or starter.
48. JARDlNlERRE: Vegetables cut in match stick shape for garnishing or as vegetable dish.
49. JULLlENNE: To cut into line equal strips.
50. JUSLIE: Thickened Gravy.
51. MARCEDOINE: A mixture of fruits, vegetables. cut into half dice.
52. MARINADE: A richly spiced pink liquid mixture used to give extra flavour and to assist in tenderizing meat and poultry before roasting.
53. MARMITE: A stock pot.
54. PETITE MARMITE: A small earthen pot in which food is made and served
55. MIGNONETTE: Coarsely grinded pepper.
56. MIS EN PLACE: Basic preparation (prior to) or before service commences.
57. NAPPER: To coat or mask with sauce.
58. NAVARIN: Brown stew of lamb or mutton.
59. PONE: Passing through seasoned flour, beaten egg and white bread crumbs.
60. PAYSANNE: To cut into even thin piece, triangles, circle or square.
61. PAUPIETTE: A stuffed and roasted strip of fish or meat.
62. PERSILLE: To garnish with chopped parsley.
63. PETITS O FOURS: Very small paster biscuits, sweet, etc.
64. PlQUANT: Sharply flavoured.
65. RISSOLER: To fry to a golden brown colour.
66. SABAYON: Yolk of egg and little water cooked till creamy.
67. SAUTE: (a)To toss food briefly in hot fat, e.g. pommes saute. (b) To cook quickly in a sauté or frying pan (c)A brown stew of a specific type.
68. TABLE O HOTE: A meal at a fixed prlze.
69. TRONCON: A slice of flat fish undebonned (a section)
70. VELOUTE: (a) Basic sauce (b) A soup of velvet or cream consistency.