Cooking terminology

Bake - To cook in an enclosed oven
Bake Blind - To partially or completely cook an unfilled pastry case. This is done by pricking the base of the case with a fork all over then lining the uncooked case with greaseproof paper and weighting it down with beans. Cooking is between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the recipe.
Bard - To cover a food with strips of fat, such as bacon or larding fat,which protects and bastes it during cooking.
Baste - To moisten with the pan juices or other liquid during cooking. This aids in moisture retention.
Beat - To introduce air into a mixture using a utensil such as a wooden spoon, fork or whisk, in order to achieve a lighter texture .
Blanche - To briefly plunge food into boiling water or hot fat.
Blend - To mix together ingredients, usuallyof different consistencies, to a smooth and even texture, utilising a utensil such as a wooden spoon or blender.
Boil - To bring a liquid to boiling temperature and to maintain it throughout the cooking time.
Boil rapidly - Food is submerged into boiling liquid over a high heat and the bubbling state is maintained throughout the required cooking period. This method is also used to reduce saucesby boiling off the liquid and reducing it to a concentrated state.
Braise - To bake or stew food slowly, usually on a bed of vegetables in a covered pan or ovenproof dish.
Broil - The American term for browning under the grill.
Brown - To fry in very shallow fat over a high heat in order to colour the food and seal in the juices. This is usually a very quick process : not more than a coupleof minutes on each side of the food.
Brunoise - Food cut into very small dice - no bigger than 5mm/ 1/8 inch and sometimes smaller. Usually refers to vegetables.
Butterfly - To cut food (usually meat or seafood) leaving one side attached and to open it out like the wings of a butterfly.
Caramelise - The effect of heating sugar or a sugar-rich fruit, until the sugar turns brown and syrupy.Casing - A synthetic or natural membrane (usually pig or sheep intestines) use to encase food such as sausages.
Casserole - To cook in a covered dish in the oven in liquid such as stock or wine.
Chine - Usually refers to the removal of the backbone on a cut of meat such as a rack of pork.
Chop - To cut into pieces of approximately the same size.
Chunks - Pieces of food which have been cutinto equal sizes, measuring at least 2.5cm/1inch.
Clarified Butter - Is clarified by bringing to the boil until it foams and then skimming the solids from the top or straining through muslin before use.
Clarify - To clear a cloudy substance. This term is generally used for liquids, in particular stocks where egg white is added to the liquid which is brought to the boil, at which point thewhites coagulate and trap the impurities. This is then skimmed off.
Coat - To cover with a thin film of liquid, usually a sauce.
Coats a spoon - When a substance is rendered thin/thick enough so that when a wooden or metal spoon is inserted into it and taken out, the substance leaves a thin film "coating the spoon".
Cream - The process where sugar and softened butter are beaten together with awooden spoon, until the mixture is light, pale and well blended. This process may also be carried out with a hand held mixer or in a food processor.
Confit - A preserving technique where meat is cooked and preserved in it's own fat.
Crimp - To seal the edges or two layers of dough using the fingertips or a fork.
Cube - To cut foods into small even-sized pieces ranging from 12mm/½ inch to2.5cm/1 inch.
Cut in - To incorporate fat into a dry ingredient, such as flour, by using a knife and making cutting movements in order to break the fat down.
Curdle - The state of a liquid or food, such as eggs, to divide into liquid and solids, usually due to the application excess heat.
Deep Fry - The process of cooking food by immersion in hot fat or oil in a deep pan or electric fryer to...