Glossary

Food glossary

536 definitions · page 1 of 9.

Acidulated water: Water that has been made slightly acidic by the addition of an acid substance such as lemon juice or vinegar (about one teaspoon to half a litre of water). Peeled fruit and vegetables such as apples, pears, celeriac, globe artichokes and salsify are immersed…
Agar-agar: A vegetarian alternative to gelatine, agar-agar is the jelly that results from boiling several kinds of seaweed together. It's dried and sold in powder form, flakes or bars and is also used as a stabiliser or thickener in many food products. It's available…
Al dente: The only way to serve pasta! This is an Italian phrase meaning 'to the tooth'. It's used to describe the texture of pasta (and risotto rice) as tender or soft on the outside but with some resistance when bitten into. If you normally serve your pasta soft…
Albumen: The white part of an egg. It contains virtually no fat and is high in protein. Egg whites have many uses in cooking. Whisking egg whites traps air. When whisked egg whites are folded into other ingredients which are then baked, the air remains trapped inside…
Allspice: An aromatic spice that looks like a large, smooth peppercorn (about the size of a pea), allspice is the dried berry of the West Indian allspice tree. It's also called Jamaican pepper or pimento and is so called because its taste is said to resemble a…
Almonds: Almonds come from the fruit of the almond tree. There are two types: bitter and sweet. Sweet almonds are the ones that we eat and cook with. They can be bought whole with the skin on or blanched and skinned, halved, flaked, chopped or ground. Bitter almonds…
Amaranth: Also known as Chinese spinach or callaloo in Caribbean cooking, amaranth is a tall plant with broad leaves that produces thousands of tiny seeds. Both leaves and seeds are edible. The green leaves are sturdy and have a good, slightly sweet flavour. They can…
Amaretti: Meaning 'little bitter things' in Italian, amaretti are small almond biscuits similar to macaroons. Some are made using ground sweet and bitter almonds, baked with egg and sugar, others from ground apricot kernels. They're light and airy, crunchy on the…
Anchovy: Anchovies vary in size and can be bought either fresh or cured. Fresh anchovies look and taste similar to sardines. They’re not easy to find in the UK because there isn’t a great demand for them, but try Italian or Spanish delis. Cured anchovies were…
Anchovy essence: A natural juice concentrate from anchovies, this is the British equivalent of Asian fish sauce and is a good substitute for it. Used sparingly it can add an extra kick to soups, stews and sauces.
Angelica: Angelica may be familiar as the acid green crystallised or candied strips used as a decoration on cakes and desserts, but angelica itself is a herb. It's known as 'herb of the angels' (hence the name) because it was believed to have medicinal properties…
Annatto: A paste produced from achiote seeds, which are ground and used as a spice in parts of Latin America. Annatto is more important as a colouring agent than as a spice. It's used to make a bright orange-yellow dye that's produced commercially and used to colour…
Antipasto: An Italian word, meaning ‘before the pasta’, these delicious plates of hot and cold starters are the equivalent of French hors d'oeuvres. A mixture of antipasti could include platters of cheeses, smoked meats, salamis, olives, a selection of seafood…
Aperitif: A French term referring to a light alcoholic drink taken before a meal. Ideally an aperitif should stimulate the appetite and tantalise the palate, preparing it for greater things to come. The French often enjoy a glass of pastis before a meal. Other popular…
Arborio rice: Arborio is the classic risotto rice from the north Italian region of Piedmont. It's probably the best all-rounder for cooking. This medium- to long-grain rice can absorb a lot of cooking liquid yet still retain a good 'bite' when fully cooked.
Arbroath smokie: 'Smokies' are whole wood-smoked haddock with the backbone still intact. They're still produced in small family smokehouses in the east coast fishing town of Arbroath in Scotland. Good for poaching, grilling, making fishcakes and pies, and used in kedgeree…
Argan oil: Believed to be one of the rarest oils in the world, argan oil comes from the nuts of the argan tree which is indigenous to Morocco. Argan trees used to cover much of North Africa but they're now greatly reduced in numbers, hence the high price of argan oil…
Arrowroot: A starch extract of the root of a tropical plant native to the Americas called maranta. Arrowroot is used for thickening sauces, juices and syrups; when heated the starch turns to jelly and so thickens the liquid. Its great advantage over cornflour is that…
Artichoke: Confusingly, three different, unrelated plants are all known by this name. The globe artichoke is related to the thistle. Its leaves are edible, as is the bottom part of the flower, called the heart (which you can also buy tinned or frozen). Globe artichokes…
Asafoetida: An extremely pungent spice extracted from a plant of the giant fennel family, asafoetida is frequently used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. In fact, asafoetida's strong, garlicky, dung-like smell is quite off-putting (the Germans call it Teufelsdreck…
Aspic: The 1970s and glorious Fanny Cradock with her over-the-top creations always come to mind when aspic is mentioned. It's the transparent jelly in which cold fish, poultry and meat are sometimes served. It's used as a garnish to glaze and protect fish and other…
Aubergine: Aubergines are an essential Mediterranean vegetable, featuring in classic dishes such as ratatouille, moussaka and imam bayildi (stuffed aubergines). They’re also an important ingredient in many Indian vegetable-based dishes and are the basis of the Arabic…
Avocado: Sometimes called an avocado pear, the avocado is the fruit of the Persea Americana tree, which is native to the subtropical regions of the American continent. It has green, buttery flesh and a large central stone. It's very high in both protein and oil. In…
Baba ganoush: When aubergine is roasted, peeled, puréed and mixed with lemon juice, garlic, tahini (sesame paste) and salt, it's transformed into the heavenly baba ganoush (or moutabal as it's known in Lebanon) - a smooth, smoky-flavoured spread or dip that's a favourite…
Bagna cauda: Derived from the Italian bagno caudo meaning 'warm bath' this is a flavourful dip made from olive oil, butter, garlic and anchovies. It's a speciality of Piedmont and is served warm as a starter with raw vegetables for dipping.
Bain-marie: This always sounds terribly grand, and although you can buy specific equipment for the job, a bain-marie need only be a roasting tin half-filled with hot water. It's used for protecting dishes requiring gentle heat (such as egg-based desserts) from the…
Baked Alaska: A dessert made of a layer of sponge cake topped with ice cream, all of which is then coated in a layer of meringue. Bake the Alaska quickly (for about five minutes) in a very hot oven until the outside is golden-brown. The meringue insulates the ice cream…
Baking powder: A raising agent used in cakes, biscuits and breads. Commercial baking powder contains bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid (with a dried starch or flour to absorb any moisture during storage). When these chemicals become moist and warm they react and give…
Baklava: This sweet, nutty pastry is a feature of Greek, Cypriot and Turkish cuisine. It is made from sheets of filo pastry, brushed with butter and layered one on top of the other in a baking dish and filled with sugar, honey and ground nuts (almonds, pistachios or…
Balsamic vinegar: A dark-brown syrupy vinegar with a smooth sweet-sour flavour, produced in the Modena region of Italy. It's made from reduced grape juice that's aged in wooden casks. The best quality balsamic vinegar can be more than 100 years old but is more commonly sold…
Bara brith: A Welsh yeast- or baking soda-raised sweet bread, quite dense and cake-like in texture, containing spices and tea-soaked dried fruit. Delicious served warm, sliced and spread with salty Welsh butter. To find out more about Welsh specialities, have a look at…
Barbary duck: Bred in large quantities in France, Barbary ducks are intensively reared for ten to 12 weeks. You should be able to find Barbary duck breasts and leg portions, as well as whole, oven-ready ducks, in supermarkets. Barbary ducks are less fatty than many other…
Basil: A versatile and widely used aromatic herb. There are numerous species of basil; some have scents reminiscent of pineapple, lemon, cinnamon or cloves; others have beautiful purple leaves. The plant grows well in warm climates and is widely used throughout…
Basmati rice: Basmati is a long-grain rice from India, considered to be one of the best-quality white rices. It has a distinctive aroma and, when cooked, each grain should remain separate, giving a light, fluffy result. Basmati should be rinsed thoroughly in a few changes…
Basting: The process of spooning stock or fat over meat at intervals to prevent it from drying out during roasting. You can buy a bulb baster - a kind of large pipette - for the job. They're made of glass or plastic; although delicate, the glass one tends to be…
Baton: In culinary terms, a baton means something - usually a vegetable, such as a carrot, courgette or piece of celery - cut into a long, thin rectangle shape. Vegetables cut into this shape are often steamed or sautéed, or served raw, as in a classic French…
Batterie de cuisine: An expression commonly used by chefs to describe the essential equipment that every good cook needs for the preparation of food in the kitchen, from saucepans to knives.
Bay boletes or boletus: A robust and meaty wild mushroom, often found in areas where conifers grow. Use in risottos or omelettes or simply fry with a little garlic. Bay boletes are also good for pickling and drying. See also Boletes, boletus.
Bay leaves: The aromatic leaf from the bay laurel tree, it is an essential component of the classic bouqet garni: parsley, thyme and a bay leaf. It's one of the few herbs that doesn't lose its flavour when dried. Although fresh leaves are becoming more widely available…
Beans: Beans can be divided into two main groups: those with edible pods (green beans) and those with edible seeds. The former group includes French beans, runner beans and yellow 'wax' beans; the latter includes the likes of cannellini or borlotti beans and a…
Béarnaise sauce: A classic French sauce made with a reduction of vinegar, white wine, tarragon, black peppercorns and shallots. It's finished with egg yolks and butter. Delicious served with any plain meat or fish. The Food Standards Agency recommends that pasteurised egg…
Béchamel sauce: A white sauce given extra flavour by infusing the milk with carrot, onion, celery, black peppercorns, mace and bay leaf for 30 minutes. Like hollandaise, mayonnaise and créme anglaise, béchamel forms the basis of numerous other sauces. It was named after its…
Beurre manié: French for 'kneaded butter', beurre manié is a paste of flour and softened butter, usually in equal parts, which is used to thicken sauces and stews.
Bird's-eye chillies: These small, tapered red or green chillies are extremely pungent and very, very hot! Although they're sometimes called Thai chillies, they're Mexican in origin. They're often used in Chinese and South-east Asian cooking.
Biscotti: These hard Italian biscuits are traditionally made with hazelnut and aniseed but are now flavoured with a wide variety of nuts, lemon or orange rind. They're hard and crunchy because they're twice-cooked ('bis' is Italian for twice and 'cotti' for cooked)…
Bisque: A rich, creamy soup, usually made with lobster or crayfish, wine, brandy, spices and cream.
Blachan: A pungent, dark-brown dried shrimp paste. It's an essential ingredient in South-east Asian cooking, particularly Thailand, and is used in very small amounts in soups and curries. It's sold in tins or jars, or as hard slabs or cakes. Available in Asian shops…
Black bream: The black bream is a dark grey sea fish with tough scales that need to be removed before cooking. It isn't a hugely popular fish so is relatively inexpensive, but it has sweet firm flesh and is delicious eaten whole after being stuffed and baked, or as…
Black butter: This is a classic accompaniment to fish, particularly skate and plaice. It is made by browning butter in a pan and adding lemon juice and parsley. In French it is known as 'beurre noir'.
Black pepper: Black pepper comes from a climbing vine, the fruits of which - small round berries - ripen from green to red and finally to brown. Black peppercorns are actually berries that are picked when they're just turning red. They're then dried whole before being…
Blanch: The process of plunging food, frequently vegetables, into and out of boiling water for just a few seconds or minutes. Blanching preserves the colour and texture of food, and can be used to get rid of strong flavours (such as older garlic cloves). Blanching…
Blanquette: A stew of white meat (veal, lamb or poultry) cooked in white stock or water with aromatic flavourings. The cooking liquor is thickened to make a sauce after the meat is cooked and finished with egg yolks and cream. Blanquettes are also made with fish and…
Blind baking: A method of preparing a pastry case before adding the filling, in order to prevent the bottom becoming soggy and undercooked. The pastry is first baked with a lining weighted with beans. You can use dried beans (haricot beans are good) or you can buy ceramic…
Blini: A Russian type of pancake, traditionally made from buckwheat flour and served with caviar. They make a great party dish served with soured cream and smoked salmon. Make batches of them as they freeze well.
Bluefin tuna: Regarded as the highest grade tuna, bluefin tuna is used in top-class restaurants for sashimi and sushi. However, the southern blue-fin tuna is endangered, so be very choosy about what exactly you're buying.
Bok choi: Closely related to the pak choi, this leafy green Chinese vegetable belongs to the cabbage family (although it tastes nothing like cabbage!). It has fleshy, white, slightly ribbed leaf stalks and soft, oval green leaves. The leaves and stems are best suited…
Bolete boletus: The name of a large group of (mostly edible) fungi, which includes the cep (cépe). Boletes are characterised by the sponge-like texture of the bottom side of the cap. Boletes are found in most parts of the world from Europe to China and Africa. Despite…
Bollito misto: An Italian dish of various kinds of meat - usually chicken, ox tongue and pigs' trotters - boiled in stock. It's served with sauces that vary from region to region, but salsa verde and mostarda di frutta (a whole fruit preserve with hot mustard in sweet…
Bolognese sauce: Ragù Bolognese, often known simply as ragù, is the all-purpose thick Italian sauce made from minced beef and tomatoes. It can form the basis of lasagne or be served with spaghetti. Slow cooking is the key, until the sauce has reduced to a thick, mahogany…
Bombay duck: Also called bummalo, this isn't a duck at all, but a small dried fish from India and Bangladesh. The fish are landed, then hung on racks on the beach to dry in the sun. In cooking, Bombay duck is usually heated in the oven or fried until it is crisp enough…