Slices
Seeds
culinary glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A la minut
- Cooked to order.
A La, Au, Aux - French terms meaning
"served with" or "served in the manner of".
A la
boulangere - Describes a simple dish of stock, potatoes, and
onions. "Boulangere" is French for "baker." Historically in France, many homes
did not have an oven, so anything to be baked was taken to a local baker to be
cooked in his oven.
A
la Bourgeoisie - Prepared in the family style.
A la Carte - "Carte" was originally a French term for a piece of paper or cardboard and later a bill of fare or menu. Today the term means according to the menu and that which is written down as available on the menu. Refers to meal in which the diner selects individual items, paying for each, rather than taking a complete meal at a fixed price.
A la Creole - Dishes prepared with tomatoes, green peppers and onions as important ingredients.
A la Diable - "Diable" is French for the devil or satan. The term means food served deviled or in the devil's style, usually served with a very sharp and hot seasoning.
A la King - Prepared with a Béchamel sauce containing mushrooms, green peppers, and red or pimento peppers.
A la Maitre d'Hotel
- Prepared with a sauce of lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and drawn butter.
A
la mode - A French work for "in the manner of" or "mode or
according to fashion." Desserts a la mode are served with ice cream. Meats
cooked a la mode are braised with vegetables and served with gravy.
A la Provencale - Provence is a French
maritime province that is famed for its wines and cuisine. The term is used to
describe a dish, which uses products, which flourish, in the area of Provence,
namely tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olives.
A
la Royale - Prepared in the royal style; typically a velouté sauce
with truffles, served on poached fish or poultry.
A
la Russe - Prepared in the Russian style with sour cream or beetroot
or both are added.
Abalone - A mollusk, related to a sea
snail, similar in flavor to a clam. It may be cooked by various methods and is
best suited to very long or very short cooking times. Also called "Awabi" in
Japanese cuisine and "Loco" in South American cuisine. It has been
over-harvested and is very expensive when available. A small amount is being
commercial raised.
Achar - Very spicy relish from the cuisine
of India and the Caribbean Islands. Achar may be made from fruits and
vegetables.
Acidulated Water - A mixture of water and
a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice, used to purify or prevent
discoloration in meats and vegetables.
Adobo - Paste or sauce made from chilies,
vinegar, and other seasonings. Used as a seasoning for meats.
Agnolotti - A small half-moon shaped
ravioli.
Aiguillette - Long, thin slices of poultry
breast or some other meats.
Ail - French for "garlic".
Aioli - A cold egg and oil emulsion with
olive oil and garlic. Many variations of this sauce are made. See the
definition under rouille.
Ajo - Spanish for "garlic".
Al Carbon - Spanish term for a dish
relating to grilled or containing meat.
Al Dente - A term, meaning "to the bite",
used to describe the correct degree of cooking for pasta and vegetables. This
is not exactly a procedure, but a sensory evaluation for deciding when the
food is finished. Pasta should retain a slight resistance when biting
into it, but should not have a hard center.
Al Forno - Italian term describing a dish
cooked in the oven.
Al Pastor - A term used in Spanish and
Italian referring to a dish cooked in the style of shepherd cooking, usually
over a grill or spit.
Albumen - The protein of egg whites.
Alfredo - A pasta sauce originally
consisting of butter, cream, and the finest parmesan cheese available. Modern
versions add garlic, peas, and less expensive parmesan. All of these will make
fine sauces, but nothing can compare to the original version.
Allemande - A sauce made of Veloute
(usually veal), a liaison and lemon juice. See Veloute and liason.
Almond Paste - A sweet paste made from
finely ground blanched almonds mixed with powdered sugar and enough glucose or
syrup to bind it together.
Amandine - A French term for any dish with
almonds. Alternate spelling is almondine.
Amchoor - Sour, unripe mangoes that are
dried and sold in slices and powder. Its primary use is in Indian cooking,
giving foods a sweet/sour flavor.
Anchoiade - A dip made of pureed anchovies
mixed with garlic and olive oil. Raw vegetables and bread are served with this
dip.
Andouille - A sausage made from the
stomach and the intestines of pork. The sausage is dried and smoked, then
boiled or steamed to finish cooking. Andouille sausage is used regularly in
Creole cooking, but it is popular in French cooking as well. The Creole
version of this sausage is much spicier than those made in France.
Angelica - Licorice flavored stalks from
these plants are candied and used primarily in pastry making. Angelica is also
used to flavor liqueurs.
Anna Potatoes - The name for a potato
pancake made of thin slices of potato which are assembled in concentric
circles and cooked with liberal amounts of butter. The cake is then baked
until crisp and golden brown.
Annatto Seed - Also called achiote seed,
these seeds are used as a food coloring and a spice in cooking from Latin
America and Southeast Asia.
Antipasto - 'The Italian word for snacks
served before a meal. These are dishes to peak one's appetite, not quench it.
This may consist of one or more dishes of all types of food. Common elements
of an antipasto table are cured meats and salamis, olives, marinated
vegetables, and cheese.
Arrowroot - This is a starch similar in
appearance and qualities as cornstarch.
Arroz - Portuguese or Spanish word for
"rice".
Artichoke - A name shared by three
unrelated plants: the globe artichoke, Jerusalem artichoke and Chinese (or
Japanese) artichoke. Considered the true artichoke, the globe artichoke is
cultivated mainly in California's mid-coastal region. It is the bud of a large
plant from the thistle family and has tough, petal shaped leaves. They are
available year-round, with the peak season March through May. Buy deep green,
heavy for their size artichokes with a tight leaf formation.
Asafetida - A spice used in India and the
Middle East for cooking or as a condiment to be sprinkled over food after it
has been cooked. It has a bitter taste and a pungent aroma similar to garlic
and truffles.
Aspic - A jelly made from stock, fumet,
wine, or fruit juices used to mold dishes. These preparations are often
elaborately decorated for use on buffets. Both savory and sweet foods are set
in aspic. Cubes of aspic are a common garnish to foie gras.
Aubergine - The French word for eggplant.
Aurore - This is a term associated with
sauces that have tomato puree or concasse added to it.
