A Cook's Glossary
Find definitions of the popular cooking terms and
ingredients we use in
our recipes.
To bake blind means to partially or completely bake a
pastry crust before it is filled. Lining the crust with parchment
paper or foil and then weighing it down with raw rice, dried beans or pie
(pastry) weights keeps the crust from shrinking or puffing up during
baking.
In ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen recipes, a baking pan refers
to a metal pan, while a baking dish refers to a glass or ceramic dish.
When measuring the dimensions of baking pans and baking dishes, measure
the distance across the top from the inside rim on one side to the inside
rim on the opposite side. Depth should be determined by standing a
ruler in the pan or dish and measuring the distance to the rim. Do not
slant the ruler on pans or dishes with sloping sides. To determine
volume (capacity), pour a measured amount of water into the pan or dish
until it is filled to the brim. The volume is the total amount of
water used.
Baking pans are now available in a wide variety of
sizes, materials and finishes. When using any new baking pan, follow
the manufacturer's instructions. The ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen
recently experimented with some new baking pans. We concluded that
some baking pans require adjustments to baking times and/or reductions in
oven temperatures by about 25°F (15°C) from those specified in recipes.
Dark or coated pans typically brown foods more quickly than light shiny
pans; however, foods may look done but may not be completely cooked in the
centre. Always test for doneness.
A dark, mellow Italian vinegar made from white
Trebbiano grape juice and aged in wooden casks for several years.
Authentic balsamic vinegar is labeled "aceto balsamico tradizionale".
Less expensive varieties are actually red wine vinegar fortified with
concentrated grape juice and sometimes caramelized sugar.
To spoon or brush melted fat, meat
drippings or stock over food to keep it moist and add flavour during
cooking.
To partially cook food using boiling
water or steam, then immerse in ice water to stop the cooking
process. Blanching is used to soften, to loosen skins (as in
peaches and tomatoes) and to destroy enzymes and set colour of
vegetables before freezing.
For an impressive presentation, blood oranges may be
substituted for navel oranges. Blood oranges have a bright red or
red-streaked pulp and are tart in flavour. In Alberta, the most
readily-available variety of blood orange is the Moro orange, usually
found in grocery stores from December to March.
To cook in a small amount of liquid in
a tightly covered pan using low heat for a lengthy period of time to
develop flavour and tenderize food.
Broccolini is a tender and sweet-tasting cross between
broccoli and Chinese kale. It is bright green with long, slender
stalks and a head of tiny buds that resembles a miniature broccoli head.
If broccolini is unavailable, broccoli may be substituted.
The unopened flower bud of a shrub native to the
Mediterranean and parts of Asia. The buds are picked, dried and then
pickled in a vinegar brine. Capers are used to add flavour to dishes or as
a garnish.
A fragrant seasoning blend used primarily in Chinese
cuisine. This distinctly licorice-flavoured formulation consists of five
spices which are usually blended in equal proportions. It is a finely
ground mixture consisting of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed and
Szechuan pepper.
Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked, red jalapeno peppers.
This uniquely-flavoured ingredient originated in Mexico and is popular in
southwestern cooking. Chipotle peppers are available both dried and
canned; however, most recipes call for canned chipotle peppers.
Canned chipotle peppers are packed in a spicy vinegar mixture called adobo
sauce. They are sold in small cans and may be found in the Mexican
section of some large grocery stores and specialty stores.
Chipotle peppers are a hot pepper; therefore, hot pepper
handling precautions apply. The ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen recommends
wearing rubber gloves when handling hot peppers and avoiding touching any
exposed skin. Once a can is opened, any remaining chipotle peppers
and adobo sauce may be refrigerated for up to 1 month or frozen for up to
6 months. If freezing, package in small amounts for later use.
Also known as Chinese parsley, cilantro refers to the
dark green leaves of the coriander plant. Cilantro has a lively, sharp
fresh flavour that is very distinctive.
Made by mixing equal parts water and shredded coconut
and then straining, coconut milk is available canned. Coconut milk should
not be substituted for cream of coconut, which is a sweetened, richer
mixture used mainly in desserts and mixed drinks.
Related to the parsley family, coriander is known for
both its seeds and its green leaves. Coriander seeds are small and
yellow-tan in colour with a flavour similar to a combination of lemon,
sage and caraway. The seeds are used either whole or ground and are
readily available in grocery stores. Coriander leaves are commonly known
as cilantro.
A tiny pasta made from semolina, couscous is very
popular in Middle Eastern countries. Packaged precooked couscous is widely
available in grocery stores and is often used as a side dish in place of
rice.
To beat an ingredient or combination of
ingredients using a spoon, electric mixer or food processor until
mixture is soft, smooth and "creamy".
To cut food into 1/2 inch (1.25 cm)
cubes.
Curacao, a generic term for several
orange-flavoured liqueurs, is made with the peel of bitter curacao oranges grown
on the island of Curacao. Curacao liqueur can be clear, amber-coloured or
tinted blue.
A spicy mixture of multiple ingredients used in Thai
cooking. The most common Thai curry pastes used are green or red. Green
curry paste contains green chilies, while red curry paste contains red
chilies and shrimp paste. They also contain garlic, lemon grass, galangal
and many other spices.
Dates are very sweet dark fruits that are native to the
Middle East. Most varieties are oval in shape. Dates have a
single narrow seed (pit) and thin papery skin. Dates can be
purchased either pitted or unpitted. Whole pitted dates are
sometimes referred to as dessert dates. Grocery stores usually carry
whole pitted dates either in the produce department (packaged in bags or
plastic containers) or in the bulk foods section. Chopped pitted
dates, sometimes called baking dates, are packaged in blocks and usually
found in the baking aisle of grocery stores.
To boil a small amount of stock, wine
or other liquid in the cooking pan after cooked food and excess fat
is removed, thereby loosening browned bits left in bottom of
pan. This incorporates solids and cooking juices into a gravy
or sauce.
To cut food into 1/8 - 1/4 inch (3 - 6
mm) cubes.
Chewy, intensely-flavoured dehydrated tomatoes.
Commercially dried tomatoes are either packed in oil and sold in jars or
are dry-packed in cellophane.
Fennel, an often overlooked vegetable, has pale green
stalks (or stems) that converge into a thick, bulbous base. The stalks are
topped with feathery greens. Both the base and the stalks are edible. They
may be eaten raw in salads or cooked in a variety of ways, including
sautéing, steaming, braising or baking. The stalks are often used to
flavour soups or stews. The feathery greens may be used as a garnish.
Fennel has a mild, sweet and delicate licorice flavour. Fennel is often
mislabeled as "anise" or "sweet anise" in produce
departments, but fennel and anise are not the same. The anise plant has a
more distinctive licorice flavour, has no bulb and is used mainly for its
seeds.
The ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Used as a
thickener and flavouring agent in Creole and Cajun cooking. Filé powder
should be stirred into a dish after it is removed from the heat as
overcooking makes it stringy and tough.
A frittata is an Italian omelet. The beaten egg
mixture is usually combined with the cooked filling ingredients and then
cooked slowly over low heat, resulting in a firm, round, open-faced
omelet. It is then cut into wedges to serve. In a French
omelet, the beaten egg mixture is cooked quickly over medium-high heat,
then topped with various fillings. It is folded over to give it a
half-oval shape.
Garam masala is a spice blend used throughout India.
The blend has many variations, but some common ingredients may include
cardamom, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Garam masala can be found
in the ethnic section of some grocery stores.
Most often used as either fresh or dried ground, ginger
is also available in other forms. Crystallized (candied) ginger has been
cooked in a sugar syrup and then coated with sugar. Preserved ginger is
packed in a sugar syrup and sold in jars. Pickled (sushi) ginger is fresh
ginger that has been preserved in sweet vinegar. It is used as a garnish
for Asian dishes.
Gougeres, or French "cheese puffs", make a wonderful hors d'oeuvre
before dinner. Their delicate crisp walls and soft, cheese-laced
interior makes them light and rich, yet not filling. The secret of
the puff is in the making of the dough - adding the flour all at once and
the eggs one at a time is critical.
Two recipes are
Cocktail Gougeres and
Onion Olive Puffs
A sauce made using jalapeno peppers in a manner similar
to red hot pepper sauce. Depending on the brand, it can range in intensity
from mild to hot.
A soft, unripened peppercorn that is either pickled in
brine or freeze-dried. Its flavour is less pungent than peppercorns in
other forms.
A thick, reddish-brown sauce that is sweet and spicy. It
is made from soybeans, garlic, chili peppers and various spices. It is
used as a condiment or flavouring agent for meat, poultry and shellfish
dishes.
A mixture of hot chili peppers, vinegar and seasonings.
It is used to add flavour and heat to dishes and can range in intensity
from mildly hot to fiery.
A polished, white, short or medium grain rice used as
the base for sushi and other Asian dishes. When sushi rice is
cooked, the grains become soft and cling together. This "sticky"
characteristic makes it ideal for preparing sushi.
To cut food into thin matchstick
strips.
An almond-shaped Greek olive with a dark eggplant colour
and rich fruity flavour. The olives are often slit and soaked in a wine
vinegar marinade that penetrates the flesh to give them their
characteristic flavour.
To cut food into very small pieces.
There are usually three kinds of molasses available in
our grocery stores: fancy, cooking and blackstrap. Fancy
molasses is lightest in colour and mildest and sweetest in flavour.
It is used in baking or as a topping for cereals, breads, pancakes, etc.
Cooking molasses is darker in colour and stronger in flavour. Using
it results in a darker less sweet baked product. Blackstrap molasses
is the lowest grade of molasses. It is very dark, thick and somewhat
bitter in flavour. If fancy molasses is called for in a recipe, it
is best not to substitute with cooking or blackstrap molasses.
Nori, thin sheets of dried seaweed, is used in Japanese
cuisine. Traditionally, nori is used for wrapping sushi, but when
thinly cut, nori serves as a garnish or seasoning. Nori ranges in
colour from dark green to black and can be found in Japanese markets and
the Asian section of grocery stores.
A tiny rice-shaped pasta. The word orzo means barley in
Italian. Usually available in Italian grocery stores and large
supermarkets, orzo can be used in soups and casseroles or as a side dish
in place of rice.
Pepitas are pumpkin seeds with their white hulls
removed. They are dark green in colour and can be found in specialty
stores and the bulk foods section of grocery stores.
A yellowish, licorice-flavoured liqueur very popular in
France. It turns whitish and cloudy when mixed with water.
Phyllo, a Greek word meaning "leaf", is
paper-thin layers of pastry dough used in Greek and Middle Eastern sweet
or savoury preparations. It is available frozen in most grocery stores.
Thaw phyllo in its original wrapping in the refrigerator. To prevent
phyllo from drying out while preparing a recipe, keep unused sheets
covered with plastic wrap and a damp tea towel. If left uncovered, a sheet
of phyllo will dry out in 1 – 2 minutes.
To cook food gently in barely simmering
liquid over low heat.
Pomegranate molasses is a thick, dark syrupy reduction
of pomegranate juice that adds a rich, tart, but slightly sweet, flavour
to dishes. Look for it in Middle Eastern, Italian or natural food
stores. Do not substitute regular molasses for pomegranate molasses
as their flavours are very different.
A giant, dark brown mushroom with a dense texture and
meaty flavour.
To grind, mash or liquify food by using
a blender, food processor, food mill or sieve until it is a fine
pulp of soft, smooth consistency.
To boil a liquid (usually stock, wine
or a sauce mixture) rapidly until the volume is reduced by
evaporation, thereby thickening the consistency and intensifying the
flavour.
Made from rice wine and ranging in colour from pale
amber to clear. There are Japanese and Chinese rice vinegars; both are
milder than Western vinegars.
A mixture of fat and flour that is
slowly cooked over low heat. It is used to thicken mixtures,
such as gravies, sauces and soups. The colour and flavour of
the roux is determined by the length of the cooking time.
True saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. The thread-like
stigmas of the saffron crocus must be hand-picked and then dried. Each
flower only provides three stigmas. Saffron is sold in very small
quantities as threads or in powdered form. Faux varieties, such as
American saffron, are available in specialty grocery stores and are sold in
larger quantities at a more reasonable price. Turmeric can also be used as
an inexpensive substitute. Use sparingly.
Sage, a herb native to the Mediterranean region, has been honoured
through history both for its culinary and medicinal uses. Rub the
soft, oval, gray-green leaves of fresh sage together to release a pungent
camphor aroma.
the distinctive flavouring powers of
sage make it an ideal herb for use in dishes containing pork, cheese or
beans as well as poultry stuffings and sausage.
To cook food quickly in a small amount
of fat in a frypan over direct heat.
To heat a liquid to just below the
boiling point or until tiny bubbles form around the inside edge of
pan.
To brown meat quickly using high heat,
either in a frypan, under a broiler, on a natural gas barbecue or in
a very hot oven to seal in juices of meat.
Many ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen recipes call for food to be
either shredded or grated. Graters typically have different sizes of
holes that are used to transform food into either long thin strips or very
small particles. In our recipes, food that is reduced to long thin
strips is called "shredded". food that is reduced to very small
particles is called "grated".
To cook food gently in liquid over low
heat just below the boiling point so that tiny bubbles just begin to
break the surface.
Sweetened condensed milk, a precooked blend of milk and
sugar, has a smooth, creamy, thick consistency. It thickens further
when an acidic fruit juice, such as lemon or lime juice, is added to it.
This characteristic makes it ideal for use in many
uncooked dessert recipes.
A thick paste made of ground sesame seed. It is used in
Middle Eastern dishes such as baba ghanoush and hummus.
A Japanese sauce made from soybeans. It is usually aged,
making it darker, thicker and more mellow than soy sauce. It is used as a
baste, condiment or sauce.
Also known as Japanese horseradish, wasabi is available
in both paste and powder form. It is bright green in colour and can
be found in the Asian section of large grocery stores.
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