Cooking Terms: A Primer on Kitchen Lingo

Parboil- A boiling procedure that partially cooks food before final cooking in sauces or with seasoning.

Marinade- Allows food, mostly meats, to tenderize in a vinegar or acid liquid.

Whip- To incorporate air and produce expansion of a food product by beating it rapidly.

Fold- To gently beat a delicate substance such as beaten egg whites with a spatula into another food substance without releasing air bubbles until all ingredients are mixed.

Julienne- to cut or slice food on a bias not straight across, usually vegetables, into thin strips from match-size to 1/4 inch thick and from 1/2 inch to 3 inches long.

Scald- To heat a liquid to a temperature just below the boiling point such as scalded milk.

Blanch- To boil food in steam or water prior to cooking or canning. Can also be used to remove skins from vegetables, poultry, or fish.

Dredge- To bread or coat food. Usually with a dry ingredient such as bread crumbs, flour, or corn meal. This is usually done just before frying.

Blend- To combine multiple ingredients together by hand or with a mechanical blender. This is gentler than whisking.

Souffle- A baked dish consisting of egg yolks combined with beaten egg whites to create a light puffy dish such as certain light pastries.

Casserole- Refers to the pot or dish the meal is cooked in not the actual food. Can be made of glass or metal. It is not only used to bake the food but is used as a serving dish.

Drippings- Juices or fat that are collected from roasting meat to make gravy and sauces.

Meringue- Made of beaten egg whites and sugar and placed atop deserts such as pies. It can also be browned or flavored.

Crepe- Resembles thin lightly browned pancakes and is usually stuffed with fruit or sweet filling but can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients.

Knead- to mix the ingredients of bread by hand or with a mixer and in the process adds strength to the dough.;