Culinary Terms | Basic Cooking Terminologies | Basic Terminologies

Basic culinary Terms

• A ' la - in the style of

• Au bleu - under done

• Au four - baked in oven

• Accompaniment - side/Additional  dishes served along with Main dish

• Bechamel - A basic white mother sauce

• Bouquet garni - aromatic fresh herbs like parsley, bay leaf and thyme used in flavouring of stock, soup. 

• Broil - the ancient terms for grilling.

• Capon - castrated male roosters

• Caviar - fish egg, usually of sturgeon

• Champignons - Mushrooms

• Chinois - conical strainer

• Studded onion - bay leaf and clove in onion.

• Crepe - pan Cake

• Cuisine - art of cooking

• Bain - Marie - A container of hot water used to keep food hot without burning.

• Baking - cooking in oven.

• Bast - To coat butter /fat during cooking especially for meat items

• Fond de cuisine - kitchen stock

• Fricasse - small piece of chicken cooked in white sauce with onion and mushroom.

• Garnish - food items placed around the top of dish to decorate.

• Gherkins - baby cucumber

• Giblets - liver and heart from poultry

• Gluten - flour protein

• Myosin - meat protein

• Salami - highly seasoned sausages

• Mise- en - place - basic preparation in kitchen before cooking

• Potage - soup

• Chef Garde manager - head of cold kitchen.

• Beurre manie - Equal quantity of uncooked Butter and flour used for Thickening sauce, stew. Usually it is kneaded and maked small round ball which is added in boiling liquid.

• Blanching - To immerse in Boiling water for some time and cold bath

• Coagulation - solidification of protein

• Chinosis - Conical strainer

• Croutons -  cube of fried breads served as garnishes. 

• Consomme - Thin, clear soup

• Roux - Equal quantity of flour and butter cooked together used as thickening agent for sauce.

• KOT - kitchen order ticket 

• Condiments - seasoning or spices

• Entree - First meat course

• Frappe - Chilled

• Gherkins - Baby cucumber

• Liaison - Mixture of cream and egg yolk used to thicken soup, sauce.

• Meringue - Beaten egg white  and sugar

• Mornay - cheese sauce

• Sweat - To cook on fat under a lid without colour

• Season - to add salt and pepper.

• Zuppa - Italian soup

• Sautee - To toss in high heat for short time

• Batter - Mixture of flour and liquid

• Mirepoix - Roughly cut aromatic vegetables.

• Vinaigrette - Dressing with oil, vinegar and Mustard with seasonings.

• Flash point - oil may ignite fire due to high temperature

• Potage - soup

• Oeuf - Egg

• Risoto - Italian rice

• Simmer - cook in low heat