Cooking Terms

Cooking Terms

1. Dredge- To cover a food with a dry ingredient such as flour or sugar. The food may be rolled in, sprinkled with, or shaken in a bag with the dry ingredient.

2. Flute- To form a standing edge on a pastry, such as pie crust, before baking. Press the dough with your fingers to create this scalloped edge, or use a fork to “crimp” the edge.

3. Marinate- To soak in a seasoned liquid, called a marinade, to add flavor and/or to tenderize.

4. Cream-To soften and blend until smooth and light by mixing with a spoon or an electric mixer.

5. Whip-To beat rapidly with a rotary beater, an electric mixer, or wire whisk; to incorporate air and make light and fluffy, as whipped cream or egg white.

6. Dice-To cut into very small cubes.

7. Julienne-To cut food into long, thin strips.

8. Pare-To cut away the skin or a very thin layer of the outside of fruits or vegetables. Use a vegetable peeler or a knife.

9. Score- To make thin, straight cuts through the outer edge of fat on meat to prevent the meat from curling during cooking.

10. Trim- To cut away most of the fat from the edges of meat.

11. Baste- To spread, brush, or pour liquid (such as sauce, drippings, melted fat, or marinade) over food while it is cooking. Use a baster, brush, or spoon.

12. Braise- To cook meat slowly, covered and in a small amount of liquid or steam.

13. Dot- To place small particles of a solid, such as butter, on the surface of a food.

14. Poach- To cook gently in hot liquid below the boiling point.

15. Saute- To cook uncovered in a small amount of fat in a pan.