Kitchen Glossary List

Kitchen Glossary List - Essential Terms for Aspiring Chefs

Embarking on culinary adventures requires a grasp of fundamental kitchen lingo. This glossary unveils indispensable terms to empower your cooking repertoire and enhance your culinary fluency.

Essential Ingredients and Techniques

Aioli: A creamy garlic mayonnaise.
Au gratin: Baked with a crisp, golden crust.
Béchamel: A classic white sauce made with milk, flour, and butter.
Blanch: To briefly boil food to retain its color and crispness.
Broil: To cook food directly under a heat source.
Brunoise: To cut vegetables into very small, uniform cubes.
Caramelize: To heat sugar until it turns golden brown and crystallizes.
Confit: Meat preserved by cooking slowly in its own fat.
Couscous: A small, semolina-like pasta.
Crème anglaise: A custard sauce used as a filling or topping.
Deglaze: To add liquid to a pan to dissolve the browned bits left from cooking.
Emulsify: To combine two liquids that normally do not mix, such as oil and water.
Entrée: A main course dish.
Farce: A mixture of ground meat, herbs, and spices used as a stuffing.
Flan: A custard dessert with a caramelized top.
Fricassee: To braise or stew meat in a white sauce.
Glaze: A thick, sweet sauce used to brush on food before roasting.
Julienne: To cut vegetables into thin, matchstick-shaped strips.
Marinade: A liquid used to soak meat or fish before cooking to add flavor and tenderness.
Mirepoix: A combination of carrots, celery, and onions used as a base for sauces and soups.
Pancetta: An Italian bacon made from pork belly.
Poach: To cook food gently in a simmering liquid.
Purée: To mash food until it is smooth and creamy.
Reduction: A sauce that has been cooked down to concentrate its flavor.
Roux: A mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces and soups.
Sauté: To cook food in a pan with a small amount of fat.
Scallop: A thin, boneless cut of meat.
Soffritto: An Italian base of sautéed onions, celery, and carrots.
Sous vide: A cooking technique that involves sealing food in a vacuum-sealed bag and cooking it in a water bath at a precise temperature.
Teriyaki: A Japanese sauce made with soy sauce, sake, and mirin.
Truffle: An edible fungus prized for its earthy flavor.
Udon: A thick Japanese noodle.
Vinaigrette: A vinaigrette dressing made with vinegar, oil, and herbs.
Zest: The grated outer peel of citrus fruits, such as lemons and oranges.

Mastering these culinary terms will not only enhance your cooking skills but also empower you to confidently navigate the culinary world, inspiring you to create delectable dishes that tantalize taste buds and impress family, friends, and fellow gastronomes alike.