Culinary Terms

Question	Answer
Accompaniments	Items offered separately to the main dish e.g. vegetables.
Al dente	Literally means ‘to the tooth’, i.e. firm to the bite.
Au gratin	Sprinkled with cheese and/or breadcrumbs and browned under the grill.
Bain-marie	A container of water used to keep foods hot without fear of burning or to cook delicate foods.
Brûlée	‘Burned’, e.g. crème brûlée or burned cream
A bundle of herbs	Bouquet garni
Coulis	A sauce made of fruit or vegetable purée
Croutons	Cubes of toasted or fried bread
En croute	‘In a pastry case’, e.g. salmon en croute
Entrée	A meat dish usually served as a main course
Flambé	To cook with a flame by ‘burning’ away the alcohol, e.g. crêpe suzette.
A savoury decoration for food, trimmings served with a main item.	Garnish
Thin, matchstick-sized strips of vegetables.	Julienne
Marinade	A richly spiced liquid used to give flavour to help tenderise meat and fish.
Mise-en-place	‘Put in place’, i.e. preparation either before starting to cook or before serving.
Reduce	To concentrate a liquid by boiling or simmering.
Roux	A mixture of fat and flour used as a basis for sauce
Sauté	To toss in hot fat, e.g. sauté potatoes

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	Created by jane stainer over 11 years ago