Cooking Terms You Should Know

Crisp: To refresh or make firm and brittle. To crisp vegetables, soak them in ice water. To crisp crackers, heat then in the overn.

Dice: To cut food into small, uniform, square pieces.

Julienne: To cut food, most often vegetables, into thin four-sided strips.

Mince: To cut food into very fine pieces. Many recipes often call for onions and garlic to be minced.

Plump: To soak foods, especially dried fruits, in a warmed liquid

Puree: To mash or strain a soft or cooked food until it has a smooth consistency.

Sear: The technique of exposing meat to a very high heat to quickly brown the outside, while sealing the juices inside.

Blanch: The process of cooking fruits and vegetables in boiling water for a short period of time, and then plunging them into cold water to stop the cooking process. 

Deglaze: The technique of adding liquid, usually water, wine or broth, to a pan to loosen browned food particles. The resulting liquid is used as a base for sauces and gravies.

Pare: The technique used to remove the thin outer covering or skin of a food, usually a fuit or vegetable.

Saute: A method designed to cook foods quickly over direct heat using a small amout of butter or oil. The food is constantly stirred to keep it from sticking or burning.

Simmer: The method of cooking a liquid, or food in a liquid, with low heat, just below the boiling point.

Steep: The technique of soaking a dry ingredient in a hot liquid, so its flavor and color are infused into the liquid. Herbs, tea leaves and spices are usually steeped.

• 250 F = 120 C
• 275 F - 140 C
• 300 F = 150 C
• 325 F = 160 C
• 350 F = 180 C
• 375 F = 190 C
• 400 F = 200 C
• 425 F = 220 C
• 450 F = 230 C