Techniques Glossary
Blanching: Cooking briefly in boiling water, then quickly cooling.
Boiling: Cooking in boiling water.
Braising: Browning then cooking slowly in liquid.
Caramelizing: Browning sugars to gain flavor and color.
Ceviche: “Cooking” fish or seafood in citrus juice.
Charring: Adding flavor to foods through controlled carbonization.
Chopping/Slicing: Fundamental for the uniform preparation of ingredients.
Clarifying: Purifying liquids like butter or broth to obtain a clearer texture.
Confit: Cooking in fat at low temperature for preservation and flavor.
Curing: Preserving and flavoring meat or fish with salt, sugar, and spices.
Deglazing: Dissolving caramelized residues at the bottom of the pan with liquid.
Dehydrating: Removing moisture to concentrate flavors and preserve foods.
Emulsifying: Mixing liquids that do not naturally blend.
Fermenting: Preserving and transforming foods through bacteria and yeasts.
Foaming: Creating foam for sauces or desserts, usually with foam siphons.
Frying: Cooking with plenty of hot oil.
Glazing: Applying a shiny, sweet coating to foods, like on cakes or meats.
Grilling/Broiling: Cooking under direct heat to brown.
Infusing: Extracting flavors from herbs, spices, or fruits into liquids.
Laminating: Used in pastry to create layers in puff pastry and croissants.
Marinating: Adding flavor and tenderizing meat with marinade.
Molding: Shaping foods, especially in baking.
Parboiling: Partially cooking in boiling water before another cooking method.
Pickling: Preserving foods in vinegar or brine.
Poaching: Cooking in liquid just below the boiling point.
Pressing: Extracting juices or compacting foods, like in cheese production.
Reducing: Cooking liquids to concentrate flavors.
Roasting: Cooking in an oven or on a grill to obtain flavor and texture.
Sautéing: Cooking quickly over high heat with little oil.
Scrambling: Cooking eggs or egg mixtures with constant stirring.
Smoking: Infusing flavor through smoke.
Sous-vide: Cooking in a vacuum at precise temperatures in hot water.
Steaming: Cooking with steam, preserving nutrients and colors.
Tempering: Stabilizing chocolate or eggs through temperature control.
Transglutaminating: Using transglutaminase enzyme to bind proteins, as in the creation of sausages or molded meats.
Whisking: Incorporating air into mixtures, like for sauces or meringues.
Gelifying: Using gelling agents to create firm textures like in mousses or jellies.