Cutting Terms Definition
Chop and Mince Chopping means to cut foods into small
irregular pieces. To mince is to chop finely.
Use a chef’s knife for both tasks. Hold the
knife handle with on hand, pressing the top
against the cutting board. Guide the blade by
resting the other hand lightly on the back of the
blade, rocking up and down carefully, keeping
the tip of the blade on the board as the blade
cuts the food.
Cube and Dice To cut foods into small, square pieces. Cubed
pieces are about ½ inch squares and diced
pieces are 1/8 to ¼ inch squares.
Pare To cut off a very thin layer of peel with a
paring knife or peeler.
Peel To pull off the rind or outer covering of certain
fruits and vegetables.
Score To make straight, shallow cuts with a knife in
the surface of a food.
Slice To cut food into large, thin pieces with a knife
using a sawing motion while pressing the knife
down gently.
Crush To pulverize food into crumbs, powder, or
paste with a rolling pin, blender, or food
processor.
Flake To break or tear off small layers of food, often
cooked fish, with a fork.
Grate and Shred To cut food, such as cheese or carrots, into
smaller pieces or shreds by pressing and
rubbing the food against the rough surface of a
grater. For cooked meat, pull it apart with a
fork.
Grind To use a grinder to break up a food such as
meat or coffee beans into coarse, medium, or
fine particles.
Julienne To cut into very narrow, long strips.
Mash To crush food into a smooth mixture using a
masher or an electric mixer.
Puree To grind or mash cooked fruits or vegetables
until they are smooth. Tools for this task
include a blender, food processor, food mill,
and sieve.
Quarter To divide food into four equal parts.
Snip To cut food into small pieces with kitchen
shears. This technique is usually used with
fresh herbs.
Mixing Terms Definition
Blend, Mix, Combine To put together two or more ingredients,
usually by stirring. Utensils include spoon,
whisk, rotary beater, or electric mixer.
Beat To mix thoroughly and add air to foods. Use a
spoon and a vigorous over-and-over motion or
a mixer or food processor.
Cream To beat ingredients, such as shortening and
sugar, combining until soft and creamy.
Cut-in To mix solid shortening with dry ingredient(s)
by cutting and mixing with a pastry blender or
two knives until the solid shortening is broken
into small pieces and is completely covered
with the dry ingredient mixture.
Flute To form a standing edge on pastry, such as a
pie crust, before baking. Press the dough with
the fingers to create this scalloped edge.
Fold (Fold-in) Used to gently mix a light, fluffy mixture into
a heavier one. Egg whites are often folded into
a cake batter, for instance. Place the lighter
mixture on top of the heavier one in a bowl.
With a rubber scraper or spoon, cut down
through the mixture and move the tool across
the bottom of the bowl to the side. Bring it
back to the surface, along with some of the
mixture from the bottom. Don’t lift the tool out
of the mixture. Give the bowl a quarter turn
and repeat until well blended.
Knead To work dough by folding, pressing and
turning until it is smooth and elastic. Place
dough on a floured board, fold it in half, press
with the heels of your hands, turn a quarter
turn and repeat.
Stir Often applies to food that is cooking. Mix with
a spoon or wire whisk in a circular motion.
This distributes heat and keeps foods from
sticking to a pan.
Toss To mix ingredients, such as salad greens and
dressing, by tumbling them with tongs or a
large spoon and fork.
Whip To beat quickly and vigorously to incorporate
air into a mixture, making it light and fluffy.
Coating Terms Definition
Baste To pour liquid over a food as it cooks, using a
baster or spoon. Foods are often basted in
sauces or pan juices.
Bread To coat a food with three different layers. The
food is first coated with flour. This provides a
dry surface for the next layer, which is a liquid
such as milk or beaten egg. Finally, the food is
usually coated with seasoned bread crumbs or
cornmeal.
Brush To use a pastry brush to coat food with a
liquid, such as melted butter or a sauce.
Dot To put small pieces of food, such as butter, on
the surface of another food.
Dredge To coat food heavily with flour, breadcrumbs,
or cornmeal.
Dust To lightly sprinkle a food with flour or
confectioners’ sugar.
Flour To coat food, such as chicken or fish, with
flour.
Glaze To coat a food with a liquid that forms a glossy
finish.
Other Terms Definition
Blanch To dip food briefly in boiling water and then in
cold water to stop the cooking process.
Blanching is one step in canning and freezing
fruits and vegetables. Blanched peppers and
almonds are more easily peeled for roasting.
Brown To make the surface brown in color by frying,
broiling, baking, or toasting.
Candy To cook a food in a sugar syrup. Some root
vegetables, fruits, and fruit peels are prepared
this way.
Caramelize To heat sugar until it liquefies and darkens in
color. Other foods may be caramelized to
release their sugar content.
Clarify To make a liquid clear by removing solid
particles. A broth is clarified by removing the
fat and straining. Clarified butter has been
melted and the butterfat poured off from the
milk solids.
Cool To let stand at room temperature until the food
is not longer warm to the touch.
Core To remove the center of a fruit, such as an
apple or pineapple.
Deglaze To loosen the flavorful food particles in a pan
after food has been browned. The food is
removed from the pan and excess fat poured
off. A small amount of liquid is added, stirred,
and simmered. The resulting sauce is served
with the cooked food.
Dissolve To mix a solid ingredient with a liquid until
they form a solution.
Drain To separate water from solid food, such as
vegetables or cooked pasta, by putting the food
in a colander or strainer.
Marinate To add flavor to food by soaking it in a cold,
seasoned liquid. The liquid is usually
discarded.
Mold To shape a food by hand or by placing it in a
decorative mold.
Par-boil To boil food in liquid until partially cooked.
Pit To remove a stone or seed from fruit using a
sharp knife.
Reconstitute To add water to a concentrated food, such as
orange juice, to return it to its natural state.
Reduce To boil a mixture in order to evaporate the
liquid and intensify the flavor. Also called
“cooking down.”
Rehydrate To soak or cook dried fruits and vegetables in
order to replace the water lost in drying.
Scald To heat liquid to just below the boiling point,
also, to blanch food.
Sear To cook meat quickly at a very high
temperature either on top of the range or in the
oven until it becomes brown and the juices are
sealed in.
Season To add such flavorings as herbs and spices to
food.
Shell To remove the tough outer coating of a food,
such as eggs or nuts.
Skim To remove the top layer from a liquid, such as
fat from gravy.
Steep To soak dry ingredients, such as tea or herbs,
in hot liquid to extract flavor or soften the
texture. The mixture is strained and particles
are discarded.
Strain To separate solid particles from a liquid, such
as broth, by pouring the mixture through a
strainer or sieve.
Vent To leave an opening in a container so steam
can escape during cooking.
RECIPE NOTATIONS
Recipe Sources
The Recipes in this lab manual have been printed using the MasterCook, Version 7.0. This
software is produced by Sierra Home division. More information about Master Cook may be
accessed at http://www.mastercook.com/
This software program includes recipes and permits the user to add recipes from their own files.
The recipes used for the Food Study lab include recipes from the MasterCook as well as recipes
and experiments that were added for the purpose of the course.
Recipe Notations
Recipes that have been scaled to produce more or less than the original recipe will provide the
correct ingredients in the ingredient listing. However, take note that any ingredient quantities
stated in the recipe directions will reflect the quantities needed for the original quantity of the
recipe. Therefore, adjustments of ingredients noted in recipe directions must be made by the user
of the recipe.
