Cook’s dictionary
Take a scroll through our A to Z of ingredients and techniques…
If you’re baffled by how to bake blind, or flummoxed by farro then find out more…with links to recipes, how-to guides and further reading.
101 articles
Cook's dictionary
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Salsa
A salsa is a type of sauce and can vary in form. They are often tomato based, with onions and chillies, but can include any fruit and veg.
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Deglaze
Deglazing is a cooking technique used to harness all the tasty flavours of the brown residue leftover when cooking meat.
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What is houmous?
Houmous is made by blending chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. It can also be enjoyed as a dip or in salads.
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Marinade
Marinades are a marvellous way of imparting extra flavour into meat, fish or vegetables, by leaving food to infuse with other flavours before cooking.
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Quesadilla
Quesadillas are the Mexican version of a cheese toastie (it translates as ‘little cheesy thing’ in Spanish), but are made using tortillas instead of bread.
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Bulgur wheat
Bulgur (or bulgar) is a cereal made with wheat – usually durum wheat – that’s widely used in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking.
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Daikon
Also known as mooli, daikon is a white Asian radish with a mild, peppery flavour. It has a crisp juicy texture when eaten raw that makes it a popular garnish for sashimi
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Manchego
This classic Spanish cheese is made from Manchega sheep's milk and must be aged for at least 60 days to be considered a proper manchego.
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Borlotti beans
Borlotti beans are popular due to their sweet flavour, meaty texture and soothing creaminess. If you’re using the dried kind, soak for eight hours before simmering gently for an hour and a half.
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En papillote
The French term 'en papillote' means to wrap food in a parcel before baking in the oven. It helps seal in flavour, retain nutrition, and keeps everything moist as it cooks in its own steam.
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Julienne
Julienne is a culinary technique which involves chopping vegetables into long, thin ‘matchstick’ shapes, such as in the classic celeriac remoulade.
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Nori
Nori is a crisp, salty, malleable sheet of roasted seaweed. It has a salty and slightly grassy flavour and is best known for its use in sushi.
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Ricotta
Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese made from the whey of cows’ or ewes’ milk and cream. It is great in desserts and pasta dishes.
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Tortilla
What is a tortilla? Well, it depends which type you're talking about. Here's our quick guide to both Mexican and Spanish tortillas, with recipes to try.
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En croûte
'En croûte' means, quite simply, ‘in a crust’. This French dish involves wrapping ingredients in a layer of pastry before baking in the oven.
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Noodles
Noodles are a type of pasta used in Asian cooking. There are numerous types which all have varying ingredients, textures and origins.
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What does refreshing vegetables mean?
Refreshing vegetables means to plunge them in cold water immediately after cooking in order to stop the cooking process.
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Tamarind
Tamarind is a fruit, originating in Asia, with a sweet and tangy flavour and is used widely in dishes from India through to South East Asia.
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Kumquat
This bitter-sweet, citrusy berry looks like a mini orange, originates in Asia and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.
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Nam pla
Nam pla is a pungent and salty Thai fish sauce made from fermented fish and is wonderful in marinades, as a seasoning or in dipping sauces.
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Roux
A roux is made by mixing equal quantities of butter and flour over heat until a smooth paste forms, in order to thicken sauces and soups.
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Tahini
Tahini is a savoury paste made from sesame seeds and oil – a little like peanut butter. It's most famously known for its use in houmous.
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Folding
'Folding’ is a specific method of incorporating dry into wet ingredients, for example folding in flour into eggs when making a sponge cake.
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Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family and can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a subtle flavour and is appealingly tender when cooked.
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Okra
Okra is an unusual vegetable that looks a little like a chunky green bean. Cooked briefly, it has a lovely crunch but becomes more glutinous when cooked.
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Vacherin
Vacherin mont d'or is a cheese made from cow's milk with a creamy, rich texture. It's best eaten warm – after being baked – with a spoon.
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Acidulated water
What is acidulated water? Find out in our delicious. cook's dictionary
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What is ghee?
Ghee is a form of clarified butter which is made by removing the milk solids from melted butter. It has a high smoke point and a rich and nutty flavour.
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Butterfly
To butterfly is a French technique used when a piece of meat is too thick to cook through without it drying out, or simply to reduce the cooking time of the meat.
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