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
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Cavolo nero
Cavolo nero originates from Tuscany and is also know as 'black kale' or 'Tuscan kale'. It's dark green colour makes it rich in iron whilst its thick leaves makes it a great addition to soups and casseroles.
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Coulis
A coulis is made by cooking and puréeing fruit or vegetables, then straining it through a sieve and mixing with sugar or liqueur.
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Kaffir lime leaf
Kaffir lime leaves are often used in south-east Asian cooking – most commonly Thai cuisine They have an aromatic, citrusy flavour and make an excellent addition to curries, soups or stir-frys.
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Clarified butter
Clarified butter is rendered butter once all the milk solids have been removed. When butter is melted, it separates into three layers. The top layer is a white frothy foam (the whey), to be skimmed and discarded. The bottom layer is the milk solids.
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Chorizo
Chorizo is a type of Spanish sausage made using pork, peppers and garlic. It's unique spiciness comes from the paprika.
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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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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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Arborio rice
Arborio rice is a starchy rice, which takes its name from a village in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy. It's most commonly used in risottos because it absorbs more liquid than other varieties and has a creamy texture when cooked.
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Amaretto
Amaretto is is a sweet almond-scented liqueur that is often used in Italian desserts or enjoyed as an after-dinner tipple.
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Gratin
A wonderful dish of French origin, typically made with multiple layers of finely sliced potatoes (though other vegetables could be used), milk or cream and garlic.
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Jerusalem artichoke
The Jerusalem artichoke is pinkish in colour and looks like a large lump of root ginger. It’s actually a type of sunflower and its name derives from the Italian for sunflower, 'girasole'.
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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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Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a citrusy herb, commonly used in Thai cooking. It looks a bit like a spring onion, but is much firmer, and has a woody texture.
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Lining
Lining your tin with baking paper or tinfoil prevents savoury dishesand desserts from catching and it makes them easier to turn out.
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Kirsch
Kirsch (German for 'cherry') is a fruit brandy that is very popular in Germany and often enjoyed as an aperetif or post-dinner drink.
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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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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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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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Gravlax
Gravlax (also knows as 'gravadlax' or 'gravlaks') is a classic Scandinavian dish which literally translated as ‘buried salmon’.
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What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings made from potatoes and flour. To cook, simply boil in water for two or three minutes – they are done when they rise to the surface.
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Goji berries
Goji berries are grown in East Asia, are similar in size and texture to a raisin and taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry.
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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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Farro
Farro is an ancient grain and type of wheat. It has a nutty texture, is similar to barley and needs to be soaked before being cooked.
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Fricassée
Fricassée is – generally – a type of stew in which meat is cut up, braised and served in a creamy white sauce.
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Griddle
A griddle pan is very similar to a frying pan, but with no sides and very thick ridges. It's great for achieving a charred flavour and appearance on food.
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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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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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