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.
Lining
Lining your tin with baking paper or tinfoil prevents savoury dishesand desserts from catching and it makes them easier to turn out.
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.
Chorizo
Chorizo is a type of Spanish sausage made using pork, peppers and garlic. It's unique spiciness comes from the paprika.
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.
Bulgur wheat
Bulgur (or bulgar) is a cereal made with wheat – usually durum wheat – that’s widely used in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking.
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.
Amaretto
Amaretto is is a sweet almond-scented liqueur that is often used in Italian desserts or enjoyed as an after-dinner tipple.
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.
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'.
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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