Cooking Dictionary continued

This is page 3 of our cooking dictionary or glossary. A brief explanation of each term is given, with links to further details elsewhere on the site.

A -G | H to M | N | O | P | Q | R | S - Z

N

Navarin

A lamb stew with vegetables,

Noisettes

A French term that literally means "nut" or "hazelnut". It can refer to two things when you see it in a recipe...

"Nut" brown - in reference to butter being browned in a pan until it is a nut color.
It can also be a term for a boneless rack of lamb rolled, tied and then cut into round or oval slices about 1/2 to 1 inch thick.

Nouvelle Cuisine

Another phrase taken from the French cooking dictionary, which literally means "New Kitchen".

It is used to refer to a style of cooking where light and delicate dishes, containing fresh ingredients are served attractively in small portions. Sometimes unusual combinations of ingredients are put together.

O

Offal

A term for the liver, kidney and other edible internal organs of an animal. Normally an economical source of protein. Oxtail also comes under the definition of offal.

Omelette

Beaten eggs, cooked in a small frying pan or skillet. Omelettes can have a sweet or savoury filling.

Open Freeze

The open freeze method is used when freezing delicate foods such as some fruits and vegetables, on open trays before they are packed into bags or containers. It also helps to keep the individual items separate.

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P

Panada

A thick sauce mixture made from milk, butter and flour using the roux method is known as a panada.

Parboil

A term from the cooking dictionary which means to partly cook, in order to soften a food item. Potatoes are often parboiled before putting them in a pan to roast them.

Pare

To thinly peel vegetables, or citrus fruits such as lemons, using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.

Pectin

A substance in fruit and vegetables which enables jams or jellies made from them to set.

Pith

The pith is the white covering, found just inside the rind, of citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons. When you grate lemon rind you only remove the colored area and discard the white pith.

Pulses

Another word for dried peas, beans and lentils. They are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians. They can also be bought in tins, which means they do not have to be soaked before cooking, a real time saver.

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Q

Quiche

A quiche is a pastry flan with a savoury filling containing eggs, milk and often cheese, although other ingredients can be added such as bacon, mushrooms etc.