Glossary of Culinary Terms

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Click on a letter for links to glossary of culinary terms.

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CABANOSSI - a salami-type sausage popular in Central, Eastern and
Southern Europe.

CANNELLINO BEAN (kan-eh-LEE-no) - (plural: cannelini) Large, white
Italian kidney beans, available both in dry and canned forms. They are
used in Italian soups and salads.

CANOLA OIL - see Rapeseed Oil

CAPSICUM - A large fleshy pepper with a sweet/mild flavour. Can be
orange, red, yellow, green or black. Also known as Bell Pepper.

CATSUP - see Ketchup

CELERIAC (seh-LER-ay-ak) - This rather ugly, knobbly, brown vegetable is
actually the root of a special celery cultivated specifically for its
root. It's also called celery root or celery knob and tastes like a
cross between strong celery and parsley. Often called for raw and
shredded in salads or added to soups and stews.

CHAYOTE (CHI-OH-TAY) - Also known as mirliton. This gourd-like fruit is
about the size and shape of a very large pear. Under the pale green
skin is a white, rather bland tasting flesh. They can be cooked like
any summer squash or used raw in salads. Chayote seeds are edible, too.

CHICKEN MARYLAND - in Australia, refers to chicken leg with both thigh
and drumstick attached. In the US, refers to any parts of chicken,
crumbed, browned in hot fat, baked and served with cream gravy.

CHICKPEAS - Cicer arietinum. Also known as garbanzo beans, ceci beans.

CHINESE PARSLEY - see Cilantro

CHINESE VERMICELLI - Also called bean threads, glass noodles, cellophane
noodles or harusame. These translucent, thin noodles are made of the
starch of green mung beans. They are soaked in water to soften before
adding to recipes for side dishes. If added to soup they do not need to
be presoaked. They can also be deep-fried.

CHIPOTLE CHILE (chih-POHT-lay) - This is a dried, smoked jalapeño.
Chipotles are found dried or pickled and canned in adobo sauce. Because
they are extremely spicy, they are used sparingly as a seasoning in
recipes.

CHORIZO (CHOR-EE-ZOH) - A highly seasoned sausage made of coarsely
ground pork flavoured with garlic, chili powder and other spices that can
be cooked as a stand-alone meat or used in Mexican- or Spanish-style
recipes.

CIDER - widely varying definitions! A drink (almost) always made from
pressed apples, to many people but not all it is alcoholic. US usage is
typically that 'cider' is not alcoholic and 'hard cider' is. If in
doubt, ask the person who posts the recipe what they mean.

CILANTRO - the leaf of the coriander plant. Also called Chinese/Thai/
Mexican parsley, and green coriander.

CLOTTED CREAM - Traditionally served with tea and scones; a 55% (min)
milkfat product made by heating shallow pans of milk to about
82 degrees C, holding them at this temperature for about an hour and
then skimming off the yellow wrinkled cream crust that forms.

COCKLES - clams

CONCH - A Mollusc Gastropod - "Strombus" - Abundant in US only off
Florida Keys, where it is illegal to take (has been for 10? years now).
Most now comes from Caribbean islands such as Turks and Caicos,
Trinidad, or Honduras. One Conch steak typically weighs 1/5 to 1/3 lb
approx. These sell for prices ranging from $4.99 - $6.99 per pound.
These steaks are taken home, beaten with device such as a rolling pin
(to tenderise), then cubed for conch salad or conch fritters.

CONFECTIONER'S SUGAR - UK icing sugar

CORDIAL - in the US, a synonym for liqueur. Similarly in France and
Belgium (e.g. Cognac, Grand Marnier). In UK, NZ, Australia, a thick
syrup (which may or may not contain real fruit) which is diluted to give
a non-alcoholic fruit drink.

CORN FLOUR (US) - Finely ground cornmeal, seen in Southern recipes.

CORNFLOUR (UK and commonwealth) - A starch usu. made from wheat. Used
to thicken sauces etc. Also called cornstarch.

CORNMEAL - ground corn (maize).

COURGETTE - see Zucchini

COUSCOUS - Semolina pellets, which are rolled in flour to form tiny
balls. It makes a terrific rice substitute that has the advantage of
being more flavourful (nutty with an interesting texture as long as it
is not over cooked) as well as about five times quicker to make than
rice. Best known for its use in the traditional North African dish of
the same name.

CREAM OF TARTAR - A potassium salt of tartaric acid. It is a substance
found in the juice of grapes after they have been fermented in wine
making. It is used in baking powder, as well as in self-raising flour,
in combination with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), with which it
reacts to produce carbon dioxide to leaven batter.

CREAM OF WHEAT - Also called farina.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE - Pasteurised cream to which a lactic bacteria culture has
been added. Used in French cooking, it is thick and slightly acidic
without actually being sour. Often used on ice cream in France in
Belgium after beating with sugar.

CREMINI (KRAY-MEE-NEE) - Also called crimini or portabellini. A darker
brown, slightly firmer variation of the everyday cultivated white
mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). They have a fuller flavour than white
mushrooms and are used raw or cooked in recipes. The portobello (also
portabella) is the fully matured form of this mushroom.