Fundamentals of Cooking

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Bard

To tie fat around lean meats of fowl to keep them from drying out during roasting. The fat bastes the meat while it cooks, keeping it moist and adding flavor. The fat is removed a few minutes before the meat is finished, allowing the meat to brown. Barding is necessary only when there is no natural fat present.

Baste

To brush or spoon food as it cooks with melted fat or the cooking juices from the dish. Basting prevents foods from drying out and adds color and flavor.

Blanch

To cook raw ingredients in boiling water briefly. Blanched vegetables are generally "shocked" i.e. plunged immediately and briefly into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and preserve color and crunch.

Blend

To Combine two or more ingredients together with a spoon, beater or blender.

Boil

To heat a liquid to its boiling point, until bubbles break the surface. "Boil" also means to cook food in a boiling liquid.

Bone

To remove the bones from meat, fish or fowl. Use a sharp boning knife and angle the blade toward the bone to avoid tearing or nicking the flesh.

Braise

To cook food, tightly covered, in a small amount of liquid at low heat for a long period of time. Sometimes, the food is first browned in fat. The long, slow cooking tenderizes meats by gently breaking down their fibers. The braising liquid keeps meats moist and can be used as a basis for sauce. Use wine, stocks or water as components in braising liquid.

Broil

To cook food directly above or under a heat source. Food can be broiled in an over or on a commercial broiler.

Brush

to apply a liquid, like a glaze, to the surface of food using a pastry brush.

Butterfly

To split food (meat, fish, fowl) down the center, cutting almost, but not completely through. The two halves are then opened flat to resemble a butterfly. Often done when you order a fillet or large piece of fish like tuna well done. (Which you shouldn't do to begin with. But that is another story for another day.

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Canel

To create small V-shaped grooves over the surface of fruits or vegetables for decorative purposes using a canell knife. The fruit of vegetable is then sliced, creating a decorative border on the slices.

Caramelize

To heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a clear caramel syrup ranging in color from golden to dark brown. Fruits and vegetables with natural sugars can be caramelized by sautéing, roasting or grilling, giving them a sweet flavor and golden glaze.

Chop

To cut food into bite-size pieces using a knife. A food processor may also be used to chop food. Chopped food is more coarsely cut than minced food.

Clarify

To remove sediment from a cloudy liquid, thereby making it clear. To clarify liquids, such as stock, egg whites and/or eggshells are commonly added and simmered for approximately 15 minutes. The egg whites attract and trap particles from the liquid. After cooling, strain the mixture through a cloth-lined sieve to remove the residue. To clarify rendered fat, add hot water and boil for about 15 minutes. The mixture should then be strained through several layers of cheesecloth and chilled. The resulting layer of fat should be completely clear of residue
Clarified butter is butter that has been heated slowly so that its milk solids separate and sink, and can be discarded. The resulting clear liquid can be used at a higher cooking temperature and will not go rancid as quickly as unclarified butter.

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