This glossary contains definitions for common cooking and food preparation techniques that are used in Keep the Beat Recipes.
Cutting |
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ChopTo cut food with a knife or food processor into fine, medium, or coarse, irregular pieces. |
CubeTo cut food into uniform pieces, usually ½ inch on all sides. |
DiceTo cut food into smaller uniform pieces, usually ⅛ to ¼ inch on all sides. |
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MinceTo chop food into tiny, irregular pieces. |
SliceTo cut food into flat, usually thin slices from larger pieces. |
JulienneTo cut food into thin slices about ⅛ inch thick and about 2 inches long. |
Cooking | |
Sauté, Pan Fry, or Stir FryTo cook food quickly (for just a few minutes), in a small amount of fat (oil, butter, etc.), in a sauté pan or wok over direct heat. Foods that are commonly sautéed include meats, poultry, and vegetables. BoilTo heat a liquid until bubbles break the surface (212 °F at sea level, lower at altitude). Boiling is a common way to cook foods such as pasta, sauces, and vegetables. SimmerTo cook food gently in liquid at a temperature that is just below the boiling point so that tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface. Foods are typically brought to boil over high heat, and then the heat is reduced to simmer with a lid on the pan/pot to finish the cooking. Foods that are commonly simmered are sauces, rice and some other grains, and dried beans. BrownTo cook for a short period of time over high heat at the beginning or end of cooking, often to enhance flavor and texture, and create a nice cooked look. Browning is usually done on the stovetop, but also may be achieved in a broiler. Foods that are typically browned include meats, casseroles, and anything that needs quick melting and crisping on top. BakeTo cook food in an oven, thereby surrounding it with dry heat. To ensure an accurate cooking temperature, it can be helpful to use an oven thermometer. Many ovens bake either hotter or cooler than their gauges read. Foods that are commonly baked include seafood, meats, casseroles, vegetables, and baked goods (breads, cakes, pies, etc.). BroilTo cook food directly under or above a very hot heat source (~500 °F). Food can be broiled in an oven, directly under the gas or electric heat source, or on a barbecue grill (known as "char-broiling") directly over charcoal or gas heat. Foods that are typically broiled include meats, poultry, and seafood. GrillTo cook directly over a heat source on metal racks or rods or on a special grill pan. Meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and even some fruits grill beautifully. |
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