FOOD PREPARATION TECHNIQUES

TECHNIQUE   DEFINITION

Bake To cook breads, cookies, veggies, casseroles and some meats in an oven.

Beat To thoroughly mix ingredients by stirring rapidly in a circular or over and over motion.

Blend To mix two or more ingredients together until combined.  Also known as combining ingredients.

Boil To cook food in a liquid that is 100^oC.

Bread To coat food with fine bread, cracker or other crumbs, usually by dipping it first into a liquid (e.g. eggs, milk etc.) then into the crumbs.

Broil To cook under direct heat.

Brown To bake, broil, fry, or toast a food quickly over high heat, causing the surface of the food to turn brown.

Chop Using quick, heavy blows of a knife to cut food into bite-size or smaller pieces.

Cream To beat together ingredients until soft, creamy and smooth.

Cube To cut food into small square pieces. (about 1/2 inch or 1.3 cm)

Dice To cut food into small cubes. (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch or 3 to 6 cm)

Fold To combine two mixtures by gently cutting down through the mixture, across the bottom, and bringing the utensil back up to the surface along with some of the mixture from the bottom (i.e. down-across-up-and-over motion).  The utensil should not be lifted out of the mixture until the ingredients are well blended.

Grate To reduce a large piece of food to small particles or thin shreds by rubbing it on a grater (i.e. a coarse, serrated surface).

Grease To rub the surface of a pan with grease or shortening usually using a paper towel.

Marinate To soak food in an acid-oil seasoned liquid mixture.  Foods should be covered and refrigerated while marinating.

Mince To cut food into very small pieces (i.e. smaller than chopped)

Mix To combine two or more ingredients by beating or stirring.

Pare To cut off a very thin layer of peel (e.g. a potatoe or apple).

Purée To grind or mash food until it is completely smooth and semi-liquid.

Reduce To cook a liquid until some of the moisture evaporates and the liquid becomes more concentrated.

Roast To cook meat, poultry or veggies in a shallow uncovered pan.

Scald To heat a liquid, such as milk, to just below the boiling point.

Sift To pass dry ingredients though a fine sieve, to remove any large pieces or incorporate air to make the ingredients lighter.

Simmer To cook food in a liquid at a temperature just below boiling.  Bubbles rise slowly but do not break the surface.

Slice To cut a food into large, thin pieces.

Steam To cook food over, but not in boiling water.

Stir To mix ingredients gently in a circular motion.

Whip To beat ingredients rapidly to incorporate air and to increase their volume until they are light and fluffy.