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A

Arrabbiata

Literally "angry" in Italian; in this case referring to a spicy tomato sauce.

Arugula (Rocket)

An assertive salad green with peppery, somewhat bitter overtones.

B

Béarnaise

A classic reduction of wine, vinegar, tarragon and shallots, finished with egg yolks and butter.

Béchamel

A basic white sauce of milk, butter and flour, invented in France during the reign of Louis XIV.

Bordelaise sauce

A blend of wine, brown stock, marrow, shallots and herbs.

Bouillabaisse

A Provençal stew of fish, shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, garlic, saffron and herbs.

Brioche

A soft, yeasty French bread enriched with butter and eggs.

C

Cannelloni

Large, stuffed pasta tubes baked in sauce.

Carpaccio

Wafer-thin slices of raw beef served cold; named after the Renaissance Venetian painter.

Cavatelli

Small pasta shells with wavy edges.

Celeriac

More commonly known here as celery root.

Ceviche

Raw fish and/or shellfish in a citrus marinade.

Champ

An Irish favorite of mashed potatoes, green onions and butter.

Champignon

"Mushroom," as they say it in France.

Chanterelle

A wild and nutty mushroom with a trumpet-shaped head.

Chantilly

Prepared or served with whipped cream.

Charcuterie

The French term for delicatessen-style items.

Compote

Slow-cooked fruit in syrup.

Comte

The French equivalent to Gruyère.

Concassé

A coarsely chopped or ground mix.

Confit

Meat (usually goose, duck or pork) that is slowly cooked in its own fat and preserved with the fat packed around it as a seal.

Consommé

Meat or fish stock that has been clarified.

Coulis

A thick puree or sauce.

Couscous

Granular semolina popular in North Africa.

Crème anglaise

Rich custard sauce, often used as a topping or plating accompaniment to fruits and pastries.

Crème fraîche

Cream that is allowed to set and thicken to a velvety rich texture.

Cremini

Young portobello mushrooms.

Crostini

The Italian word for "little toasts" (referring to bread, not grappa).

D

E

Emulsion

The mixture of two liquids that cannot normally combine smoothly (e.g., oil and water). Mayonnaise and hollandaise are two familiar emulsions.

En croute

A food that is wrapped in pastry and baked.

F

Flambe

French for flamed or flaming, this dramatic food presentation involves sprinkling foods with alcohol and setting them aflame just before serving.

Florentine

A cookie of nougatine and candied fruit brushed with a layer of chocolate.

Foie gras

Expensive, silk-textured goose or duck liver that has been enlarged by a specialised process

Formaggio

Italian for cheese.

Frittata

An Italian omelette with a variety of fillings that are mixed with the eggs rather than being folded inside. Like a Spanish omelette, a frittata is cut into wedges and can be eaten either hot or cold.

Fumé

French for "smoked."

G

Galette

A round, flat cake or tart.

Ganache

A rich mixture of chocolate and crème fraïche frequently used as a filling for cakes.

Gâteau

French cake.

Gaufrette

Thin, fan-shaped, waffled wafers.

Gazpacho

A Spanish soup served chilled, originally a puree of cucumber, tomato, onion, bell pepper, celery, vinegar, breadcrumbs, olive oil and garlic.

Gratin

Any dish covered with cheese or buttered breadcrumbs and baked or broiled.

Gravlax

Cured raw salmon.

Gremolata

Minced parsley, lemon peel and garlic.

H

Hoisin sauce

A mahogany-colored, sweet and tangy blend of soy, garlic, chile and spices; used in Chinese meat, poultry and shellfish dishes.

Hollandaise

An emulsion of egg yolks, lemon juice and hot melted butter, the smooth, rich sauce is often an accompaniment to vegetable, fish and egg dishes.

Hominy

Dried corn kernels from which the hull and germ have been removed.

Hummus

Mashed chickpeas flavored with lemon juice, garlic and oil.

I

J

Jambon

French for ham.

Jus

French for juice, jus also refers to the unthickened juices from a piece of roasted meat.

K

Kaffir lime

A type of tree bearing dark green leaves used in cooking, and small, bright green, wrinkled-looking citrus fruit.

Kalamata

Greek black olive, harvested fully ripe, deep purple, almond-shaped, brine-cured, rich and fruity flavor.

Kasseri cheese

Sharp, salty and hard, except when flamed in brandy (as in Saganaki).

Kugel

A baked pudding made with potatoes or noodles and sometimes meat and vegetables, usually served on the Jewish Sabbath.

L

Langostino

Spanish for "prawn."

M

Mascarpone

Ultra-rich, soft cheese known best for its role in tiramisu.

Moussaka

A sort of Greek "lasagna" layering minced meat (often lamb or beef) and eggplant slices, sometimes with tomatoes, béchamel sauce and cheese.

N

Naan

Tandoor-baked, unleavened, Indian bread.

Niçoise

Dishes typical of cuisine from the Nice, France, region, where garlic, black olives, anchovies and tomatoes are nearly always part of the mix.

Noisette

a) French for hazelnut; b) small, very tender round steak, usually of lamb beef or veal, cut from the rib or loin; c) as in beurre noisette: butter heated until it turns nut brown; used as a finishing touch for many dishes, especially fish

Nori

An edible, dark green seaweed frequently used in Japanese cooking for wrapping sushi.

Nougat

A sometimes chewy and sometimes hard sweet substance made from sugar, almonds or other nuts and honey.

O

Offal

The British term for edible internal organs and extremities of animals.

P

Paella

A saffron-flavored rice dish with meats, vegetables and shellfish; named for the large shallow pan in which it is traditionally cooked.

Pancetta

Cured Italian bacon.

Panna cotta

Italian egg custard.

Pesto

An Italian sauce traditionally made with basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and Romano and Parmesan cheeses.

Pilaf

A seasoned rice or other grain dish in which the rice is sautéed before the liquid and other ingredients are added.

Polenta

A slow-cooked cornmeal porridge popular in northern Italy; can be served soupy or firm, sometimes fried.

Polpette

Italian meat balls.

Porcini

Smoky, meaty wild mushrooms.

Praline

A sweet made of almonds and sugar invented for the French Comte du Plessis-Praslin by his cook in the 1600s.

Puttanesca

Spicy, bold tomato sauce (hence the name, deriving from the Italian word for whore) made distinct with anchovies, capers and black olives.

Q

Quesadilla

A flour tortilla filled, folded and then either toasted or fried. The filling usually consists of cheese, salsa, meat and refried beans.

Quiche

A savory, open-faced pie made from cheese and eggs.

R

Ratatouille

A Provençal dish of eggplant, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and herbs in olive oil.

Rémoulade

A cold mayonnaise sauce flavored with mustard, gherkins, capers, anchovies and herbs.

Risotto

Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.

Roesti

Pan-fried potatoes.

Romesco

Catalonian sauce of finely ground tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, almonds and olive oil.

Roti

Unleavened, griddle-cooked Indian bread.

Rouille

The French word for "rust" describes the color of this spicy sauce made of hot chiles, garlic, breadcrumbs and olive oil and generally diluted with fish stock.

Roulade

A French term for a thin roll of meat or cake around savory or sweet fillings.

Roux

A slow-cooked mix of flour and fat, used to thicken soups and sauces.

S

Sambal

A condiment made of chiles, brown sugar, salt and other ingredients.

Schnitzel

Egg- and breadcrumb-battered, fried meat cutlet.

Semolina

Very coarse flour used to make pizza and bread. Also refers to rounded parts of wheat used to make a pudding of the same name.

Shank

The front leg of beef, pork, veal or lamb. Often a very tough cut of mean, the shank requires slow-cooking methods like braising.

T

Tagliatelle

What they call fettuccine born in northern Italy.

Tamarind

A bittersweet spice made by drying and pressing the pulp from the fruit of the tamarind tree native to Asia and northern Africa.

Tapas

Spanish for Appetizers

Tapenade

Thick paste - made from olives, anchovies, capers, lemon juice, olive oil and seasonings - that can be a condiment or a spread.

Tartare

Ground or finely chopped, seasoned raw meat (traditionally beef). May or may not come mounded, and with a raw egg.

Tartufo

Italian for truffle.

Tempura

Batter-dipped, deep-fried fish, poultry or vegetables.

Terrine

An earthenware container, or the dish cooked therein.

Tzaziki

Greek yogurt sauce.

U

V

Vermicelli

Thin-stranded yellow (Italian) or clear (Asian) pasta.

W

Wonton

A small dumplings made by filling thin sheets of dough with a mixture finely chopped meat, seafood or vegetables.

X

Y

Z