Navirin A stew of mutton or lamb, turnips being the principal garnish. Neapolitan A mousse-type dessert or ice cream moulded in layers. Noisettes Neatly trimmed, round or oval shapes of lamb, mutton or beef, not less than 1cm (½")thick.
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Panada A thick binding sauce (25g, 1oz, fat and 25g, 1oz, flour to 150ml, ¼pt, liquid) made by the roux method and used for binding croquettes and similar mixtures. Panetone Cake-like bread with raisins, served in Italy at Christmas. Parboiling Part boiling; the food is boiled for part of the normal cooking time, then finished by some other method. Parfait A light, cream-enriched ice cream dessert, often a purée of fresh fruit is added. Paring Peeling or trimming, especially vegetables. Pasteurising Sterilising milk by heating to 60 - 82°C (140 - 180°F) to destroy bacteria. Pastry wheel Small serrated wheel used for cutting pastry or biscuit mixtures, leaving a zig-zag edge. Pastry Small savoury pastry pie made without a dish on a baking sheet, eg Cornish pasty. Pâte Pastry, especially pâte sucrée, a sweet flan pastry. Pâté A minced or finely cut savoury mixture, either smooth or rough textured, often with a liver base, cooked in a terrine, casserole or wrapped in pastry. Patty A small pie or vol-au-vent, often of puff pastry. Paupiettes Slices of meat rolled with forcemeat, or rolled fillets of fish such as plaice or sole. Pectin Substance found in fruit and vegetables, necessary for setting jams and jellies. Commercial pectin prepared from apples is sold in bottles. Petits fours Very small fancy cakes, often iced, and almond biscuits, etc, served at the end of a formal meal. Petits pois Small green peas. Pimiento Red Spanish pepper-pod with a sweet, pungent flavour. Pintado Guinea fowl. Piping Forcing cream, icing or butter out of a special icing bag through a nozzle, to decorate cakes etc. Also used for potatoes, some cake mixtures and meringues. The bag may be made of cotton, plastic, nylon or greaseproof paper. Piquant Sharp of flavour, stimulating, pungent or sour. Pith The white cellular lining under the rind of citrus fruit, next to the flesh. Plat du jour Dish of the day. Plucking Removal of feathers from poultry and game. Poaching Cooking in an open pan at simmering point with sufficient seasoned liquid to cover. usually applied to eggs, fish and some meat dishes, eg quenelles. Pope's eye The name given to a small circle of fat in the centre of a leg of mutton or pork, also prime rump steak in Scotland. Potage A thick soup. Pot roasting A method of cooking meat in a saucepan with fat and a very small amount of liquid; it is particularly good for small and less tender cuts. Parline Sweetmeat of almonds coated in caramellised sugar. Praliné Flavoured with burnt almonds. Preserving Keeping food in good conditions by refrigeration, freezing, heat, chemicals, pickling or crystallising. Prosciutto Raw smoked ham of Italian origin. Pulp To reduce food to a soft consistency by crushing or cooking, also the fleshy area of fruit or vegetables.
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Quenelles A fine, light forcemeat of fish, poultry, meat or eggs, shaped in balls or ovals, poached and used to garnish soups or entrées or served as a main course.
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Ramekin Small oven-ware dish; a cheese tartlet. Raspings Fine crumbs made from stale bread; used for coating foods for frying and for au gratin dishes. The bread is first dried in a cool oven, then crushed. Ratafia Miniature macaroon; essence of bitter almonds; a liqueur. Réchauffé A term applied to re-heated leftover foods. Reducing The process of boiling a liquid (especially when making soup, sauce or syrup) in an uncovered pan, in order to evaporate surplus liquid and give a more concentrated result. Refreshing A process used by French cooks when preparing vegetables. After the vegetables have been cooked, cold water is poured over them to preserve the colour; they are then reheated before serving. Relish Sharp, spicy sauce. Rendering Extracting fat from meat trimmings etc, by cutting them up small and heating in a cool oven at 160ºC (300ºF) mark 1 until the fat has melted out, or by boiling them in an uncovered pan with very little water until the water is driven off and the fat is melted; the fat is then strained into a basin. Rennet An extract from calves' stomachs. It contains rennin and is used for curdling or coagulating milk for junket and for cheese-making. Rice paper Edible paper made from the pith of a Chinese tree, used when baking macaroon or other almond mixtures, including nougat. Roulade Meat roll, rolled meat, chocolate cake or soufflé-type mixture served in a roll. Roux A mixture of equal amounts of fat and plain flour, cooked together to form the basis for sauce and for thickening sauces and stews. Rubbing in A method of incorporating fat into flour, used in making shortcrust pastry, plain cakes and biscuits, when a short texture is required. Cut the fat into small pieces in the flour, then rub it into the flour with the fingertips. Rusks Fingers or slices of bread dried in a slow oven.
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Salmi A ragout or stew, usually of game. Sauté Food tossed in a shallow fat. The vegetables used in making soup, stews and sauces may be sautéed without browning to improve their flavour without spoiling the colour of the finished dish. Sauté potatoes are boiled, cut into slices and cooked in a little fat until they are a light golden brown. Scalding The process of pouring boiling water over food to clean it, to loosen hairs (eg from a joint of pork) or to remove the skin (eg tomatoes and peaches). The food must not be left in boiling water or it will begin to cook. The term also means the heating of milk to just below boiling point to retard souring. Scallion Spring onion without the bulb, used in salads. Scalloped Baked in a scallop shell or similar container; the food is often previously cooked and is usually combined with a creamy sauce, topped with breadcrumbs and surrounded with a border of piped potatoes. Scalloping A means of decorating the double edge of the pastry covering on a pie. Make close horizontal cuts with a knife round the edge of the pie, giving a flaked effect, then, with the back of the knife, pull the edges up vertically at regular intervals to form scallops. Traditionally these should be close together for a sweet pie and wider apart for a savoury one. Scaloppine A small escalope of veal. Scoring Making shallow, parallel cuts in the surface of food to improve its flavour or appearance or to help it cook more quickly. Searing Browning meat quickly in a little hot fat before grilling or roasting. Seasoning Salt, pepper, spices, herbs etc, added to give a palatable depth of flavour. Seasoned flour Used for dusting meat and fish before frying or stewing. Shredding Slicing a food such as cheese or raw vegetables into very fine pieces. A sharp knife or coarse grater is usually used. Sieving Rubbing or pressing food (eg cooked vegetables) through a sieve; a wooden spoon is used to force through. Sifting Shaking a dry ingredient through a sieve or flour sifter, to remove lumps and aerate dry ingredients. Simmering Keeping a liquid just below boiling point, at about 96°C (205°F). First bring the liquid to the boil, then adjust the heat so that the surface of the liquid is kept just moving or 'shivering'; bubbling indicates the temperature is too high. Skewer Metal or wooden pointed stick, used to hold the shape of meat, poultry and fish during cooking. Skimming Taking off the surface of stock, gravy, stews etc, or scum from other foods (eg jams) while they are cooking. A piece of kitchen paper or a metal spoon may be used. Smoking Curing of food by exposure to wood smoke. Sousing Pickling in brine and vinegar. Spit The rotating metal rod or skewer used for impaling meat, poultry or game for cooking over an open barbecue or under a grill. Spring-form mould Shallow baking tin with hinged sides and a loose base, held together with a clamp or pin. Steaming An economical method of cooking food in the steam from rapidly boiling water. Steeping The process of pouring hot or cold water over food and leaving it to stand, either to soften it or to extract its flavour and colour. Sterilisation The action of destroying bacteria, usually by application of heat. Stewing A long, slow method of cooking in a liquid which is kept at simmering point; particularly suitable for coarse-fibered foods. The liquid is served with the food so that none of the flavour is wasted. A good strong pan or casserole with a tightly fitting lid is best for stews; it is important that the temperature is kept below boiling point, as actual boiling causes the food either to become tough or to break up. Stirring Mixing with a circular action using a fork, spoon or spatula. Stock The liquid produced when meat, bones, poultry, fish or vegetables are simmered in water with herbs and flavourings for several hours, to extract their flavours. Straining Separating liquids from solids using a sieve, colander or muslin. Stuffing Savoury mixture used to fill poultry, meat, fish, vegetables etc. Sweating Cooking a food (usually a vegetable) very gently in melted fat until it exudes its juices. Syrup A concentrated solution of sugar and water, used in making water ices, drinks and fruit dishes.
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Tammy To strain soups, sauces etc, through a fine woolen cloth. Tepid Approximately at blood heat. Tepid water is obtained by adding 2 parts of cold water to 1 part of boiling water. Terrine China or earthenware dished used for pâtés and potted meats, also general term for food cooked in a terrine. Thickening Giving body to soups, sauces or gravies by the addition of flour, cornflour or arrowroot. Timbale Thimble-shaped mould for the preparation of savoury mixtures; foods shaped in such a mould. Truffle A rare fungus of the same family as the mushroom. Either black or white (rarely red). Truffles are used mostly for garnishing. Trussing Tying or skewering a bird into a compact shape before cooking. Tube pan Ring shaped tin for baking. Turnover Sweet or savoury pasty made by folding over a round or square of rolled-out pastry into a semi-circle or triangle and baking on a flat baking sheet. Tutti-frutti Italian name for a mixture of fruits such as candied fruits in an ice cream dessert.

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Vanilla sugar Sugar in which a vanilla pod has been left to infuse. Vol-au-vent A round or oval case made of puff pastry and filled with diced meat, poultry, game or fish in a well flavoured sauce.
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Whey part of the milk that remains liquid when the rest forms curds; used in cheese making, also a cooling drink. Whipping or whisking Beating air rapidly into a mixture either by hand, using an egg beater or whisk, or with a rotary whisk or an electric mixer. Whisk Hoops of metal in a rounded shape, used to incorporate air into a mixture.

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Zest The coloured part of orange and lemon peel, containing the oil that gives the characteristic flavour. To obtain zest, remove the rind very thinly, with no pith, by grating. If it is required for a sweet dish, it can be rubbed off with a limp of sugar. Zester A gadget used to scrape away the zest from citrus fruit.