Kitchen Assist

6 published terms. A glossary of cooking words and techniques to help you in the kitchen.

Al-Dente: The general idea is to cook your pasta for slightly less than the recommended cooking time. For example, if you’re cooking dried pasta (pasta secca) then a good rule of thumb is to cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions, before fishing out a piece of pasta and tasting. If the pasta is firm but not chalky, then it’s ready to be drained. Some packets of dried pasta will specify an ‘al dente’ cooking time – which can usually be trusted to deliver good results – but it’s still worth testing the pasta while it cooks.
Braising: This is a moist-heat technique for cooking meats and vegetables. The low and slow temperatures help tenderise tough cuts of meat as well as root vegetables, greens, and legumes and are the starting point for making soups and stews.
Deglaze: Deglazing a pan is a technique used after sautéing, searing, or browning food in a pan. Liquid is added, such as stock or wine, to loosen and dissolve the food particles that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. The flavorful mixture produced by deglazing can be used to make a simple pan sauce.
Ravigôte: Ravigôte (or ravigotte) is a classic French culinary term meaning "to revive" or "to refresh". In cooking, it refers to a highly seasoned, pungent sauce or herb blend designed to stimulate the appetite and invigorate the palate.
Reduction: In cooking, reduction is the process of thickening and intensifying the flavor of a liquid mixture, such as a soup, sauce, wine or juice, by simmering or boiling.
Saute: Saute is a form of dry-heat cooking that uses a hot pan and a small amount of fat to cook foods like vegetables, meats, and seafood very quickly. Like other dry-heat cooking methods, sauteing browns the food's surface as it cooks and develops complex flavours and aromas.