Food and Cooking
Glossary
B
Baked Alaska
A dessert made of a layer of sponge cake topped with ice cream,
all of which is then coated in a layer of meringue. Bake the
Alaska quickly (for about five minutes) in a very hot oven until
the outside is golden-brown. The meringue insulates the ice
cream and stops it from melting.
Baking Powder
A raising agent used in cakes, biscuits and breads. Commercial
baking powder contains bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid
(with a dried starch or flour to absorb any moisture during
storage). When these chemicals become moist and warm they react
and give off carbon dioxide, which causes food to rise.
Baklava
This sweet, nutty pastry is a feature of Greek, Cypriot and
Turkish cuisine. It is made from sheets of filo pastry, brushed
with butter and layered one on top of the other in a baking
dish and filled with sugar, honey and ground nuts (almonds,
pistachios or walnuts usually). A sweet rosewater-honey syrup
is poured over the pastry after it is baked and left to soak
into the layers before the baklava is served.
Balsamic Vinegar
A dark-brown syrupy vinegar with a smooth sweet-sour flavour,
produced in the Modena region of Italy. It's made from reduced
grape juice that's aged in wooden casks. The best quality balsamic
vinegar can be more than 100 years old but is more commonly
sold at three to four years of age.
Basil
A versatile and widely used aromatic herb. There are numerous
species of basil; some have scents reminiscent of pineapple,
lemon, cinnamon or cloves; others have beautiful purple leaves.
The plant grows well in warm climates and is widely used throughout
southern Europe, particularly the Mediterranean, and in many
parts of Asia.
Basmati Rice
Basmati is a long-grain rice from India, considered to be one
of the best-quality white rices. It has a distinctive aroma
and, when cooked, each grain should remain separate, giving
a light, fluffy result. Basmati should be rinsed thoroughly
in a few changes of water before cooking, in order to remove
the starch. It's the perfect accompaniment to Indian curries
or used in biryani and pilaf dishes.
Basting
The process of spooning stock or fat over meat at intervals
to prevent it from drying out during roasting. You can buy a
bulb baster - a kind of large pipette - for the job. They're
made of glass or plastic; although delicate, the glass one tends
to be better because the plastic ones can melt if the liquid
is very hot.
Baton
In culinary terms, a baton means something - usually a vegetable,
such as a carrot, courgette or piece of celery - cut into a
long, thin rectangle shape. Vegetables cut into this shape are
often steamed or sautéed, or served raw, as in a classic
French crudité selection. If you're making a crudité
selection, the recipe below would make a good dip.
Bay Leaves
The aromatic leaf from the bay laurel tree, it is an essential
component of the classic bouqet garni: parsley, thyme and a
bay leaf. It's one of the few herbs that doesn't lose its flavour
when dried. Although fresh leaves are becoming more widely available,
they're usually sold dried.
Beans
Beans can be divided into two main groups: those with edible
pods (green beans) and those with edible seeds. The former group
includes French beans, runner beans and yellow 'wax' beans;
the latter includes the likes of cannellini or borlotti beans
and a myriad of similar varieties. Dried beans need to be soaked,
preferably overnight, before using.
Bird's-eye Chillies
These small, tapered red or green chillies are extremely pungent
and very, very hot. Although they're sometimes called Thai chillies,
they're Mexican in origin. They're often used in Chinese and
South-east Asian cooking. See also chilli.
Biscotti
These hard Italian biscuits are traditionally made with hazelnut
and aniseed but are now flavoured with a wide variety of nuts,
lemon or orange rind. They're hard and crunchy because they're
twice-cooked ('bis' is Italian for twice and 'cotti' for cooked)
making them ideal for dipping in dessert wine or coffee. Recipes
for biscotti date back as far as the 13th century in Italy.
Bisque
A rich, creamy soup, usually made with lobster or crayfish,
wine, brandy, spices and cream.
Black Bream
The black bream is a dark grey sea fish with tough scales that
need to be removed before cooking. It isn't a hugely popular
fish so is relatively inexpensive, but it has sweet firm flesh
and is delicious eaten whole after being stuffed and baked,
or as fillets.
Black Butter
This is a classic accompaniment to fish, particularly skate
and plaice. It is made by browning butter in a pan and adding
lemon juice and parsley.
Black Pepper
Black pepper comes from a climbing vine, the fruits of which
- small round berries - ripen from green to red and finally
to brown. Black peppercorns are actually berries that are picked
when they're just turning red. They're then dried whole before
being sold. Peppercorns can be green, white or black, depending
on when they're harvested. Pink 'peppercorns', however, aren't
true pepper.
Blanch
The process of plunging food, frequently vegetables, into and
out of boiling water for just a few seconds or minutes. Blanching
preserves the colour and texture of food, and can be used to
get rid of strong flavours (such as older garlic cloves). Blanching
can also be used to par-cook food. For example, potatoes can
be blanched before roasting or sautéing. The process
can also help to loosen the skins of nuts, tomatoes or other
fruits before skinning them.
Blanquette
A stew of white meat (veal, lamb or poultry) cooked in white
stock or water with aromatic flavourings. The cooking liquor
is thickened to make a sauce after the meat is cooked and finished
with egg yolks and cream. Blanquettes are also made with fish
and vegetables.
Blind Baking
A method of preparing a pastry case before adding the filling,
in order to prevent the bottom becoming soggy and undercooked.
The pastry is first baked with a lining weighted with beans.
You can use dried beans (haricot beans are good) or you can
buy ceramic or glass baking beans from good cook shops specifically
made for the purpose. Crumpled up tin foil also does the job
if you haven't got any beans in your cupboard.
Bluefin Tuna
Regarded as the highest grade tuna, bluefin tuna is used in
top-class restaurants for sashimi and sushi. However, the southern
blue-fin tuna is endangered, so be very choosy about what exactly
you're buying.
Bok Choi
Closely related to the pak choi, this leafy green Chinese vegetable
belongs to the cabbage family (although it tastes nothing like
cabbage!). It has fleshy, white, slightly ribbed leaf stalks
and soft, oval green leaves. The leaves and stems are best suited
to brief stir-frying or steaming so they retain their mild flavour.
Occasionally you may be able to find baby bok choi, which can
be cooked whole.
Bolognese Sauce
Bolognese, often known simply as ragù, is the all-purpose
thick Italian sauce made from minced beef and tomatoes. It can
form the basis of lasagne or be served with spaghetti. Slow
cooking is the key, until the sauce has reduced to a thick,
mahogany richness.
Bonito
Large fish from the same family as tuna and mackerel. Bonito
is an oily fish and is prepared in the same way as tuna. It's
labelled as skipjack tuna when tinned.
Bouquet Garni
A small bunch of herbs, classically a bay leaf, a few parsley
sprigs and a few sprigs of thyme, wrapped in a leek leaf or
bunched with a piece of celery and tied with string. It's ideal
for flavouring soups, stews and stocks during cooking and is
removed before serving.
Brisket
A cut of beef taken from just below the shoulder along the length
of the chest/breast. It's a fairly firm cut, so it's inexpensive,
and benefits from long, slow cooking. Sold on the bone, or boned
and rolled, it's often cooked in one piece. Delicious pot-roasted,
poached or braised and used in casseroles or stews.
Bruschetta
Italian bread (usually ciabatta), that's sliced and grilled
or toasted, then rubbed with a clove of garlic and drizzled
with extra virgin olive oil, before being finished off with
a variety of toppings (ripe plum tomatoes and fresh basil is
a classic combination). Bruschetta can be served with drinks
before a meal, or as a light starter.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is traditionally a by-product of butter-making -
the liquid that's left over after butter is churned from cream.
It is now made commercially by adding a bacterial culture to
skimmed milk. It has a slightly sour, acidic taste and is used
for making scones and soda breads. It can also be used to replace
milk for a healthier milkshake.
