Food and Cooking
Glossary
M
Macadamia
A relatively expensive nut that 's native to Australia but is
now grown commercially in Hawaii and California, particularly
for the American market where they're widely used in cookies,
ice cream and cakes.
The shell is incredibly hard to crack, but inside is a creamy,
almost buttery, white nut with a flavour that tastes somewhere
between hazelnut and coconut. In Asia macadamia nuts are used
in curries and stews.
Macaroon
A small light biscuit, crunchy outside and soft inside, made
with ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. Macaroons are sometimes
flavoured with additional ingredients such as coffee, chocolate,
nuts or fruit. They're particularly good made with freshly ground
blanched almonds. Ratafia biscuits are tiny macaroons with almond
essence added.
Mace
This is the lacy outer layer (or 'aril') that covers the nutmeg,
a nut-like seed of the nutmeg tree. Mace is sold either in blades
or ground. It adds a mild nutmeg flavour to soups and sauces
as well as sausages, pâtés and fish dishes.
Macerate
Similar to marinating, this means to soak raw, dried or preserved
fruit or vegetables in liquid (usually alcohol, liqueur, wine,
brandy or sugar syrup) to soften or take away bitterness, and
to allow the ingredients to absorb the flavours of the liquid.
Mackerel
A firm-fleshed, oil-rich fish with a torpedo-like shape and
beautiful silvery-blue skin. It's delicious and nutritious -
packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
Fresh mackerel is usually sold whole with or without the head
on. It can be grilled, fried, barbecued or poached and is perfect
for stuffing and oven-baking. It also suits being pickled, marinated,
salted and smoked.
Madeira
Madeira is a fortified wine that comes from the island of the
same name. Different grape varieties are used to make the four
types (Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey), which range from
dry to sweet. It can be served chilled and drunk as an aperitif,
but is also used extensively in cooking in the same way as you
would dry sherry.
Madeleines
Buttery French sponge cakes traditionally baked in scallop-shaped
Madeleine moulds. They're made with sugar, flour, melted butter
and eggs, often flavoured with lemon or almonds. The English
version is often baked in dariole moulds and topped with jam,
desiccated coconut or icing sugar.
Manchego
One of Spain's best-known cheeses, made from ewes' milk. It
originated in La Mancha but is now made all over the UK. It's
sold fresh or slightly aged in olive oil, and has a deep yellow
rind and creamy white interior. It's firm to the touch with
a buttery nutty taste that's slightly sour. It's a good grating
cheese that melts well.
Mangosteen
A tropical fruit from South-east Asia, the mangosteen is the
size of a small peach with a leathery skin which, when peeled
away, reveals five sweetly scented white segments which have
a very delicate taste and melt in the mouth. Eat as it is or
add a few to a tropical fruit salad.
Maple Syrup
The boiled-down sap of the maple tree, this syrup is very popular
in the US and Canada. It's expensive because of the low yield
from the sap (40 gallons of sap are needed for one gallon of
syrup!) but the cheaper imitations labelled 'maple-flavoured
syrup' made from a mixture of maple syrup and cane syrup just
don't compare with the real thing.
Marengo
A chicken or veal dish made with cognac or white wine, tomatoes,
eggs, crayfish, garlic, olive oil and bread. Chicken Marengo
is said to have been created by Napoleon's chef Dunand, who
was ordered to create a meal for Napoleon while he was on the
battlefield in the Italian town of Marengo in 1800. Napoleon
apparently enjoyed it so much that he asked for it to be served
after every battle.
Margarine
Margarine was invented in the 1860s by a French chemist as a
cheap replacement for butter. Nowadays it's bought as a product
in its own right, frequently in the belief that it's a healthier
option than butter. All margarine contains as much fat as butter,
but some are lower in cholesterol and saturated fats.
However, the health benefits of many of these types of spreads
has been called into question in recent years because most of
them are made with hydrogenated (chemically hardened) vegetable
oils and this process is believed to convert the polyunsaturated
fat into trans-fats which have a negative effect on cholesterol
and are now thought to be linked with heart disease even more
than saturated fat.
Marinate
To steep fish, meat or vegetables in a highly seasoned and flavoured
liquid (the marinade) usually containing oil, wine or lemon
juice, herbs and spices, in order to tenderise and add flavour.
Marinière (à la)
A method of preparing shellfish or other seafood, especially
mussels, by cooking them in white wine, usually with onions
or shallots.
Marlin
This is the big catch for big-game sport fishermen and catching
it's a huge challenge! Found in the waters off Hawaii, Florida,
Venezuela and Australia, marlin is available in other parts
of the world sold as steaks. These are best cooked under the
grill, on a barbecue or as kebabs. The firm flesh can be used
interchangeably for tuna in most recipes.
Mascarpone
A thick, creamy, soft Italian cheese with a high fat content
(40 per cent). It can be used in savoury and sweet dishes. It's
good for stirring through savoury sauces to thicken and add
a distinct rich flavour.
Mayonnaise
A thick, creamy, cold sauce or dressing made by beating oil
and egg yolks, usually with some wine vinegar, salt, pepper
and mustard. Used to dress salads or combined with seafood,
poultry, eggs or vegetables to make cold starters or main dishes.
Megrim
This is a flatfish from the brill and turbot family. It can
be cooked like sole or plaice, but doesn't match them for flavour
or texture. It's inexpensive, but giving it flavour is up to
you. Good for using in fishcakes and stock rather than taking
centre stage.
Meringue
Meringue refers to a mixture of whipped egg whites and sugar
and the light sweet confections made from this mixture when
it's oven-baked. Recipes might call for a specific type of meringue.
Mesclun
This is the name given to a mixture of salad greens. The term
comes from the Provençal word for 'mixture' and refers
to a mix of young field greens such as wild and cultivated chicory,
lamb's lettuce and dandelion leaves, but may also include rocket,
chervil, purslane and oak leaf lettuce. The idea is to create
a good balance of strong- and mild-flavoured greens.
Meunière (à la)
A method of cooking fish. This method is traditionally used
to prepare whole trout and fillets of sole. The fish is coated
in seasoned flour, fried in butter and served with some more
melted butter with the addition of a squeeze of lemon juice
and a few freshly chopped herbs.
Millefeuille
Literally 'thousand leaves' this is a light and airy pastry
dessert made of thin layers of puff pastry, whipped cream and
jam or some other filling such as fresh fruit. Millefeuilles
are usually small rectangular pastries but can also be made
as large gateaux.
Mincemeat
A spicy preserve comprising a mixture of dried fruit, apple,
suet and candied fruit and spices steeped in rum or brandy.
It's the traditional filling for individual mince pies, served
warm at Christmas, but can also be used to fill tarts, pastries
or even pasta.
Minestrone
A thick Italian soup containing a mixture of vegetables, beans
and pasta or rice. The name derives from the Italian word 'minestra'
meaning thick soup. Made in the Italian way there should be
just enough stock to float the mixture of vegetables and pasta.
Mirepoix
A mixture of diced vegetables - usually onion, leek, carrot
and celery - and sometimes bacon and herbs. It's sautéed
in butter and is the basis of many sauces, soups and stews.
It's often used as a foundation for braising meat, poultry or
fish as well.
Mirin
Mirin is a sweetened sake or rice wine with a light syrupy texture,
used in Japanese cooking. It gives a mild sweetness to sauces
and dishes and is particularly good with grilled food because
the alcohol burns off, leaving just the sweet taste. Sherry
could be used as an alternative, but mirin is becoming more
widely available.
Miso
A fermented paste made from soya beans and rice, barley or rye,
used in Japanese cookery for making miso soup, as a dressing,
as an ingredient in pouring sauces, to flavour pickles and on
grilled food.
Molasses
A thick, dark, heavy syrup that is a by-product of sugar refining.
It's far less sweet than syrup or honey and the darker the molasses,
the less sugar it contains. Molasses has a slightly bitter flavour
that's favoured in traditional North American recipes such as
Boston baked beans and it also goes into the making of rich
fruit cakes, gingerbread and treacle toffee.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
An additive made from sodium salt crystals and used to enhance
the flavour of food, especially in oriental cuisine. MSG is
much used by commercial manufacturers of foods, particularly
in soups and sauces.
Mooli
A long white Japanese vegetable of the radish family, also known
as daikon. It's crunchy, with a mild peppery flavour, similar
to watercress. Unlike other radishes it's as good cooked as
it is raw. In Chinese and Japanese cookery it's used for vegetable
carving as well as cooking. Mooli is sometimes available in
larger supermarkets, but you're more likely to find it in Asian
or Caribbean food shops.
Morel
Morels are wild mushrooms found all over the British Isles.
With a creamy white stem and conical cap they grow in dry, sandy
areas so it's important to wash them well to get rid of any
grit. They're often used dried (but never raw) and are excellent
in all mushroom dishes and as additions to stews and casseroles.
They're particularly good with chicken and are considered among
the best mushrooms, along with ceps and chanterelles.
Mornay Sauce
A béchamel sauce enriched with egg yolks and flavoured
with grated gruyère cheese. It's used to coat dishes
to be glazed under the grill or browned in the oven, including
poached eggs, fish, shellfish and vegetables.
Mortadella
A large, cooked Italian salami originating from Bologna. It's
made with finely minced pork, garlic, salt and pepper stuffed
into a natural casing and is sometimes studded with pistachios
or green olives.
Moules Marinière
Mussels prepared à la marinière - that is, by
cooking in white wine with chopped shallots, parsley, thyme
and a bay leaf.
Moussaka
A classic aubergine casserole associated with Greece. It's made
using minced lamb, slices of aubergine, potatoes and onions,
covered with a creamy white sauce and oven-baked until golden.
There are many variations, including vegetarian moussaka.
Mousse
A mousse is a light fluffy mixture, either sweet or savoury;
it can be served hot or cold. There are no hard and fast rules,
but sweet mousses are often flavoured with chocolate or fruit
purée and many contain whipped cream.
Mozzarella
An Italian fresh or unripened cheese traditionally made from
water buffalo's milk (Mozzarella di Bufala) around the Naples
area.
Mulligatawny
A classic Anglo-Indian dish. Mulligatawny is a spicy soup based
on chicken or mutton/lamb stock. According to Madhur Jaffrey,
the original mulligatawny soup can be traced back to the early
days of the East India Company in Madras, and was more like
a curry. The word is based on the Tamil name for 'pepper water',
'milligu-thannir', also called 'rasam'.
Mustard
A condiment made from the seeds of the mustard plant, of which
there are three varieties: black mustard (spicy and piquant),
brown mustard (less piquant), and white or yellow mustard (much
less piquant but more pungent).
