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Pasta cooked until just firm. From the Italian phrase "to the tooth"
Al dente
To soak in a flavored liquid; usually refers to meat, poultry, or fish
Marinate
To coat with crumbs or cornmeal before cooking
Bread
To cook food in an oven, surrounded with dry heat; called roasting when applied to meat or poultry
Bake
To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling
Reduce
To blend dough together with hands or in a mixer to form a pliable mass
Knead
To cook in bubbling water that has reached 212 degrees F
Boil
To cover or coat uncooked food, usually with a flour, cornmeal mixture, or bread crumbs
Dredge
To cut food into very small cubes
Dice
To cook food on a rack under or over direct heat, as on a barbecue or in a broiler
Grill
To rub foods against a serrated surface to produce shredded or fine bits
Grated
To reduce food to tiny particles using a grinder or a food processor
Grind
To loosen brown bits from a pan by adding a liquid, then heating while stirring and scraping the pan
Deglaze
To soak in a liquid just under the boiling point to extract the essence (e.g. tea)
Steep
To heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup ranging in color from golden to dark brown
Caramelize
To coat foods with glossy mixtures such as jellies or sauces
Glaze
To remove bones from poultry, meat, or fish
Debone
To beat ingredients with a cooking utensil to mix, blend, or incorporate air
Whisk
To scrape off the outer colored part of the peel of a citrus fruit for use as flavoring
Zest
To thoroughly combine 2 or more ingredients, either by hand with a whisk or spoon, or with a mixer
Blend
To cut into long, thin strips, matchstick like in shape
Julienne
To brown the surface of meat by quick-cooking over high heat in order to seal in the meat's juices
Sear
The main ingredient in baking powder; used when there is an acid in a recipe; must mix with other dry ingredients as leavening begins as soon as it comes into contact with liquid
Baking soda
To cook in liquid just below the boiling point; bubbles form but do not burst on the surface of the liquid
Simmer
To remove surface foam or fat from a liquid
Skim