METHOD 1
To cook an item briefly in boiling water or hot fat before finishing or storing it. Blanching preserves the color, lessens strong flavors, and aids in removing the peels of some fruits and vegetables.
What is to blanch?
The French term for a water bath used to cook foods gently by surrounding the cooking vessel with simmering water.
What is a Bain Marie
To plunge an item into, or run it under, cold water after blanching to prevent further cooking. Also known as shock.
What is to Refresh?
A set of stacked pots with perforations in the bottom of each pot. They fit over a larger pot filled with boiling or simmering water. Also, a perforated insert made of metal or bamboo, used in a pot to steam foods.
What is a Steamer?
To cook food by fully immersing it in liquid at the boiling point (212°F/100°C).
What is to Boil?
To heat a liquid, usually milk or cream, to just below the boiling point. May also refer to blanching fruits and vegetables.
What is to scald?
Eggs cooked briefly (about 30 seconds) in simmering water in their shells or in ramekins or special coddlers, just until set.
What are coddled eggs?
To decrease the volume o f a liquid by simmering or boiling. Used to provide a thicker consistency and/or concentrated flavors.
What is to Reduce?
The product that results when a liquid is reduced.
What is a Reduction?
To cook items in a vapor bath created by boiling water or other liquids.
What is to Steam?
To cook gently in simmering liquid at 160° to 185°F/71°to 85°C.
What is to poach?
A flavorful liquid prepared by simmering meat bones, poultry bones, seafood bones, and/or vegetables in water with aromatics until their flavor is extracted. Used as a base for soups, sauces, and other preparations.
What is a stock?
To preserve a food by salting, smoking, pickling, and/or drying.
What is to Cure?
Steeping an aromatic or other item in liquid to extract its flavor. Also, the liquid resulting from this process.
What is an Infusion?
To maintain the temperature of a liquid just below boiling. Also, to cook immersed in liquid at 185° to 200°F/85°to93°C.
What is to Simmer?
To cook an item gently in a shallow pan, barely covered with simmering liquid. The liquid is often reduced and used as the base of a sauce.
What is to Shallow Poach?
Literally, "short broth." An aromatic vegetable broth that usually includes an acidic ingredient such as wine or vinegar; most commonly used for poaching fish.
What is a Court bouillion?
A solution of salt, water, and seasonings, used to preserve or moisten foods.
What is to Brine?
Literally, "rewetting.'’ A stock made from bones that have already been used for stock. Weaker than a first quality stock, it is often reduced to make glaze.
What is a Remouillage?
A cooking method nearly identical to braising but generally involving smaller pieces of meat and hence a shorter cooking time.
What is Stewing?
To cook food gently in enough simmering liquid to completely submerge the food.
What is to Deep Poach?
A long, narrow pot with straight sides and possibly a perforated rack, used for poaching whole fish.
What is a Fish Poacher?
A cooking method that involves the application of both dry and moist heat to the main item (e.g., meats seared in fat, then simmered in a sauce for braising or stewing).
What is a Combination Method?
Shallow poaching liquid, including stock, fumet, or other liquid, that may be reduced and used as a base for the poached item's sauce.
What is a cuisson?
To allow an ingredient to sit in warm or hot liquid to extract flavor or impurities, or to soften the item.
What is to Steep?