| Term | Definition
|
|---|
| Cool Whip | A prepared pre-sweetened imitation whipped cream topping found in the freezer section of American grocery stores.
A sweetened whipped cream could be substituted if whipped fairly stiff.
|
| coral lettuce | A type of lettuce with leaves resembling coral. Any lettuce with curly or spiky leaves is usually a suitable alternative.
|
| core | To remove the coarse and often fibrousor seed filled center of vegetables and fruits such as squash and tomatoes or apples, pineapples and pears. Coring fruits and vegetables allows for sweet or savory fillings to be pressed in and then baked inside.
|
| coriander | A spice made from the seeds of the coriander
plant, whose leaves are the familiar cilantro
of Asian and Mexican cooking.
|
| cornichon | A pickle made from small gherkin cucumbers. A
common accompaniment to pates and smoked meats.
|
| courgette | The French word for zucchini.
|
| court-bouillon | A poaching broth made of vegetables and herbs
boiled for 30 minutes then allowed to cool before
straining. Wine, lemon juice, or vinegar can
be added as well.
|
| couscous | A beady grain of semolina used in North African
cuisines. Typically boiled like rice, with
spices and vegetables or fruits.
|
| Crazy Salt | See Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt
|
| cream | The milk-fat portion of separated milk. Cream is
categorized by the amount of milk fat. Light cream
contains about 18-30% fat, light whipping cream 30-36%,
heavy whipping cream 36-40%. Half and half is
a blend of light cream and milk, with about 12%
fat.
|
| cream (to) | As a verb,to blend together, as sugar and butter (or shortening), until mixture takes on a smooth creamy texture
|
| cream of tartar | A powdery acid that comes from deposits inside
wine barrels. It is added to candy and frostings for a creamier consistency and to egg whites before beating to improve stability and volume.
|
| creme brulee | A custard dish that is topped with sugar that
is carmelized under a broiler or with a torch.
|
| creme fraiche | Cream that has fermented into a thick, tangy
sauce. It doesn't curdle when boiled, so it can
be added to soups or sauces. Often used as a
fruit or dessert topping.
|
| Crockpot | An electric cooking pot with a crockery liner in which foods are cooked on lower temperatures for a longer time period.
The advantages are being able to cook a recipe overnight or while you are at work without having to watch or worry about it.
The flavors have a chance to blend nicely and cheaper cuts of meat usually come out very tender. Also referred to as a "slow cooker".
|
| crown roast | A preparation of meat, where a rib section is
tied in a circle with the rib ends up. Often,
the center is filled with vegetables or stuffing.
Once baked, the rib ends are decorated with
paper frills, and the dish is presented on a
large platter before carving.
|
| cube of butter | 1/2 c. of butter
|
| cumin | A very aromatic seed, sold in seed and ground
form. Used Asian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern
cooking.
|
| curdle | The separating of milk into curd and whey (the
solid and liquid. Acids, such as vinegar or
lemon juice, can curdle milk, as can boiling.
|
| cure | The process of treating food to preserve it.
Curing methods include smoking and salting.
Salting can be done by dry packing or by soaking
in brine.
|
| curry | A gravy-based Indian dish. The gravy is made
from curry powder, the rest of the dish can be
most any type of meat and starch.
|
| curry powder | A powdered blend of many spices and herbs. True
curry powder is made fresh for each use. It can
be sweet, spicy, or savory, depending on the
mix of herbs and spices used by the cook.
|
| cut across the grain | see cutting on the bias (cooking term)
|
| Cutting on the Bias | Cutting on the bias is a sewing term in which you cut on the diagonal to the weave of the fabric.
To find the true diagonal, unravel an edge of the fabric until you get to one straight thread, then fold that edge over
to a 90 degree angle to itself. Cutting on the bias is used for trims and such because it has more stretch to it and gan go around curves easier with less bunching.
(I don't know why this was requested of the Online Cookbook but we try to please.--Editor)
|
| cutting on the bias | Cutting at an angle across the grain of meat, generally providing more tenderness to inexpesive cuts such as flank or round steak, used for stir fry to reduce shrinkage prior to cooking. Retains moisture in cooked meats.
|
| daikon | A sweet Asian radish. May be eaten raw or
cooked.
|
| damper | Australian bushman's bread made from flour salt and water.
|
| dandelion greens | A slightly bitter green that can be used in
salads, or cooked like spinach. The roots are
also eaten or ground for a beverage called
"root coffee."
|
| Darjeeling tea | A black tea from the Darjeeling province of
India.
|
| dash | A small measure of an ingredient, generally
considered to be about 1/16 teaspoon, though
it isn't measured. The cook instead adds a
single splash of liquid or a pinch of dry
ingredient.
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