Food terms glossary
Food terms glossary - download PDF -acrobat version
Arbequine olive
Prized Spanish small olive
Balsamic essence
Reduced aged balsamic to syrup consistency
Bavarois
Set cream custard base
Boulangere potatoes
Thinly sliced potato, onion & stock, baked till soft, traditionally served with lamb
Callebaut
Belgium chocolate, regarded as one of the best around
Caponata
Braised eggplant with onions, oregano & garlic
Carpaccio
Thinly sliced raw meat / fish
Cassoulet
Casserole slowly cooked with meat, cured products & beans
Celeriac
Root vegetable belonging to the celery family, pureed, roasted or raw
Chantilly cream
Sweetened thickened cream, flavoured with vanilla
Chorizo
Portuguese mild to hot pork smoked paprika sausage
Confit
Preserving, braising or poaching food, literally meaning cooking in it’s own liquid
Escabeche
Traditional pickling liquid – shallots, carrots & leek, white wine vinegar, saffron & parsley
Fondant
Sponge base self saucing pudding
Harissa
Roasted red pepper, chilli, garlic & paprika paste
Mousseline potato
Potatoes cooked in milk & garlic, pureed with olive oil, cream & seasoning
Panzanella
Italian salad – stale sourdough bread, tomatoes, basil, olive oil & lemon juice
Peppernata
Braised peppers with onions, basil, oregano & garlic
Persian fetta
Marinated Yarra Valley sheep’s fetta
Porcini mushrooms
Very strong earthy wild mushrooms, mostly found in France
Preserved lemon
Lemon’s stored in sea salt, herbs & bayleaf to cure over long periods of time
Ratatouille
Tomato, peppers, zucchini, onion & eggplant cooked to a sauce
Reggiano parmesan
Aged Italian parmesan from 18 – 36 months
Salsa verde
Classic green herb sauce – parsley, mint, basil, garlic, olive oil & lemon juice
Sashimi
Raw cured product ie. fish / meat etc
Trompette mushrooms
Horn shaped earthy flavoured wild mushrooms
Veloute
White sauce made with white wine, onions, bayleaf & stock
Vitello tonatto
Classic meat / fish combination – poached veal served with tuna mayonnaise
Wakame
Spicy Japanese seaweed