Food Preparation and Cooking Terms (Part 1)

Al Dente - foods, especially pasta, cooked only until soft enough to eat but not overdone. The Italian translation is "to the teeth."

Adjust Seasonings - To taste the dish before serving to determine the need for salt, herbs or other seasonings.

Blackened - A method of cooking in which meat or fish is seasoned with a spicy mixture then fried in a hot skillet until blackened on both sides.

Blanch - Blanching is a process in which food is briefly plunged into boiling water for a moment, then immediately transferred to ice water to stop the cooking process. Blanching tomatoes or peaches for about 20 seconds makes them easier to peel.

Braise - Braising involves cooking a food in a little fat to brown, usually on the stove top then covering and cooking slowly until done. This is particularly suited to less tender cuts of meat.

Broil - To cook food directly under or over a heat source, usually in the oven under the top broiler element or on the grill.

Brown - To cook food quickly at a moderately high heat to brown the surface. This can be done on the stove top or under the broiler in the oven.

Butterfly - This is when a food is cut down the center but not quite through, leaving both halves attached. The food is then spread to resemble a butterfly.