cook's glossary

Also known as Feuille de Chene. Available in both red and green leaf. Green oak leaf lettuce, also known as leaf lettuce, has soft, frilled leaves, a large heart and mild flavour.

Known as sea trout in other countries; medium-sized fish with firm, moist, orange-pink flesh with sweet flavour. Suits all cooking methods except deep-frying; can be used interchangeably with salmon.

Belongs to marine family of cephalopods; small octopus should be cooked very briefly over high heat or they will toughen. Well suited to stir-frying, pan-frying and braising. Large octopus are tough and require tenderising, which is traditionally done by beating them against rocks; in modern times, cement mixers are used. Once tenderised, fast cooking methods may be used; slow-cooking is also suited to large octopus.

COOKING-OIL SPRAY vegetable oil in aerosol can
GARLIC mixture of vegetable oil and garlic extracts
OLIVE mono-unsaturated; made from the pressing of tree-ripened olives. Extra virgin and virgin are the highest quality olive oils. Extra light or light describes the flavours, not fat levels
PEANUT pressed rom ground peanuts; commonly used for its high smoke point
SESAME made from roasted, crushed, white sesame seeds; a flavouring rather than a cooking medium
VEGETABLE oils sourced from plants rather than animal fats.

Also known as bamia, or lady fingers,; a green, ridged, oblong pod with a furry skin. Native to Africa, this vegetable is used in Indian, Middle-Eastern and southern US cooking. Often serves as a thickener in stews.

JAPANESE a square pan used for cooking tamago-yaki, an omelette which is used both as a sushi topping and in sushi rolls.

flameproof earthenware or metal dishes for preparing sukiyaki, shabu-shabu and tempura. As a substitute, usa a wok or flameproof casserole dish

GREEN also known as scallions or (incorrectly) shallots; immature onions picked before the bulbs have formed, having long, bright-green edible stalks
RED also known as spanish, red spanish or bermuda onion; sweet flavoured and purple-red in colour
SPRING vegetables with small white bulbs, long green leaves and narrow green-leafed tops; slightly sweeter then green onions
POWDER made from ground dehydrated onions
BROWN AND WHITE are interchangeable. Their pungent flesh adds flavour to a vast range of dishes.
PICKLING also known as cocktail onions; are brown baby onions, larger than shallots. Used raw pickled in brine or cooked in stews and casseroles.
SHALLOTS also called french shallots, golden shallots or eschalots; brown-skinned, small, elongated member of the onion family.

Examples are Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Curaçao.

an aromatic, spicy Meditteranean herb sold as fresh sprigs or chopped dried leaves