Cuisine Glossary

98 cooking and restaurant vocabulary terms

à la bourgeoise
en: with vegetables
à la provençale
en: provençal-style
à point
en: medium rare (meat)
aioli
en: a garlic-flavoured mayonnaise
aligot
en: mashed potatoes combined with cheese
amandine
en: made/garnished with almonds
au four
en: in the oven
aux quatre saveurs
en: four-flavoured
bavarois
en: creamy, set pudding
beurre blanc
en: white butter sauce
beurre noisette
en: brown butter
bien cuit
en: well done (meat)
bouillabaisse
en: a fish stew from Marseille
bouillon
en: broth/stock
bouquet garni
dried herbs tied together to flavour soups or stews
en: herb bouquet
braisé
en: braised
brochettes
en: skewers
cabillaud
en: codfish
caille
en: quail
carrottes râpées
en: shredded/grated carrots
cassoulet
en: a stew containing white beans, sausages and meats
cèpes
en: wild porcini mushrooms
chapelux
en: browned bread crumbs
clafoutis aux cerises
flan-like tart with cherries
en: cherry batter pudding
consommé
en: clarified stock
coq au vin
en: a traditional chicken stew cooked in white wine
coulis
en: sauce made from pureed fruits or vegetables
crème anglaise
en: a thin egg custard
crevette
en: shrimp
cru
en: raw
cuit
en: medium well (meat)
demi anglaise
en: medium (meat)
des harmonies d'aliments et de vins
en: food and wine pairings
des vins au verre
en: wines by the glass
dinde
en: turkey
duxelles
en: finely chopped raw mushrooms
écrasé de pomme de terre
en: crushed/mashed potatoes
en manteau d'herbes
en: herb-crusted/with a herb crust
entrecôte
en: sirloin/rib steak
épicé
en: spiced/spicy
farci à
en: stuffed with
flambé
en: set on fire
flétan
en: halibut
fondue bourguignonne
en: meat fondue
fricassé
en: a meat stew with a white sauce
frit
en: fried
fruits de mer
en: seafood
fumé
en: smoked
garni de
en: garnished with
gingembre
en: ginger
gratiner/au gratin
en: breadcrumbs, butter and cheese broiled on top
grillé au charbon
en: chargrilled
homards femelles
en: female lobsters
huitres
en: oysters
île flottant
en: meringue floating on crème anglaise
jambon cru
en: cured ham
jus lié
en: thickened gravy
jus/jus de viande
en: juices/sauces formed from cooking
la hampe de boeuf
en: beef skirt
le petit pain mollet
en: a white soft bread roll
les hôtes
en: guests
les plats en cocotte
en: casseroles
macédoine
en: small diced vegetables
macédoine de fruits
en: fruit salad
magret de canard
en: duck breast filet
mijoté (au wok)
en: cooked (in a wok)
mirepoix
en: a mixture of braising vegetables (usually onion, carrots, celery)
museau de porc
en: pig's snout
navarin d'agneau
en: lamb stew
navet
en: turnip
paner
en: coated with breadcrumbs before frying
papillote
en: parchment paper used to cook meat or fish in
plats à emporter
en: takeaway/to go dishes
poêlé
en: pan-seared
poivre de moulin
en: ground pepper
pommes allumettes
en: matchstick potatoes/fries
poulpe
en: octopus
raclette
en: a type of cheese typically melted on potatoes
rafraîchir
en: to chill/to cool
ragoût
en: a stew
rôti
en: roasted
rouille
en: garlic and oil emulsion
sabayon
en: sweet sauce or dessert made with egg yolks, sugar and wine
saignant
rare (meat)
service compris
en: service included
sous vide
en: cooking technique in which food is placed in a plastic pouch/bag and cooked in a water bath
surgelé
en: frozen
tartare
raw fish or meat, served cold
en: tartar
tartiflette
en: dish with potatoes, lardons, onions and reblechon cheese
terrine
en: paste made from ground meats and organ meats
tête de veau
en: calf's head
topinambour
en: Jerusalem artichoke
truffé
en: marinated
une bisque
en: smooth, creamy soup
une gelée
en: a jelly
veau
en: veal
velouté
en: sauce made from butter, flour, cream and stock
volaille
en: poultry