Culinary Terms and Techniques: Meats, Fish & Prep
Culinary Terms: Meats, Fish, and Preparation
Poultry and Game
Guinea Fowl: Meat is lean and healthy. It is generally roasted or braised and is often a substitute for pheasant. It can be cooked at length, in red wine and with strong-tasting vegetables.
Other common poultry and game birds include:
- Quail: (Codorniu)
- Partridge: (Perdiu)
- Pigeon: (Pichón)
- Hen: (Gallina)
Offal
Offal (Casquería) refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. Common types include:
- Sweetbreads: (Mollejas)
- Heart: (Cor)
- Liver: (Fetge)
- Marrow: (Médula)
- Tongue: (Llengua)
- Tripe: (Callos)
- Brains: (Sesos/Cervellets)
- Kidney: (Ronyó)
- Blood: (Sang)
- Snout: (Morro)
- Ears: (Orelles)
- Chicken Feet: (Manetes – used in caldo de Nadal)
- Pork Feet/Trotters: (Manetes de porc)
- Tail: (Cua)
Fish
There are three main types of fish:
White Fish: White fish has white, flaky flesh with the main concentration of oils in the liver. It is naturally low in fat and very healthy. Buy fish with bright eyes, red gills, and a fresh smell. The flesh is delicate, so it does not need a lot of cooking. Ideal cooking methods include poaching, steaming, or baking in a sauce or liquid.
Oily Fish: Although oily fish contains high levels of oil, these are omega-3 oils, making them an essential part of a healthy diet. Eat oily fish very fresh because the natural fats deteriorate and lose their quality quickly. They are generally good value for money. Store in a cool place and eat quickly, or freeze for a short time after gutting or filleting. You can also smoke, brine, or salt them.
Culinary Preparation Verbs – Glossary
- To Score: To make shallow incisions with a small knife on the surface of foods, with parallel lines or criss-cross patterns to improve appearance or to absorb the flavors of marinades.
- To Skim: To remove impurities from the surface of a liquid, such as stock, during or after cooking.
- To Truss: To tie up meat or poultry with string before cooking.
- To Bard: To cover food with strips of fat (such as bacon or larding fat) to protect and baste it during cooking.
- To Blend: To mix together ingredients, usually of different consistencies, using a utensil such as a wooden spoon or a blender.
- To Pluck: To remove some or all of the feathers or hairs from an animal.
- To Stuff: To put a seasoned mixture of food into something that is being cooked.
- To Cream: The process where sugar and butter are beaten together. This process may also be carried out with a mixer or a food processor.
- To Dust: To sprinkle lightly with flour or sugar.
- To Grease: To cover the inner surface of a dish or pan with a layer of fat, such as butter, margarine, or oil, using a brush or kitchen paper.
- To Fold In: To gently combine lighter mixtures with heavier ones, usually using a metal spoon or a rubber spatula.
- To Whip: To beat eggs or cream into a froth with a utensil such as a fork or a whisk.
- To Defrost: To warm something that is frozen until it is no longer frozen.
- To Dredge: To coat wet or moist foods with a dry ingredient, usually flour, before cooking.
- To Grate: To rub food against a grater in order to cut it into a lot of small pieces.
- To Sift: To pass a dry ingredient, such as flour, through a sieve to ensure it is lump-free.
- To Soak: To immerse an item in a liquid for a period of time before cooking.
- To Knead: To mix and work into a uniform mass or dough, as by folding, pressing, and stretching with the hands.
- To Shell: 1) To take beans out of the pod. 2) To take out the natural enclosing cover of some crustaceans, such as crabs.
- To Season: To add spices, sauces, or other ingredients to improve the taste.
- To Spread: To cover a surface with soft food, such as jam, using a spoon, a rubber spatula, or a butter knife.
- To Marinate: To immerse foods in a seasoned liquid before cooking.
- To Rub: To season meats or fish by applying pressure and friction to the surface.
- To Squeeze: To exert pressure on an item, as a way of extracting liquid.
- To Descale: A cleaning process that uses a knife to scrape the scales off of a fish.
- To Lard: To add fat, usually pork fatback, to naturally lean meats and fowl before roasting or braising. This is done to add both flavor and moisture.