Bain-Marie:Â A shallow hot water bath into which another container is placed to cook. Used to distribute heat evenly and prevent scorching. Also used to keep food warm without boiling or over-cooking.
Baking Powder:Â A raising agent that reacts to produce carbon dioxide which expands during baking to ensure that cakes and breads rise.
Balsamic Vinegar:Â Dark brown vinegar from Italy, made from grape juice aged in wooden casks.
Banbury Cake:Â A oval flaky pastry filled with currants, lemon peel, and spices cake, from Oxfordshire.
Banger:Â Slang for a sausage.
Bannock:Â A large, round traditional Scottish cake of made from barley, wheat or oatmeal, varying according to region.
Bap:Â A light bread oval bread roll with a soft floury crust and light inner crumb.
Bara Brith:Â A traditional Wales fruit bread or cake.
Bard:Â To cover lean meat with strips of bacon to prevent it drying out whilst cooking.
Barbary Duck:Â Breed of duck not as fatty than common duck, requires more basting.
Basmati Rice:Â Indian long grain rice, with a characteristic flavor.
Bass:Â White fish with three types: sea, silver and striped.
Baste:Â To spoon over hot fat or liquid whilst cooking.
Bay boletes or boletus: A wild mushroom of the ‘cep’ family is often found in areas where conifers grow.
Bay Leaves:Â An evergreen shrub, with aromatic leaves. used as a herb both fresh and dried.
Béarnaise Sauce: Classic French sauce made from vinegar, white wine, black peppercorns, tarragon and shallot, finished with egg yolks and butter.
Béchamel Sauce: A flavored white sauce often used as a base for other sauces.
Beurre Manié: A paste of flour and softened butter, used to thicken soups and sauces.
Bisque:Â A creamy, rich soup, often made from shellfish.
Black Bream:Â A dark gray sea fish, served filleted, baked or stuffed.
Black Butter:Â Butter browned with added lemon juice and parsley, served with fish, like plaice or skate.
Black Pepper:Â Whole peppercorns of varying colors used as a seasoning.
Black Pudding:Â A large sausage made from pigs blood, suet and seasonings.
Blanch:Â To steep in boiling water to soften, whiten, clean or to make the skin easier to peel.
Blanquette:Â A stew or white meat dish cooked in white stock or water with flavorings, with a sauce made from the cooking stock.
Blind Bake:Â To bake a pastry case without a filling.
Bonito:Â Large a oily fish fish from the same family as tuna and mackerel.
Borlotti beans:Â Large, plump bean, pinkish brown in color with reddish brown streaks; often available dried,.
Bouquet Garni:Â A small bunch of herbs, usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf and marjoram, either in a muslin bag or tied together, removed before serving.
Bovril:Â A simple way to flavor boiling water to replace beef stock. Made from beef extract, use as a flavoring for soups. A teaspoon dissolved in cup of water makes a quick beefy drink.
Braise:Â To cook meat or vegetables slowly in steam in a covered pan.
Brazil Nut:Â A large nut with a hard shell and white kernel, can be eaten raw or used in cooking.
Brill:Â A fish of the flounder family.
Brisket:Â A cut of beef from the belly, used for slow roasting, casseroles, stews or mincing.
Brochette:Â Cubes of meat, chicken or fish and vegetables threaded on to a skewer and grilled.
Brownie:Â A firm, chewy cake, often made with chocolate and nuts, cut into squares.
Brown Sugar:Â Refined sugar with a thin coating of molasses, not to be confused with raw, unrefined sugar.
Buckwheat:Â A grain sometimes ground as flour.
Buttermilk:Â Cultured pasteurized milk, mildly acidic with a creamy flavor and thick consistency.
AÂ |Â BÂ |Â CÂ |Â DÂ |Â EÂ |Â FÂ |Â GÂ |Â HÂ |Â IÂ |Â JÂ |Â KÂ |Â LÂ |Â MÂ |Â NÂ |Â OÂ |Â PÂ |Â QÂ |Â RÂ |Â SÂ |Â TÂ |Â UÂ |Â VÂ |Â WÂ |Â XÂ |Â YÂ |Â Z
Know any good ones we missed? E-mail them to [email protected]