Other kitchen terms

Terms for Cutting

Julienne- Cutting vegetables to make them the size of match-sticks.

Dice- Cutting vegetables and meats into small squares. Usually 1/2" by 1/2"

Mince- Cutting things so small that they become very small, and are no longer recognizable shapes, often times done with garlic.

Burnoise- Vegetables cut into tiny cubes, done by turning julienned vegetables sideways and cutting again, into even cubes.

Butterfly- Usually done with meats, it is done by cutting thicker meats sideways almost all the ways through so that it opens like a book. It resembles a butterfly when done properly. The purpose of this cut is to shorten the cooking time of a steak or chicken breast while still keeping it in one piece.

Quarter- Often done with potatoes before boiling, this cut simply means to cut in half, and then cut the newly-made smaller pieces in half again.

Chiffonade- Usually done with fresh herbs, this technique is the process of finely slicing the herbs into very small strips without bruising them too much. This requires a very sharp knife and some skill with a blade.

Other Useful Terms

Mirepoix- This is the term for the base vegetables in most soups, stocks and bases for roasting. Carrots, onions, and celery are considered "the holy trinity" when it comes to a mirepoix, however these three veggies can be complimented by many other root vegetables to enhance the flavor, such as rutabagas, parsnips, kohlrabi, fennel stems and celery root.

Mise En Place- You Mise En Place, or simply "mise" is you set up, it is every thing you could need to prepare a dish, or work an entire service on the line. From pots and pans and serving spoons to chopped parsley, and easily accessible seasonings and vinegars. Having your mise set up properly makes the actual process of cooking go by much easier and more efficiently. 

Thickening (to tighten)- Can be done in a number of ways, by reducing liquids, or adding a thickener, such as a:
           Roux- a thickener made from the combination of equal parts flour and butter (the French way) or oil. One of my favorite ways to make a roux (depending on the dish) is with bacon grease. Rouxes can be made (regardless of the type of fat used) in different stages. There is a blonde, medium and darker stage, each one will thicken your sauce or liquid, but each stages brings a different depth to the dish. The longer you cook your roux changes the flavor from a light creamy flavor to a rich nutty flavor. To make it, whisk the flour and butter together over a medium-low heat and cook the roux until it reaches the stage you want. remember to keep moving it around so that it does not burn or get black specks in it. Once it is made, slowly add it to your sauce, stock, or soup and whisk it in. bring the liquid to a boil and it will thicken. 
           Slurry- While also used to thicken a sauce or soup, slurries are used more simply and are a good way to thicken soups or sauces for people with gluten allergies. A slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and water, usually 1Tbsp of cornstarch to 2 a cup of water. Add the slurry to a soup or sauce and bring to boil. Usually this is done at the very end of making your dish, but remember to cook the thickened liquid for a few minutes after to get rid of any pasty texture.

Stock- A stock is a broth made from bringing flavors out of vegetables and meats. Generally, you take your mirepoix, and sweat the veggies on medium to low heat for 10-15 minutes with a bay leaf and some olive oil. Next, you fill the pot most of the way with cold water. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer to reduce. Proper stocks take hours to do, but the result is well worth the wait. Other variations involve roasting bones and adding them to the stock as it is reducing, this breaks down the bones and marrow, adding even more layers of rich flavor to the stock. Once the liquid has reduced and more water is needed, remember to skim off the top layer of fat and impurities, these have a less desirable taste, and if they are not skimmed off, you would be reducing and concentrating these flavors as well.