A Dictionary of Food

cock paddle

Served with a generous sprinkling of chopped parsley.

cock paddle Lumpfish

cocktail avocado United States A small seedless fruit of the Fuerte avocado with the characteristic buttery flavour and used in the same way

cocktail sauce Mayonnaise flavoured with tomato purée, horseradish sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, used with prawns, crab and lobster

coco France, Middle East, Portugal Coconut cocoa bean The seed of a tree, Theobroma cacao, originally from South America but now grown in West Africa. Used as the

source of chocolate and cocoa.

cocoa butter The highly saturated white or yellow fat pressed out of cocoa beans, mainly used for chocolate manufacture

cocoa powder Defatted cocoa beans treated with an alkali, further processed, dried and ground to a fine powder for use as a flavouring or to make drinks

cocomero Italy Watermelon

coconut 1. The oval fruit (up to 20 cm long) of a tropical palm, Cocus nucifera, with an outer fibrous covering, an inner hard shell lined with a white crisp flesh about 6 mm thick and containing a white, sweet, translucent liquid 2. The inner lining of the coconut often shredded, grated and/or dried. See also desiccated coconut, makapuno

coconut crab A large edible land crab, Birgus latro, which lives in burrows and is found on islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans

coconut cream A thick creamy liquid made either by mixing coconut milk with sufficient dried coconut milk powder or puréeing coconut flesh with coconut milk. Used to add body and flavour to stews, etc.

coconut grater A hemispherical grater with a handle used for removing the flesh from fresh coconuts

coconut milk 1. The liquid obtained by soaking grated or desiccated coconut in water and straining off the solid particles. Used in Indian and Eastern dishes. Available as a dried powder for reconstituting. 2. The white translucent liquid inside a coconut used as a refreshing drink or as flavouring. Also called coconut water

coconut oil The highly saturated oil extracted from dried coconut (copra), used in the foodmanufacturing industry and in Asian cooking as well as for soap and cosmetics. It contains about 75% saturated fat and is solid at ambient temperatures in temperate climates.

coconut pudding United Kingdom Basic steamed pudding mixture with 1 part in 6 of the flour replaced by desiccated coconut

coconut sugar Palm sugar

coconut syrup A clear viscous sweet syrupy sap extracted from the trunk of the coconut palm

coconut vinegar A mild vinegar made from coconut wine. See also suka

coconut water See coconut milk 2

coconut wine The fermented sap of the coconut palm from India. Used as a beverage and as the ferment for appa bread. Also called toddy

coco quemado Caribbean A type of enriched thick custard from Cuba made with plain milk, sugar, egg yolks and plain flour (10:10:5:2) flavoured with coconut cream to taste and when cooled sprinkled with toasted grated coconut flesh

cocotte France A shallow earthenware, cast iron or porcelain dish with a lid, a casserole cocotte, en France A method of cooking eggs in a small cocotte, ramekin or soufflé dish which is placed in rapidly boiling water. Various food items may be put under the egg

before cooking or over it after cooking. cocotte minute France A domestic pressure

cooker cocoyam Taro

cocozelle squash United States A small summer squash resembling the courgette cocum The fruit of an Indian tree. See also

kokum

cod A round, non-oily sea water fish, Gadus morrhua, from the northern oceans up to 40 kg in weight with a white flaky flesh and a grey green skin. Used to be cheap and common in the northern hemisphere. Dried and salted it is a major item in international trade as a protein source.

coda di bue Italy Oxtail

coddes United States A Maryland speciality of codfish fish cakes panéed and deep-fried coddle Ireland A rich stew of any of, meat, cured meat, beans, vegetables and herbs coddle, to A way of cooking eggs by putting them into boiling water which is then covered and removed from the source of heat. The

white is usually just set.

coddled eggs Eggs cooked by coddling, i.e. by being placed in boiling water which is not further heated

codling A young, immature cod

cod liver oil Oil extracted from cod livers used as a major natural source of vitamins A and D and EFAs

codorniz Portugal, Spain Quail

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cod roe The eggs of the cod fish, available fresh, canned or smoked. It has a mild fishy flavour and a creamy grainy texture. Used to make cheaper versions of taramasalata instead of grey mullet roe.

coelho Portugal Domesticated rabbit coelho bravo Portugal Wild rabbit

coeliac disease A metabolic disease in which the sufferer must not eat foods containing gluten

coentro Portugal Coriander leaves coeur France 1. Heart 2. Neufchâtel

coeur à la crème France A dessert made from a curd or cream cheese allowed to drain in a perforated heart-shaped mould, turned out onto a plate and decorated with summer fruits and sprinkled with sugar. Also called fromage à la crème

coeur d’artichaut France Artichoke heart coeur de filet France The trimmed eye of the

fillet of beef

coeur de palmier France Heart of palm coeurs d’artichauts France Artichoke hearts,

small, tender and trimmed artichokes. See also artichauts Clamart, artichauts Grand Duc coffee The water extract of ground, roasted coffee beans used as a beverage and for

flavouring

coffee bean The fruit of an evergreen bush,

Coffea arabica or C. canephora, native to Ethiopia but now widely grown in highaltitude tropical regions. The red fruit, which contains two almost hemispherical green seeds, is first fermented, the pulp removed and the seeds dried prior to roasting at or near their point of sale. After roasting they contain about 50% water soluble material including caffeine and flavours. The two main varieties are robusta and arabica but they are often identified by their place of origin.

coffee cake United States A plain sponge cake usually served warm with coffee

coffee cream United States Pasteurized cream from cows’ milk containing 18 to 30% butterfat for adding to coffee. Also called light cream, table cream

coffee grinder A mechanically, electrically or hand-operated grinder for roasted coffee beans with an arrangement for adjusting the particle size, very fine for espresso, fine for filters, Turkish and cona, medium for cafetières and percolators and coarse for jug infusion

coffee kisses Small drop cakes or biscuits containing ground nuts, sandwiched together with coffee-flavoured butter cream coffee sugar Coarse crystals, to 3 mm, of translucent, usually amber-coloured sugar

Colby

but these may be mixed with crystals of other colours

cognac France Brandy from the Cognac region, used as a flavouring and for flambéing

cogombre Catalonia Cucumber cogumelos Portugal Mushrooms cohombrillo Spain Gherkin

coho salmon An important commercial variety of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, up to 4.5 kg in weight with an oily, deep pink to red flesh. Now in danger of extinction due to degradation of the coastal streams where the salmon spawn. Also called silver salmon

coiblide Ireland Champ

coiled wire whisk The normal domestic whisk consisting of a loose coil of stainless steel wire wrapped around a single loop of stiff wire held in a suitable handle

coing France Quince

Coix lachryma-jobi Botanical name Job’s tears

col Spain Cabbage

cola bean The nut of a West African tree, Cola acuminata or C. nitida, now also grown in the Caribbean and South America, which yields a red extract containing caffeine and other stimulants and flavours used to make cola type drinks. Also called cola nut, kola nut

colache Mexico Diced squash mixed with chopped onions fried in butter, tomato concassée, sweet corn kernels and seasoning and baked in a slow oven in a covered dish without added water

colander A perforated bowl used to drain liquids from solid food. Usually with handles and sometimes with a flat base.

cola nut See cola bean colazione Italy Breakfast

colbert, (à la) France Containing small pieces of vegetables and poached egg. Used of a clear soup. See also sole Colbert

colbert butter A compound butter containing parsley, lemon juice, tarragon and meat extract, refrigerated in the shape of a cylinder and cut into 5 mm thick rounds to garnish grilled fish, steaks and rare roast beef

colbert sauce A sauce flavoured with parsley, spices, lemon and Madeira wine, served with vegetables

Colbi Middle East An Israeli cows’ milk cheese resembling Gouda cheese. Also called kolbee

Colby United States An orange-coloured scalded-curd hard Cheddar-like cheese but slightly softer and with a more open texture

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colcannon

from Colby, Wisconsin. Made from whole cows’ milk. It has a dark brown rind and is not cheddared.

colcannon Ireland Potato mashed with onion flavoured milk and butter to which are added chopped and poached spring onions and (savoy) cabbage seasoned with nutmeg. Sometimes topped with grilled bacon rashers. Also called kolcannon

colcasia Indonesia Yam

Colchester England A famous oyster from the town of the same name

cold collation A meal consisting of a selection of cold foods

col de Bruselas Spain Brussels sprouts cold-pressed A term used of oil which has

been produced by direct pressure on the cold untreated fruit, nut or seed. This usually gives a more distinctive flavour than hot pressing or solvent extraction.

cold room A refrigerated room used to store perishable foods

cold shortening The process by which carcass meat becomes tough if chilled too rapidly after slaughter, especially with beef and sheep. The chilling rate should not lead to temperatures in any part of the carcass below 10°C in 10 hours or less after slaughter.

cold-smoke, to To lightly smoke food at a temperature not greater than 33°C so as not to cook the flesh but usually in the range 20°C to 30°C. Used mainly for salmon, kippers, gammon and some sausages. The weight loss should be about 18% for salmon, 12 to 14% for haddock and 25% for cod roes. With the exception of things like cheese and hard-boiled eggs, the goods are first lightly brined.

cold soufflé A gelatine-based mousse put in a soufflé dish with a paper collar extending about 8 cm vertically above the rim, this being removed when the mousse has set so as to resemble a soufflé

cold-store bacteria Bacteria which can grow at temperatures down to –8°C and survive in deep-freezers

cold table See smörgåsbord

cole An old English word used for members of the cabbage family, now only surviving in borecole, coleslaw and the corrupted forms kale and cauliflower

colère, fish en Long round fish, skinned, degutted, gills and eyes removed, tails fixed in mouth, panéed and deep-fried, stuffed olives put in eye sockets and served with remoulade or tartare sauce

coleseed Rape

coleslaw Finely shredded white hearts of cabbage bound together with various dressings such as mayonnaise, soured cream, yoghurt, French dressing, possibly in combination, and with other possible additions such as nuts, grated carrots, chopped and vinegared onions, celery, apples, etc. A very popular salad item. Also called slaw

coleweed Rape

coley A cheap fish, Pollachius virens, of the cod family up to 6.5 kg in weight but with a darker skin and a brownish flesh which whitens on cooking. Found in the North Atlantic. Also called saithe, coalfish, pollock,

Boston bluefish

col fermentada Spain Sauerkraut coliflor Spain Cauliflower colimaçon France A variety of snail colin France 1. Hake 2. Coley colinabo Spain Turnip

colineau France Codling

colin mayonnaise France Cold poached hake, served with mayonnaise

colinot France Codling

collagen One of the constituents of connective tissue (the supporting structure of the body). It is a fairly soft protein which breaks down into gelatine on prolonged boiling or cooking at low temperatures.

collar bacon The top front section of a side of bacon cut into bacon joints or sliced into rather rectangular-shaped rashers

collard See collard greens

collard greens The edible green leaves from non-hearting brassicas including root vegetables

collé(e) France With added gelatine (NOTE: From coller, ‘to glue’.)

college cake A spiced fruit cake containing caraway seeds

college pudding England A steamed or baked pudding made from fresh breadcrumbs, shredded beef suet or softened butter, caster sugar and eggs (4:3:2:2) with 15 g (4.5 teaspoons) of baking powder per kg of breadcrumbs, the same weight of mixed sultanas and raisins as breadcrumbs and generously flavoured with ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Baked in dariole moulds at 180°C for 45 minutes.

coller, to To add body to a mixture by dissolving gelatine in it

collet France Neck of lamb or veal. Also called collier

colli di polli ripieni Italy The skin of a chicken’s neck stuffed loosely with a mixture

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of finely processed lean beef, egg, cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and breadcrumbs, tied either end and poached in stock until cooked. Served cold and sliced.

collier France Collet

collo Italy Neck (of lamb, etc.)

colloids Very finely divided particles of any phase, gas, liquid or solid, which are dispersed in another phase without settling by surface forces alone. Food examples are milk solids in milk and oil droplets in mayonnaise.

collop 1. United Kingdom A small slice of meat like an escalope (colloquial) 2. Scotland A minced beef stew 3. Egg fried with bacon

collop, to To cut into small pieces colmenilla Spain Morel

Colocasia esculenta Botanical name The taro plant

colocassa A Mediterranean tuber of the genus Colocasia, similar in size to a small pointed swede, up to 2 kg in weight, with a rough, light brown skin and a starchy, bland, white flesh. Used in stews or fried. Also called cologassi, kolocassi

colo de castra Italy A Venetian dish of mutton, stewed with celery and onions and served with rice and peas

cologassi See colocassa

colomba Italy Dove-shaped Easter cake colombaccio Italy Wood pigeon

colombian coffee A smooth strong coffee from Colombia

colombière France A soft cows’ milk cheese from Savoie cast in the shape of a dish with a mild smooth paste

colombo Italy Wood pigeon

colombo de giraumon Caribbean A Martinique dish of pumpkin cubes cooked with sweated onions and garlic, fried spices, chopped tomatoes, sultanas and seasoning. Used as a vegetable accompaniment to meat etc.

colon The large intestine of an animal used as a casing for sausages

colonne United States A cylindrical instrument with a metal tube used to core fruits or cut solids into cylindrical shapes. See also apple corer (NOTE: From the French word for column.)

colorau Portugal Dried and powdered red pepper made from a reasonably hot variety of capsicum

colorau-doce Portugal Paprika colostro Italy Colostrum, beestings

colostrum The first liquid obtained from the mammary gland after an animal has given

commercial beef

birth. It is extremely nutritious and healthpromoting and is used by farmers as a miracle cure for new born animals in difficulty. See also beestings

colour, to To give colour to food by the addition of natural or artificial food colourings or by heating to produce a brown colour by caramelization or Maillard reactions

col rizado Spain Kale

coltsfoot The green stalks of the coltsfoot plant, Tussilago farfara, are rinsed, dry-salted for 10 minutes to draw out the juices, rinsed, the outer fibrous covering stripped off and eaten as rhubarb, generally only in the East. Also called bog rhubarb

Colwick England A soft, white, creamy, slightly acid cows’ milk cheese

colza France, Italy, Spain Oilseed rape,

Brassica napus, used for its leaves and young shoots or for the oil from its seeds

colza oil Rapeseed oil com Vietnam Cooked rice

comal Mexico The terracotta griddle on which tortillas are baked

combava France Makrut lime, the fruit comber 1. A seawater fish of the perch family,

Serranus cabrilla. Also called sea perch 2.

Ireland A very sweet, fine potato from Ireland which when new can be eaten as a dish in its own right

combination menu A menu in which popular items are repeated each day and others changed on a cyclical or irregular basis

combination oven A standard fan-assisted electric oven combined with a microwave energy source to give very fast cooking together with the surface browning and hardening of a conventional oven

combine, to To mix ingredients together comfrey A hardy herbaceous perennial herb,

Symphytum officinale, rarely used nowadays. The young leaves can be used in salads and the stems blanched and cooked like asparagus. The leaves contain more protein than any other known member of the vegetable kingdom and are commonly used as an organic fertilizer.

comida Spain Lunch

comino Italy, Mexico, Spain Cumin comino dei prati Italy Caraway seed

çömlek kebabi Turkey A lamb and mixed vegetable casserole served with boiled potatoes or rice pilaf

commercial beef United States Beef from old animal used for manufacturing. More flavoursome than standard grade. Also called utility beef

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commis chef

commis chef A junior chef, assistant to the chef de partie

commis de rang France Assistant waiter commis waiter An assistant to a station waiter common crab The common decapod

crustacean, Cancer pagurus, found from Norway to Spain in the North Atlantic. It has a generally mottled brownish red shell with ten legs, two of which have developed into muscular claws, and a tail which is tucked underneath the body. It is up to 20 cm. in diameter. The shell is shed periodically to allow the animal to grow. The edible parts, which must be cooked in salted water (35 g salt per litre), consist of white muscular tissue and a soft brown tissue. The grey feather-like gills (dead man’s fingers), the mouth and the stomach bag and all its green to grey-white contents are discarded. Often served in the shell. It is illegal to sell juvenile crabs (less than 13 cm across) or gravid females in the UK. Also called edible crab

common eel Eel

common flounder Winter flounder

common hare A hare, Lepus europaeus, distributed across the whole of Europe through to eastern Asia. Also called brown hare

common jack Crevalle jack common ling Ling

common mandarin A large group of mandarin oranges, Citrus reticulata, of which the clementine is perhaps the best known. They are grown extensively in Spain and Morocco and seedless varieties have been developed. See also satsuma

common marjoram Oregano

common millet A millet of temperate climates, Panicum miliaceum, mainly used as bird seed and animal feed in the West but can be made into an unleavened bread. Also called broom corn, hog millet, proso, Indian millet

common morel Morel

common mushroom The most common cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, also found in the wild. It has a light creamy coloured top with a definite skin and brown gills underneath the cap. Sold as button (completely closed cap with no gills showing), cup (half open cap) and flat (fully mature open cap).

common mussel The usually dark blue to black crescent-shaped bivalve, Mytilus edulis, with orange flesh grown extensively around the Atlantic coast in unpolluted seawater. They are also found in the wild but these are suspect because of pollution. If they are purchased live, the shells should be

tightly closed or close when tapped, and only those which open when heated should be used.

common orange A type of sweet orange which comprises a large and diverse group with a wide range of qualities but generally paler than navels and with many seeds. Usually suitable for processing into juice. The best known of this group is the Valencia although the Shamouti (Jaffa or Cyprus) is quite common and there are at least 20 varieties traded widely.

common otter shell clam A white to light yellow clam with a long shell up to 12.5 cm common prawn The main British and Western European prawn, Palaemon serratus, fished extensively from Norway down to Spain. It reaches a maximum length

of 9 cm and is translucent when alive. common puffball The edible pear-shaped or

pestle-like fruiting body of a fungus,

Lycoperdon perlatum, which when young is densely covered with spines or loose coneshaped warts which leave their marks on the older fungus. Grows profusely up to 8 cm tall and 5 cm diameter Eaten when young before the centre becomes full of spores.

common purslane See summer purslane common skate A European skate, Raja batis,

with a long pointed snout and smooth greenish brown skin with spots. The eyes are on the upper side with the mouth and gills on the lower. The medium-oily white flesh which is taken from the wings has a good flavour and may be cooked in any way. Also called tinker skate

common snook A pike-like game fish,

Centropus undecimalis, caught off the coast of Florida, USA

common sturgeon A large sturgeon, Acipenser sturio, which can grow to 60 kg and is found in the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean and the western Atlantic. It has a firm white to pink flesh which may be baked, grilled or smoked. The roe, which may amount to up to 22 kg from a single female, is processed into caviar mainly in Russia and Iran. The Atlantic sturgeon is now only found in the Gironde estuary and is currently an endangered species. Captive breeding is being attempted.

composé(e) France Arranged with several elements as for e.g. in salade composée

composta Italy Compote of fruit, stewed fruit composto Italy Composed, compound. Used

of a salad, etc.

compota Portugal, Spain Jam and stewed fruits

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compote England, France 1. Stewed fruit 2. A stew made from game birds such as pigeon or partridge, cooked until the meat is very tender

compote d’abricots à la minute France

Halved apricots boiled in sugar syrup for 3 minutes, skimmed and orange juice added compotier France A large shallow glass dish on a raised stem and base, used to serve fruit

compotes and other desserts

compound butter Butter flavoured by pounding it with herbs, shells, spices, etc. then sieving out any inedible or unwanted bits. Usually formed into a roll, refrigerated and cut in slices to finish hot dishes for presentation. usually written as beurre followed by the name of the flavouring e.g. beurre d’amande, beurre de paprika. All are listed under beurre and/or the English name of the flavouring.

compressed yeast United States Small greyish cakes of compressed live yeast weighing about 18 g, used in baking

Comté France A hard, cooked-curd Gruyère type cheese produced from cows’ milk in Franche-Comté, with AOC status. It has an aromatic nutty-flavoured soft paste with medium-sized holes. Used as a cooking cheese or for dessert. Also called Gruyère de

Comté

Comuna Spain A variety of orange comune Italy Common orange

conalbumin One of the proteins in white of egg. It reacts with iron to give a pink colour. concassé(e) France Chopped or crushed as in tomates concassées; past participle of

concasser, ‘to crush or grind’

conch A large sea snail with a spirally coiled shell found on the Central American and Florida coast. The tough flesh requires tenderizing.

concha Spain Mussel, scallop concha de peregrino Spain Scallop concha peregrina Spain Scallop

conchiglia Italy 1. Shellfish 2. Shell-shaped pasta

conchiglia di San Giacomo Italy See coquille Saint Jacques

conchiglie Italy 1. Shells, especially scallop shells, used as containers for hot dishes 2. Pasta shaped like a half shell (not the conch shell) 3. Small shell-shaped citron-flavoured cakes from Sicily

conchigliette Italy Small pasta shells used in soup

con chom chom Vietnam Sea urchin concombre France Cucumber concombre salé France Pickled cucumber

confetti sugar

Condé France A dessert made from individual portions of dessert rice or pastry topped with canned or poached fruit, glazed with jam and decorated with whipped cream. See also condés au fromage

condensed milk Milk from which about 85 to 90% of the water has been removed to leave an evaporated milk containing 45 to 50% water, to this is added about 70 g of sugar per 100 g of evaporated milk to give a thick sticky liquid containing about 55% sugar including lactose, and 28% water which is thus resistant to bacterial contamination. Available in both full cream and skimmed versions. the skimmed version containing about 60% sugar in the resulting mixture.

condés au fromage France Puff pastry rectangles, covered with an egg-enriched béchamel sauce, seasoned with Cayenne pepper and mixed with finely diced cheese and baked in a hot oven

condiment England, France A seasoning, usually salt, pepper, nutmeg, various pasty or dry mixtures of herbs and/or spices, sometimes pickles, individually added to food by the eater after it is served

condimento Italy, Spain Seasoning, condiment

condiment set A decorative carrier holding two or more small bottles or pots for condiments such as oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, ground cumin etc. and sometimes toothpicks

condition, to To subject a substance, principally meat, cheese and alcoholic beverages, to the process of ageing at a controlled temperature to improve quality. With meat this process occurs naturally after slaughter. Sometimes, with game birds, the innards are left in to assist conditioning.

condito Italy Seasoned or dressed cone See cornet

conejo Spain Rabbit

conejo a la gallega Spain Rabbit fried with onions and tomatoes

conejo frito a la catalina Spain Rabbit, marinated in vinegar and white wine then fried

coney 1. England Rabbit (colloquial) 2. United States A hot dog

confectioner’s custard See crème pâtissière confectioner’s sugar United States Icing sugar containing a little corn flour. Also called

powdered sugar

confeitado Portugal Candied. Also called conservado

confetti sugar United States Large sugar crystals dyed different colours for decorative purposes

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confettura

confettura Italy Jam

confit(e) France 1. Well-cooked meat, particularly duck, goose or pork, preserved in its own fat 2. Fruits cooked and preserved in brandy or a sweetened liquor; vegetables preserved in vinegar or pickled

confit d’oie France Slices of cooked goose breast preserved in goose fat

confiture France Jam or marmalade confiture d’abricots France Apricot jam confiture d’oranges France Orange

marmalade

cong China Scallion or spring onion

cong bao yang rou China Stir-fried lamb and spring onions

congeal, to To become stiff or jelly-like owing to a drop in temperature

congee The standard breakfast dish of the Chinese consisting of a gruel of well-soaked rice boiled with salt and water, flavoured by sprinkling sweet or savoury ingredients over the surface. Also called rice gruel, rice soup

congelato Italy Frozen

congeler France 1. To freeze 2. To deepfreeze

conger eel A seawater eel, Conger conger, which grows up to 2 metres long. It has an oily, coarse, well-flavoured firm flesh, usually sold in steaks.

conger pie United Kingdom Conger eel poached in a seasoned stock and red wine, skinned, deboned and laid in a buttered ovenproof dish over a bed of sweated onions and garlic, and covered with the poaching liquor, thickened if required. It is then topped with potatoes creamed with milk and egg yolks and lightened with stiffly beaten white of egg. The whole gratinated with grated Cheddar cheese and baked in a 200°C oven for 20 minutes.

congou Black tea from China sometimes used in blended tea

congre France Conger eel

congress tart A small pastry tart spread with jam and filled with a mixture of ground almonds, sugar and egg prior to baking

congrio Spain Conger eel congro Portugal Conger eel cong tou China Onion coniglio Italy Rabbit

coniglio alla reggiana Italy Jointed rabbit browned in oil and lard or bacon fat, reserved; chopped onion browned in the same fat; chopped and crushed garlic, chopped celery and tomato concassée added and simmered, followed by dry white wine and the reserved rabbit; seasoned and

all simmered until the rabbit is tender. Finished with chopped chervil or parsley.

conill amb xocolata Catalonia Rabbit with garlic, liver, almonds, fried bread, chocolate and old wine

conkies Caribbean Two parts of a mixture of grated coconut, pumpkin, sweet potato and brown sugar (6:3:2:3) are combined with one part of a mixture of corn flour, milk, wheat flour and molten shortening (4:2:1:1) to make a stiff dough. This mixture is flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, almond essence and raisins and a few tablespoons of it wrapped and tied in a banana leaf prior to steaming. Also called paimi (NOTE: Conkies are traditionally made in Barbados on the 5th of November, Guy Fawkes Day)

connective tissue The structural material of the animal body normally seen as cartilage, sinew or gristle in meat but also present in bone and as the inner layer of skin, etc. It consists mainly of proteins principally collagen fibres interlaced with elastin fibres embedded in a gel. The more elastin the less soluble is the tissue.

con poy China Dried slices of a type of scallop with a distinctive flavour. Very expensive and used like truffles in Western cooking.

conserva Italy 1. Preserve or jam made from fruit or vegetables 2. Tinned

conserva de fruta Portugal Jam conserva di frutta Italy Jam

conservado Portugal Candied. Also called confeitado

conservare in scatola Italy To can conserve Fruits preserved in sugar, usually as

a jellied mixture which may or may not contain distinct pieces of fruit. The jelling properties come from pectin, the vegetable equivalent of gelatine. Jam and marmalade are examples.

conserve, en France In a tin, canned conserve, petit-pois en France Tinned peas conserves United States Elaborate jams with

additions such as nuts, raisins, liqueurs, etc. conserves au vinaigre France Pickles consistency The property of a mixture which

determines its flow or cutting properties. The word is usually qualified as e.g. coating consistency, dropping consistency, thick consistency, jam-like consistency, buttery consistency, etc.

consistency of cheese Cheeses are classified as soft, semi-hard or hard according to their consistency

consommé England, France A transparent clear soup made from a well-flavoured meat, fish, chicken or vegetable stock, simmered without stirring or disturbance with the

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appropriate minced flesh and/or vegetables mixed with egg whites for 2 hours and carefully strained. Will usually set when cold and as such is sometimes chopped and used as a garnish. Also called clear soup

consommé à la royale England, France A hot consommé garnished with royale shapes consommé aux profiteroles England, France

A hot consommé with unsweetened choux paste piped into pea-sized pieces, baked and added to it at the last moment

consommé brunoise England, France As consommé julienne with the same vegetables cut as a brunoise

consommé celestine England, France Hot consommé with the addition at the last moment of a julienne of pancake, the pancake seasoned and flavoured with chopped parsley, tarragon and chervil

consommé des viveurs France A strongflavoured bouillon or consommé. See also viveur en tasse

consommé en tasse England, France Cold consommé served lightly jellied in a cup. If there is not sufficient natural gelatine, more may be added.

consommé julienne England, France A hot consommé garnished at the last moment with a julienne of carrot, turnip and leek previously cooked in salted water and refreshed

consommé madrilène England, France A basic consommé well-flavoured with tomato and celery and garnished with a brunoise of skinned and deseeded tomato flesh just before serving

consommé vermicelle England, France Hot consommé with cooked and refreshed vermicelli added at the last moment

conta Portugal The bill in a restaurant contamination The ingress of impurities,

either microorganisms or compounds such as detergents, bleach, dust etc. into a foodstuff, usually by contact with surfaces or other foods

conti, à la France Garnished with a bacon and lentil purée, usually used of joints of meat

continental breakfast A small breakfast consisting of bread rolls, croissants or toast with butter and jam or marmalade plus a hot drink of coffee, chocolate or tea

continental sausage Sausages usually made from 100% meat which are traditionally preserved by the addition of small amounts of glucose on which species of Lactobacillus grow and reduce the pH by producing lactic acid. They are also ripened by the surface

cook, to

growth of aspergillus and penicillium moulds.

continuous grill A grill in which food is loaded on a conveyor and cooks on both sides as it travels to the unloading position, e.g. in burger bars

continuous phase That phase in a two or more phase mixture which is continuously interconnected, e.g. vinegar is the continuous phase in mayonnaise and hollandaise sauces, butterfat in butter and milk in cream. See also dispersed phase, emulsion

contiser France To make small incisions in food in which to insert small pieces of solid flavouring as e.g. garlic slivers, truffle, tongue, etc. See also piquer

conto Italy The bill in a restaurant

contorno Italy Vegetable dish or side dish, vegetable garnish

contre-filet France Sirloin off the bone. Also called faux-filet

controfiletto di bue Italy Sirloin of beef convection oven An oven in which heated air

is circulated by a fan over the food to be baked or cooked. Also called forced convection oven

convenience food Food which allegedly needs little preparation prior to serving. It may be a chilled, non-sterile cooked meal or a vacuum-packed fully cooked meal. Other forms require the addition of eggs, milk, water, etc. or elaborate mixing, heating and stirring, often taking as long to prepare as the same dish cooked with fresh ingredients purchased in semi-processed form.

converted rice Rice which has been soaked and steamed before being hulled. This preserves more of the nutrients from the outer coat in the polished grain which is yellow but whitens on cooking. The process does not shorten the cooking time. Also called parboiled rice

con vich Vietnam Turtle

coocoo Caribbean Cornmeal cooked with seven times its weight of salted water and a fair quantity of butter to make a stiff paste. It is then shaped into balls and, in Trinidad, served in a buttered dish garnished with vegetables and salads to taste.

coo-coo Caribbean A cooked paste of cornmeal or breadfruit, okra and water, served with fish especially in Barbados. Also called cou-cou

cook A person who prepares food for eating

cook, to To make food flavoursome, edible and digestible usually, but not necessarily, by subjecting it to heat

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cook-and-hold oven

cook-and-hold oven An oven that cooks for a preset time at a selected temperature, then reduces the temperature and sometimes adjusts the humidity to values where the food can be kept warm for a long period. Often used in carveries for roast meat.

cooked cheese Cheese made from curdled milk which has been cooked before the whey is separated from the curds

cooked curd Curd for cheese which has been heated to temperatures greater than 48°C. See also scalded curd

cooker An appliance for cooking food by the application of heat or other type of energy, usually self contained

cookie 1. United States A biscuit 2. Scotland

A glazed bread roll made from enriched yeast dough containing dried vine fruits

cookie cutter United States Biscuit cutter cookie press United States Biscuit press cooking apple United Kingdom A variety of

apple such as Bramley’s Seedling, generally with a tart flavour and usually large, which softens when cooked and is particularly suitable for stewing and baking

cooking chocolate Unsweetened chocolate available in block form or as chips (NOTE: Not to be confused with the cheap, brown chocolate-flavoured substance often sold under this name.)

cooking fat Normally a white, hard and tasteless unsalted fat made by hydrogenation of deodorized vegetable or fish oils

cooking foil See aluminium foil

cooking liquor The liquid in which food has been cooked, often used as the basis of a sauce to go with the food

cook out, to To completely finish the cooking process so that no suggestion of the uncooked food remains. Used especially of starch-thickened sauces, soups, etc.

cook’s knife A heavy, easily sharpened, wellbalanced, steel-bladed knife with a substantial handle, sharpened on one edge, broad near the handle and tapering to a point and with a convex curve to the blade so that it can be used for chopping with a rocking motion

cool, to To reduce the temperature of food by a variety of means e.g. placing in a refrigerator, plunging in cold water, adding ice cubes, standing a container in cold water, etc.

coon United States A strong-tasting Cheddartype cheese made from cows’ milk

Cootamundra bush bread Australia Bread flavoured with ground wattleseed

copeau France Pastry twist (NOTE: Literally ‘shaving’.)

copeaux de chocolat France Chocolate shavings used for decoration

coperto Italy 1. Cover charge in a restaurant 2. Covered with some ingredient e.g. a slice of cheese

copha Australia A white shortening made from hardened vegetable oils

copocolla Italy A sausage made from chunks of mildly cured shoulder pork, sometimes air-dried before being mixed with finely minced fat pork, red sweet peppers, seasoning and spices and packed in beef casings

copollotto The boiled bulbs of grape hyacinth served in a sweet-and-sour sauce. Also called lambascione

copos de avena Spain Rolled oats

coppa 1. A salted pork slicing sausage, dried and smoked with herbs; from Corsica 2. Italy A rather fatty ham cut from the shoulder 3. A large sausage containing distinct pieces of shoulder pork and pork fat obtained from pigs fed on chestnuts 4. Italy Bowl or cup

coppa cotta Italy A type of brawn made from the meat of pig’s heads and tongues, pressed until set into a solid mass

coppa di Corse Italy Smoked ham produced in Corsica

coppa gelata Italy Mixed ice creams

copper A trace element necessary for health. Sufficient is usually obtained from water that has been delivered via copper pipes.

copper pan The type of pan generally used in high-class kitchens made of thick copper with a tin lining. The copper makes for even and quick distribution of heat and uniformity of temperature.

copra The white inner meat of the coconut. Used fresh or grated and dried in cooking. The dried copra is traded internationally as a source of oil and animal feed.

Coprinus comatus Botanical name Shaggy ink cap

coq France Male of a bird, especially of a chicken, cockerel

coq à la bière France As coq au vin, but cooked in beer and flavoured with juniper berries (NOTE: From the north)

coq au vin France Chicken, possibly previously marinated, simmered in red wine with brandy, onions, carrots, garlic and bouquet garni and sometimes bacon, garnished with glazed button onions, glazed button mushrooms and croûtons

coq au vin jaune France Chicken stewed with edible fungi, cream and the local white wine from Arbois

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coq de bruyère France Grand (large) capercaillie or petit (small) black grouse

coq en pâte France Chicken pie

coque 1. France Shell of an egg 2. France

Cockle 3. An Easter cake made from a brioche dough flavoured with citron

coque, à la France Cooked in its shell. Used especially of an egg.

coquelet France A young cock chicken around 1 kg

coquetier France Egg cup coquillage France Shellfish

coquille France Shell of an egg, nut, mollusc, etc.

coquille, en France Cooked in a scallop shell coquille Saint Jacques England, France 1.

The commonest European scallop, Pecten jacobaeus. Also called pilgrim scallop 2.

Halved scallops, poached in seasoned milk, reserved, a thick velouté sauce made with sliced mushrooms and the cooking liquor, cooked out, scallops and sherry added and the mixture spooned onto scallop shells and gratinated with a mixture of breadcrumbs, grated cheese and dry mustard. Garnished with lemon twists and picked parsley.

coquimol Caribbean A Haitian sweet pouring cream made from heavy sugar syrup (3:1) into which roughly equal volumes of coconut cream and egg yolks are beaten. This is then brought to the consistency of double cream by heating over hot water. It is finally flavoured with vanilla essence, white rum and a sprinkling of nutmeg.

coquina 1. Spain Wedge shell clam 2. United States Winkle, the shellfish

coquito nut South America Small immature coconuts which are eaten whole

corail France Coral, eggs of shellfish and crustaceans

coral The ovaries and eggs of the female lobster which turn a brilliant red when cooked and are used in the sauce to accompany lobster dishes

corallo Italy Lobster coral

coratella Italy Offal, also a stew of lambs’ lungs, liver and heart

coratella di agnello alla sarda Italy Lamb offal interspersed with slices of ham, threaded on a skewer, wrapped in pig’s caul or intestine and grilled

corazón Spain Heart

çorba Turkey Soup

corbeille de fruits France Basket of fruit corbina United States A fish of the drum

family. Also called corvina

Corchorus olitorius Botanical name The meloukhia plant

corncrake

cordeiro Portugal Lamb cordero Spain Lamb

cordero al ajillo Spain Lamb fried with garlic, pepper and saffron

cordero asado Spain Roast lamb cordero lechazo Spain Suckling lamb

cordero manchego Spain Lamb casseroled in wine and garlic, served with fried sweet peppers and garnished with chopped parsley

cordon England, France A line of sauce or gravy poured around an item of food on a dish

cordon bleu 1. France A style of cooking based on classic French cooking taught by some French and English cookery schools or a description of a person so trained. Often part of the ‘finishing’ education of children of the wealthy. 2. See escalope cordon bleu

core, to 1. To remove the inedible centre of fruits such as apples and pears which contain seeds rather than single stones, using a cylindrical corer and without damaging the edible part of the fruit 2. To remove the central blood vessels and tubes from a kidney

coregone bondella Italy Houting, the fish coregone laverello Italy Pollan, the fish coriander An annual plant, Coriandrum

sativum, cultivated worldwide for its leaves, seeds and roots. The leaves look like flat parsley and have a slightly soapy herb-like flavour and are used as a herb. The small, brown, round seeds (3 to 4 mm diameter) have a mild sweet spicy flavour quite different to the leaves with a hint of pepper and aniseed and are used extensively throughout the world as a whole or ground spice. The roots are used as a vegetable and also as a flavouring in Thai cooking. Also called Chinese parsley (leaves only), cilantro

coriandre France Coriander coriandro Spain Coriander

Coriandrum sativum Botanical name

Coriander

corindolo Italy Coriander corkscrew greens Fiddlehead fern

corn A general term once used of all grains such as wheat, oats, barley, rye, maize, etc. but now used only of wheat in Europe and of maize in the USA

corn bread United States A deep yellow coloured bread made with a mixture of cornmeal from flint corn and flour

corn chips Tortilla chips

corncrake A small game bird, Crex crex, which migrates from Northern Europe to Africa during the winter

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