A Dictionary of Food

corn dog

corn dog United States A Frankfurter dipped in a cornmeal batter, deep-fried until crisp and presented on a stick

corne France A horn-shaped brioche from Nantes

corned beef Beef that has been cooked and preserved in salt together with some sodium nitrite to give it a pink colour. Usually sold in tins. Also called bully beef (NOTE: So called from the corns (small crystals) of salt used in the curing.)

corned beef hash United States A mixture of coarsely mashed potatoes, chopped corned beef and cooked chopped onion formed into a cake and shallow-fried on each side until browned. Topped with a poached egg and served with toast and chilli sauce.

corned bief Netherlands Corned beef corne grecque France Okra

Cornell bread United States A high protein bread developed at Cornell university containing soya bean flour, wheat germ and dried skimmed milk solids

corner of gammon A triangular piece of meat cut from a gammon

cornes de gazelle North Africa Croissant-like pastries filled with honey and almonds. Also called kaab el ghzal, ka’b ghzahi

cornet A large cone shape (up to 12 cm by 4 cm diameter) made with a wafer mixture in which ice cream is served so that it can be eaten as a snack. Also called cone

cornetti Italy 1. Sweet breakfast bread rolls 2. Pastry horns usually filled with cream

corn-fed chicken Chicken fed principally on yellow maize which gives its skin and flesh a yellow colour

corn flakes A popular breakfast cereal made from small blobs of cooked and flavoured maize porridge, flattened, crisped and toasted to a golden colour

corn flour 1. United Kingdom Pure starch powder extracted from maize kernels. It blends easily with water without forming lumps and thickens into a translucent paste. Used for blancmange, English custard, for thickening sauces and gravies and to give a lighter shorter texture to some cakes and biscuits. It is a common thickening agent and source of starch in Chinese cooking. Also called corn starch 2. United States

Ground corn which can be white or yellow. When used in baking it must be used with gluten-rich flours.

corn fritter United States Sweet corn kernels bound in batter and deep-fried. Served hot with chicken Maryland.

cornichon France Gherkin

Cornish fairings England Crisp and spicy biscuits from Cornwall enriched with butter and sweetened with brown sugar and golden syrup

Cornish heavy cake England A cake from Cornwall made from a lard-based puff pastry containing currants. Also called heavy cake

Cornish hog pudding England Hog pudding Cornish kiddley broth England A type of fish soup similar to the cotriade of Brittany, made with fish stock and whatever fish and vegetables were available and said to be garnished in the old days with chipples and marigold petals (NOTE: Kiddley is Cornish for

‘soup kettle’.)

Cornish pasty England A pasty made from a rolled out circle of short pastry, preferably made with strong flour filled with diced raw skirt steak and vegetables (turnips, potatoes and onions), the opposite edges of the circle brought together over the filling, sealed, fluted and the whole then baked (NOTE: Originally used by Cornish miners as a complete meal. It is said that a genuine Cornish pasty can be dropped down a mine shaft and not break.)

Cornish saffron cake England A fruited yeast-raised cake flavoured with saffron, baked in a deep round tin, sliced and buttered when cold. Also called saffron cake Cornish sly cake England Currants, chopped mixed peel, spices and sugar sandwiched between layers of flaky pastry, the whole rolled out until the currants just show, sprinkled with caster sugar, cut into fancy shapes and baked. Also called sly cake, fig

sly cake

Cornish splits England Small milk bread rolls about 8cm in diameter, either yeast or baking powder raised and enriched with butter and sugar at the rate of about 60g per kg of flour, baked at 220°C for 10 to 15 minutes and either eaten hot, split and buttered, or cold with jam and clotted cream

Cornish squab cake England A single-crust pastry pie, baked blind, filled with cooked potatoes which have been seasoned and mashed with cream, covered with strips of pickled pork and baked at 200°C until browned

Cornish yarg England A creamy mildflavoured cheese made from cows’ milk and generally covered with nettles

cornmeal United States White, yellow or rarely blue, dried maize kernels ground to varying degrees of fineness

corn oil A light delicately flavoured vegetable oil extracted from the germ of maize kernels. Contains 15% saturated, 35%

monounsaturated and 50% polyunsaturated fat. Also called maize oil

corn on the cob A complete cob of sweet corn, (a variety of maize), boiled, leaves removed and kernels eaten with salt and butter. Also called sweet corn

corn pone United States An unleavened cornmeal bread made from dent corn, fried or baked

corn salad Lamb’s lettuce

corn starch United States Corn flour

corn sugar United States Sugar, principally glucose, crystallized from acid hydrolysed corn flour. Less sweet than sucrose.

corn syrup 1. Hydrolysed maize starch consisting mainly of glucose. Used as a general liquid sweetener in drinks and manufactured foods. 2. United States Golden syrup

corona, alla Italy Ring-shaped

coronation chicken A cold dish made from diced, cooked chicken meat mixed with mayonnaise, chopped tomatoes, onions and apricots, whipped cream and flavoured with curry powder, lemon and bay

corps, qui a du France With body. Used of sauces and soups.

correlet France Dab, the fish

Corsican citron A citron lacking acidity with a very rough and bumpy ridged skin

Corsican mint A type of mint, Mentha requiena, with tiny peppermint-scented bright green leaves and tiny flowers. Grows only to 3 cm.

corvina United States Corbina

corvino Portugal Croaker, the fish

Corylus avellina Botanical name Hazelnut Corylus colurna Botanical name Turkish

hazelnut

Corylus maxima Botanical name Filbert coscetta Italy Leg of lamb or poultry

coscia Italy Haunch (of venison), leg (of lamb, goat, etc.)

coscia di montone Italy Leg of lamb cosciotto Italy Leg of lamb

cos lettuce A type of lettuce with long, substantial and well-flavoured leaves and with a fairly loose heart. Also called romaine lettuce

costalame di bue Italy Ribs of beef costata Italy Rib chop

costeleta Portugal Cutlet or boned out chop costeleta de carne Portugal Chop, of an

animal

costeletas de carneiro Portugal Mutton chops

costeletas de porco Portugal Pork chops

cotriade

costelles de cabrit rostides Catalonia Roast cutlets of young goat

costillas Spain Chops, ribs

costmary A bitter mint-flavoured herb,

Tanacetum balsamita, resembling tansy, once used in beer making. Can be used sparingly as a culinary herb. Also called alecost

costole Italy Ribs costoletta Italy Cutlet

côt dua Vietnam Coconut milk

côte France 1. Rib (beef) 2. Cutlet (veal, lamb) 3. Chop (mutton, pork)

cotechino Italy A large cooking sausage made with lean and fat pork, white wine, spices and seasoning, usually simmered and served with polenta, mashed potatoes or lentils. Used in bollito misto.

côte d’agneau France Lamb chop côte de boeuf France Rib of beef

côte de porc bruxelloise Belgium Pork chop served with a large amount of endive

côte de porc fumée France Smoked bacon coteghino Italy A stew made with pork skin côtelette France 1. Chop 2. Cutlet côtelettes decouvertes France The ribs

between the best end of lamb or veal and the neck which are hidden behind the shoulder blade cut into cutlets. Equivalent of scrag end.

côtelettes premières France Fem. The first four ribs of lamb or veal counting from the rear of the animal equivalent to the best end, divided into cutlets.

côte première France Loin chop

côtes couvertes France Rolled rib of beef from the middle and chuck rib end. Usually slow roasted or braised.

côtes premières France Best end of lamb or veal used for roasting in the piece

côtes secondes France The four ribs next to the best end of lamb or veal used for roasting in the piece

Cotherstone England A white loose-textured cheese with a clean fresh flavour, made in Yorkshire from unpasteurized cows’ milk

cotiche Italy Pork rind

cotignac France A thick quince and apple jelly eaten as a confectionery item

cotochinjos Brazil Parboiled chicken legs, coated in a paste of tapioca cooked in stock, deep-fried and served with a tomato sauce

cotogno Italy Quince

cotolette Italy 1. Chops 2. Cutlets

cotriade France A fish stew from Brittany using a fish stock made from wine, water, sweated finely chopped onions, a bouquet garni and the fish heads and trimmings, all

Cotswold cheese

strained through a coarse colander; sliced or whole potatoes simmered in the stock for 30 minutes; pieces of various fish added and simmered a further 12 minutes; the broth then separated, finished with cream and served over toasted bread; the fish and potatoes served as a separate course

Cotswold cheese England A type of double Gloucester cheese flavoured with chopped chives and/or onions

cottage cheese A low-fat, very loosetextured, soft mild cheese made of small white curds which have been repeatedly washed and drained and not pressed or matured. Popular in the USA and Europe. Contains 75 to 80% water, 3 to 5% fat and 15 to 16% protein.

cottage loaf A white yeasted bread made from a large sphere of dough on which is placed and secured a small sphere, the whole proven and baked on a flat baking tray cottage pie Stewed minced beef and onions in a thick gravy placed in a basin, topped with a layer of mashed potatoes whose surface is roughened with a fork, the whole

then baked in the oven until browned cottage potatoes United States Cold cooked

potatoes, diced or sliced, fried in butter without stirring until brown on one side, then turned over and browned on the other side. Also called country fried potatoes

cottage pudding United States Plain cake covered with a hot sweet pudding sauce

cotto 1. United States A type of salami containing pork and peppercorns. Abbreviated from salame cotto (‘cooked salami’). 2. Italy Cooked

cotton bean curd See momendofu cottonseed flour A high-protein flour (about

40%) often used to enrich bread cottonseed oil Oil extracted from cotton

seeds used in the fish canning industry cotton thistle The true Scottish thistle, a

hardy biennial, Onopordum acanthium, which can grow to 2.5 m. The young stems may be blanched, peeled and used like asparagus. The large flower heads may be cooked like globe artichokes.

cotufa Spain Jerusalem artichoke coturnice Italy Partridge

cou France 1. Neck, of chicken, etc. 2. Scrag end of lamb or veal, not the neck

couche-couche United States A Cajun dish of fried corn dough served with jam and milk or cane syrup

cou-cou A cooked paste served with fish. See also coo-coo

coudenac France A pork sausage from the Basque country. Eaten hot.

cou d’oie France A boned neck of goose with intact skin stuffed with a mixture of goose flesh, goose liver and truffles, cooked and preserved in goose fat. Eaten cold as a hors d’oeuvres.

Couhé Vérac France A goats’ milk cheese from Poitou which is wrapped in leaves

coulibiac France A fish pie, originally from Russia, of brioche or puff pastry filled with salmon or sturgeon, butter, mushrooms, rice or buckwheat and cream and possibly chopped hard-boiled eggs. Also called koulibiac

coulis England, France A purée or strongly flavoured thick sauce prepared without starch, of vegetables, tomatoes, meat, fish, etc. but more often of liquidized and sieved fruit, possibly with added sugar, acid or liqueur, consistency adjusted with fruit juice

coulis of shellfish The pounded remains of prawn or crawfish shells, eggs, coral and other remains of lobster or crawfish, mixed with cream and passed through a very fine sieve

Coulommiers France A mild soft creamy cheese made from cows’ milk, similar to Brie but cast in smaller (500 g) rounds. Also called Brie de Coulommiers

counter guard A transparent glass or plastic shield at and/or below face level used to protect unwrapped food on display from the coughs, sneezes and other contaminants emitted by customers. Also called sneeze guard

counter service The method of service where customers sit at a counter from behind which food is served and possibly cooked country captain 1. South Asia A west Bengal Anglo-Indian dish of skinned chicken pieces, browned in oil with sweated onion slices and mixed with a paste blended from fresh ginger, onion, garlic and water together with cayenne pepper, salt, sugar and white vinegar and all cooked until tender 2. United States A chicken stew adapted from the Indian version with green pepper, onion, garlic, curry powder, herbs, raisins,

tomatoes, almonds and seasoning

country fried potatoes United States Cottage potatoes

country ham United States Dry cured and highly salted ham

cou nu France A breed of chicken with a wellflavoured flesh not suitable for factory farming. Usually free-range and maize fed. (NOTE: Literally ‘bare neck’.)

coupe England, France An individual dish of ice cream, decorated and garnished with fruit sauces, fresh and preserved fruit, nuts,

whipped cream, crystallized flowers, chopped jelly, etc.

coupé-coupé Central Africa The Central African version of the barbecue in which a large piece of beef (brisket, flank, shoulder or the like), previously marinaded, is slow cooked over a hardwood or charcoal grill with plenty of smoke. The meat is basted every so often to keep it moist using the marinade and will normally take 4 to 5 hours to cook. As street food it would then be sliced and served in bread.

coupe dish A small, goblet-shaped glass or metal dish in which cold desserts are assembled and served

coupe glacée France Ice cream sundae coupe Jacques England, France Strawberry

and lemon ice cream topped with kirschsoaked fruit and decorated

coupe-oursin France A special tool for cutting sea urchins in half

coupe Saint-Jacques France Fruit salad topped with vanilla ice cream

couques Belgium A heavy, very sweet gingerbread

courge France Squash or gourd

courge à la moelle France Vegetable marrow courgette England, France The small juvenile version of the vegetable marrow (summer squash, Cucurbita pepo) up to 15 cm in length, usually green but yellow cultivars exist. Cooked whole or sliced, boiled, stewed, roasted or fried, used as a raw salad vegetable when very young. Also called

zucchini

courgette flowers The large, yellow, male flowers of pumpkins, squash and marrows. Must be used very fresh and are often stuffed with flavoured meat or served as fritters. Also called squash blossoms, zucchini flowers

couronne France A baguette formed into a circle or torus

couronne, en France In the shape of a ring or torus

couronne de côtelettes d’agneau rôties

France Crown roast of lamb made from two best ends

course An individual stage in a meal, particularly in the West, where different classes of food, e.g. soup, meat, desserts, hors d’oeuvres, savouries, cheese, fruit, etc. are served separately

court bouillon England, France A cooking liquor for deep-poaching fish consisting of water, vinegar, lemon juice, white wine, a bouquet garni and seasoning for the white variety, and malt vinegar, a bouquet garni and aromatic vegetables for the brown variety. Brown court bouillon should be

cover

cooked and strained before use. Other types are available, e.g. plain court bouillon, white wine court bouillon, red wine court bouillon and salted water. Fish served cold are allowed to cool in the CB.

courting cake England A Victoria sponge cake in three layers with strawberries and whipped cream filling and sprinkled with icing sugar. Once made in the north of England as evidence of the bride-to-be’s pastry skills.

couscous North Africa 1. A cereal made from fine semolina agglomerated with a little water to form grains about 3 mm across which are coated with fine wheat flour and dried 2. The name of the dish made from couscous which has been moistened with water to make it swell, then steamed, heaped on a plate and covered with steamed vegetables, mutton or chicken, with possibly chickpeas and/or onions glazed in honey

couscousière France An open steamer used for cooking couscous over a pan of stew as it simmers

couscous kedra North Africa Couscous with chicken, raisins and chickpeas

couscous royale North Africa Couscous with vegetables and grilled meats or kebabs, all served in separate dishes accompanied with harissa and individually self served by guests couteau France 1. Knife, as e.g. couteau de cuisine, kitchen knife 2. Razor shell (UK),

Razor shell clam (USA)

couve Portugal Cabbage and various species of Brassica

couve de bruxelas Portugal Brussels sprouts couve-flor Portugal Cauliflower

couve gallego Portuguese cabbage

couve lombarda Portugal 1. Collard greens 2.

Kale

couvert France Cover, place setting couverture A high-quality chocolate with

added cocoa butter to give a high gloss and various proportions of sugar, used for coating confectionery items and cakes and for making caraque. Milk solids are added to milk chocolate couverture.

couve tronchuda Portuguese cabbage Coventry cakes England Oven-baked pastry

triangles filled with jam and glazed with sugar

Coventry god cakes England Oven-baked puff pastry triangles filled with fruit mincemeat and glazed with sugar. Eaten at Christmas.

cover 1. A place setting for one person in a dining area. Capacities or quantities are often measured in covers. 2. A lid of a dish or pan, etc.

cover charge

cover charge A charge made in a restaurant on a per-capita basis, supposedly to cover the cost of preparing the table for the customer

cow A female of the bovine species, usually used for milking and reproduction and then for cheap beef or manufactured beef products

cowberry Large, tart, dark red berries similar to cranberries, from a shrub, Vaccinium vitisidaea, which grows in the colder highaltitude regions of Europe and North America. Popular in Germany and Scandinavia. Also called lingonberry, mountain cranberry

cow cod soup Caribbean A Jamaican soup made with a bull’s genitals

cowfoot Caribbean A thick and gelatinous stew from Jamaica made with calves’ or cows’ feet

cow heel The foot of a cow which, because of the large amount of collagen in the connective tissue is used to add gelatine to stocks or stews when boiled with them

cow pea An important erect legume, Vigna unguiculata, with pods to 15 cm which originated in Africa where it is grown for the dried seeds which can be black through to white or coloured. Now also grown in the Caribbean and the USA. It can be sprouted or, rarely, cooked in the pod when young. The leaves are sometimes eaten as a vegetable. The long bean which is common in southern China and Southeast Asia, has been bred from it. Also called black-eyed bean, black-eyed pea, black-eyed susie, Chinese bean, southern pea

cowslip A hardy herbaceous perennial, Primula veris, with yellow flowers and a rosette of primrose-type leaves. The flowers may be used in jams, pickles or for flavouring desserts. The leaves may be used in salads or for meat stuffings.

cows’ udder Elder

cozido 1. A Brazilian meat stew 2. Portugal Boiled

cozido à portuguesa Portugal A Portuguese national dish, being a stew made from brisket or similar cut of beef, bacon, sausage, yams, vegetables, cabbage, haricot beans and rice. The cooking liquor serves as both soup and sauce. The sausage is usually bland e.g. farinheira, but white or black pudding may be substituted. Pigs’ ears, tails and trotters are sometimes included. Also called Portuguese boiled dinner

cozinha Portugal Kitchen

cozze Italy The southern Italian name for mussels

cozzula Italy A type of bread from Sardinia crab A short-tailed decapod (10-legged)

crustacean which yields 38 to 50% of its weight in edible meat. Varieties include: blue crab, jonah crab, mud crab, red crab, rock crab, shore crab, snow crab, southern stone crab, spanner crab and spider crab. See also common crab

crab apple The wild version of the apple, Malus pumila, with generally small (up to 3 cm diameter) tart and crisp fruits. Used for making jams and preserves.

crab au gratin United States A Louisiana dish of cooked crab meat bound together with a béchamel sauce mixed with sour cream and seasoning, gratinated with cheese and browned in the oven

crab backs Caribbean A dish of cooked crab meat mixed with fried onions, fried skinned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and seasoning, served on a crab shell, sprinkled with breadcrumbs and butter and browned in the oven

crab bisque United States A Louisiana bisque made from a white roux thickened milk base with fried onions, cooked crab meat, sweet corn kernels, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces and seasoning

crab boil United States A social occasion at which crabs are boiled in water flavoured with the following whole spices in a bouquet garni, black peppercorns, mustard seed, dill seed, coriander seed, cloves, allspice, dried ginger and bay leaf, and then served with accompaniments

crab butter The yellow-white fat which lines the upper shell of the crab. Used in dressings and sauces.

crab claws The two large pincer-like claws on either side of the mouth parts. The meat is considered to be the best from the crab.

crabe France Crab

crabe froid à l’anglaise France Dressed crab crabe vert France Shore crab

crab legs. United States The legs of the Alaskan king crab which are large enough to be eaten on their own. They do not include the claws.

crab Louis United States A Californian salad of crab meat on a chiffonade of lettuce, coated with Louis sauce and garnished with hard-boiled egg and black olives

crab yolk Tomalley

cracked wheat Coarsely crushed grains of wheat, dry cooked for 25 minutes. Served hot as a breakfast cereal, served as an accompaniment to other dishes or sprinkled on rolls or bread prior to baking. Also called kibbled wheat

cracked wheat flour United States A coarse flour rather like oatmeal which has been cut from the wheat rather than ground and hence does not release starch very readily cracker United States The general name given to any type of plain or salted hard

biscuit

cracker flour United States A soft wheat flour with a low water absorption ability

crackling The skin of a pork, bacon or ham joint which has been scored to 3 or 4 mm with a sharp knife in strips or a diamond pattern prior to roasting and which becomes crisp and golden brown if basted with water; it is served as an accompaniment to the roast

cracklins United States Crackling

cracknel United States A type of hard crisp plain biscuit made of a paste which is boiled before being baked causing it to puff up

crackseed United States The bruised and squashed seeds of various fruits which are preserved in salt and sugar (NOTE: From Hawaii)

crakeberry Crowberry

crake herring Ireland The northern name for scad

Crambe maritima Botanical name Seakale cranachan 1. Ireland A dessert made from

stiffly whipped cream into which honey and whisky (6:1:1) are folded, followed by toasted and chopped almonds and toasted rolled oats, flavoured with lemon juice and garnished with orange slices 2. Scotland Crannochan

cranberry The hard ripe fruits (diameter to 2 cm) of a wild or cultivated evergreen shrub,

Vaccinium macrocarpum, which grows in cool regions of the northern hemisphere. They are deep red in colour, very tart and used in sweet and savoury dishes, the most famous of which is as a sauce accompaniment to turkey. Also called bounceberry, craneberry

cranberry juice The juice of cranberries containing compounds which prevent even antibiotic-resistant bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract lining and causing urinary tract infections.The effect occurs after 2 hours and remains for up to 12 hours. It should not be taken in conjunction with blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin.

cranberry sauce Cranberries stewed with water and sugar, liquidized and sieved. Traditionally served with turkey. Also called airelles, sauce

craneberry See cranberry

crannochan Scotland A dessert made from raspberries, cream, toasted oatmeal, whisky

crayfish, Scandinavian cooking

liqueur and heather honey. Also called cranachan

cranshaw melon United States A hybrid of the Persian and the winter melon

crapaud Caribbean An edible toad,

Leprodactylus fallax, found in Dominica and Montserrat. Also called mountain chicken

crapaudine, à la France Cut horizontally from below the point of the breast over the top of the legs to the wing joints, back bone broken and the whole flattened so that the breast points forward, the legs back and the wings are folded in the centre. It is then grilled and with imagination resembles a toad. Also called spatchcock (NOTE: Literally ’toad-like’.)

crappit Scotland Stuffed, filled

crappit heids Scotland Cleaned haddock heads stuffed with a mixture of oatmeal, suet and onions, then boiled

crappit muggies Scotland Cod stomachs stuffed with a mixture of minced cod liver, oatmeal and finely chopped and sautéed onions. From the northern islands.

craquelet Switzerland Seasoned pork and beef, processed to a very fine creamy paste, packed into casings, smoked and cooked. Eaten hot or cold.

craquelot France A type of bloater. See also bouffi

Crataegus azarolus Botanical name Azarole Craterellus cornucopioides Botanical name

Horn of plenty crauti Italy Sauerkraut cravo Portugal Clove

cravo-de-india Portugal Clove

crawfish 1. Spiny lobster 2. United States The Créole name for freshwater crayfish

crayfish 1. A freshwater crustacean resembling the lobster, found in unpolluted streams and lakes but now generally farmed. Crayfish breed in autumn and are best caught in summer. Cooked as lobster. The European variety, Astacus fluviatilis, is about the size of a Dublin Bay prawn. Some Australian varieties can weigh up to 6 kg. Most make excellent eating. Also called crawfish. See also signal crayfish, yabbie, marron 2. The name is often used indiscriminately for crayfish, crawfish and similar crustaceans with or without claws, especially in the USA

crayfish, Scandinavian cooking Cleaned live crayfish immersed in just sufficient salted boiling water flavoured with dill flowers to completely cover them, the water brought back to the boil and the crayfish boiled for exactly 3 minutes, drained, refreshed and then left in the cooled cooking liquor for 24 hours

crayfish butter

crayfish butter Beurre d’écrevisses crayfish sauce Hollandaise sauce or sauce

vin blanc mixed with beurre d’écrevisses creachan Scotland A north Scottish haggis-

type pudding made with the entrails of calves cream The globules of butter fat which rise to the top of milk entrapping larger or smaller amounts of milk. The type is determined by the butterfat content. See half cream, single cream, whipping cream, double cream, extra thick double cream, clotted cream, Jersey

cream, etc.

cream, to To beat one or a mixture of ingredients vigorously so as to give it or them the consistency of whipped cream and incorporate air, especially fat and sugar in cake making

cream bun See cream puff

cream caramel See crème caramel

cream cheese A soft, acid curdled spreading cheese made from a mixture of cows’ milk and cream. The curds are spun off and milled with stabilizers and preservatives prior to packaging for immediate sale and consumption. Contains between 45% and 65% butter fat. Also called Philadelphia cream cheese

cream crackers Light, fawn-coloured, square unsweetened biscuits made from flour, fat, water and salt. Usually eaten with cheese. Nothing to do with cream.

cream-crowdie Scotland Crannokan creamed cakes Cakes made by the creaming

method with high proportions of fat, sugar and eggs to flour. Usually require little if any raising agent due to the amounts of air incorporated during preparation. Examples are Madeira cake, rich fruit cake, Victoria sponge. Also called rich cakes

creamed coconut See coconut cream creamer 1. A dry white powder made from

glucose and vegetable fats used as a substitute for cream or milk in coffee 2. An implement for separating cream from milk cream horns Cones made from overlapping strips of puff pastry wrapped around conical metal moulds, baked in the oven, cooled, removed from the mould and filled with jam

and whipped cream

creaming method of making cakes The method of making cakes by vigorously beating together fat and sugar to incorporate air and give a soft, light, fluffy texture, incorporating well beaten eggs slowly with continuous beating to form a stable emulsion, then gently folding in flour and other dry ingredients to avoid losing air. The trapped air expands with steam during the

baking and setting process. e.g. Victoria sandwich, fruit cake.

creaming quality The ability of fats to absorb air when mixed or beaten

cream nut Brazil nut

cream of artichoke soup See Palestine, crème

cream of green pea soup See Saint Germain, crème

cream of tartar Acid potassium tartrate (potassium hydrogen tartrate), a crystalline substance which is precipitated from wine as it ages. Now made synthetically and combined with sodium bicarbonate to make the raising agent baking powder.

cream of tomato soup See tomates, crème de

cream of vegetable soup Vegetable soup with added cream, milk or béchamel sauce

cream puff 1. A round bun of cooked choux pastry, split, centre scooped out if soft, the halves filled with whipped cream or crème pâtissière and sandwiched together then dusted with icing sugar or coated with coffee or chocolate-flavoured soft icing. Also called cream bun 2. United States Profiterole

cream puff pastry United States Choux pastry

cream sauce Béchamel sauce with the addition of cream, natural yoghurt or fromage blanc. Used for poached fish and boiled vegetables. Also called crème, sauce

cream slices Baked rectangles of puff pastry divided into two rectangles of the same area which are sandwiched together with jam and whipped cream or crème pâtissière and the top covered with soft icing. Also called millefeuilles

cream soup 1. A soup made from a vegetable purée soup with added cream, milk or yoghurt 2. A vegetable purée type of soup mixed with béchamel sauce 3. A velouté soup with added cream, milk or yoghurt

cream tea England An afternoon snack or meal consisting of scones, whipped or clotted cream and jam served with tea. Popular in Devon and Cornwall and country district tourist areas.

crecchietto Italy A type of pasta from Apulia

crécy, (à la) France In the Crécy style, i.e. garnished with or containing carrots

crédioux aux noix France A soft, cookedcurd cows’ milk cheese coated with walnut pieces

cree’d wheat Frumenty wheat

crema 1. Italy, Spain Cream 2. Italy Custard, custard cream, dessert 3. Italy Cream soup

crema batida Spain Whipped cream

crema catalana Catalonia Crème brûlée flavoured with cinnamon and lemon and served very cold

crema di pollo Italy Cream of chicken soup crema di verdura Italy Puréed vegetables possibly including potatoes or cooked rice

and finished with cream

crema española Spain A dessert made with flavoured and sweetened milk and eggs set with gelatine

crema fritta Italy Fried sweet or savoury egg custard cut in diamond shapes

crema pasticceria Italy Crème pâtissière, confectioner’s custard

crema rovesciata Italy Baked egg custard cremat Catalonia 1. Crisp-fried 2.

Caramelized

creme Portugal 1. Cream 2. Cream soup crème France Cream

crème, à la France With or containing cream crème Agnés Sorel France A cream of chicken soup garnished with mushroom

slices and julienne of tongue crème aigre France Sour cream

crème à l’anglaise France A thick egg custard made with 16 egg yolks and 500 g of sugar per litre of milk, flavoured as required with vanilla, lemon zest or, after cooling, with liqueur. The sugar and egg are whisked to the ribbon stage and boiling milk added, whisked, and heated to a coating consistency. Must not be boiled. Strained and served hot or cold. Also called sauce anglaise, crème anglaise, English egg custard

crème à la vanille France A vanilla-flavoured baked egg custard

crème anglaise France Crème à l’anglaise crème au beurre France Crème beurre crème bachique France Cinnamon and

sauternes-flavoured custard

crème bavaroise France A dessert made from vanilla-flavoured egg custard or fruit purée. See also bavarois

crème beurre France A butter cream for filling or covering cakes made by combining hot sugar syrup with egg yolks, cooling the mixture then whisking it into well-creamed butter with flavourings such as chocolate, coffee, vanilla and fruit purée. Also called crème au beurre

crème brûlée France A thick, rich egg custard baked in individual portions in ramekins, cooled, sprinkled with brown sugar and caramelized under the grill or with a blow torch until crisp

crème caramel France Individual sized ramekins, with a base layer of, or lined with,

créole, à la

caramel, filled with egg custard, baked in a bain-marie in the oven, cooled, demoulded on to a plate so that the caramel is on top and decorated or left plain. Sometimes made in a large dish and portioned. Also called cream caramel, caramel cream, caramel custard, French flan, flan

crème chantilly France Sweetened whipped cream

crème crécy France Creamed carrot soup garnished with plain boiled rice

crème d’amandes France Almond cream crème de riz France White soup coloured and

thickened with powdered rice

crème d’orge France Soup made with fine barley

crème fleurette France Unsweetened whipping cream

crème fouettée France Whipped cream crème fraîche France A lactobacillus culture

of cream with a fresh sour taste. It may be used as cream, keeps better and does not separate on boiling.

crème frite France A custard, stiffened with thick flour and egg yolk, flavoured and sweetened, then spread 1.5 cm thick, cooled and chilled, cut in shapes, battered or panéed and deep-fried. If panéed sprinkled with caster sugar, if battered dredged with icing sugar and glazed under the grill.

crème glacée France 1. Ice cream 2. Ice cream sundae

crème moulée France Baked egg custard served cold either in a dish or demoulded

crème patisserie See crème pâtissière crème pâtissière England, France

Confectioner’s custard. An egg and flourthickened custard made with sweetened milk flavoured with vanilla (4 eggs and 200 g flour per litre). Used as a filling for flans, cakes, pastries, tarts, etc. The flour prevents the egg from curdling.

crème pralinée France Crème pâtissière flavoured with powdered praline

crème renversée France A demoulded crème caramel. Also called cup custard

Crémet Nantais France A soft white unsalted cream cheese from Brittany made with cows’ milk

crémeux (euse) France Creamy

cremona mustard See mostarda di Cremona crempog Wales Welsh pancake

crempog las Wales Pancake omelette crenata United States Pine nut

créole, à la France In the Creole style, i.e. with rice and possibly tomatoes and sweet peppers

Créole

Créole United States A style of cooking developed by the settlers of part French descent from Louisiana using tomatoes, peppers, onions and spices. See also Créole cuisine

Créole cheese United States A New Orleans speciality cheese consisting of cottage cheese with double cream

Créole Christmas cake Caribbean A dark, rich fruit cake from Trinidad, well flavoured with rum, brandy, port and liqueur. Also called gateau noir

Créole crab United States The meat from freshly boiled crab (10 minutes) fried gently in olive oil, a little water, chopped onion and garlic, lemon juice, seasoning, thyme, bay leaf and a chilli pepper added, then simmered slowly for 30 minutes. Served with boiled rice after discarding the bay, thyme, bouquet garni and chilli pepper.

Créole cuisine United States A cooking style developed in the Southern USA combining Caribbean, French, African and Spanish cooking based on shellfish, rice, okra and filé powder

Créole mustard United States A hot whole grain mustard seed macerated in vinegar

crepe Italy, Portugal Pancake

crêpe France A large thin pancake made with white flour

crêpe dentelle France A very thin pancake from Brittany

crêperie France A restaurant or shop usually with a connection with Brittany which specializes in filled sweet and savoury crêpes and pancakes

crepes do céu Portugal Pancakes filled with whipped cream and candied fruit (NOTE: Literally ‘Heavenly crêpes’.)

crêpes Parmentier France Potato-based pancakes

crêpes Suzette France Small pancakes folded in quarters, simmered in a buttery orange sauce, flamed with brandy and served as a dessert

crépine France Pig’s caul

crépinette France 1. A croquette wrapped in grilled or fried bacon 2. A ball of seasoned and flavoured minced meat, wrapped in pig’s caul or very thin slices of salt pork fat, possibly coated with melted butter and breadcrumbs and baked, grilled or fried. Also called caillette 3

crépinettes d’agneau France Crépinettes filled with a mixture of chopped lamb and duxelles bound with espagnole sauce

crépinettes d’agneau à la liégeoise

Belgium Crépinettes filled with a mixture of chopped lamb, breadcrumbs moistened

with milk, sweated chopped onions, seasoning and crushed juniper berries

crépinettes de foie de porc à la vauclusienne France Crépinettes filled with a seasoned mixture of chopped pig’s liver, bacon, spinach, onion and stoned black olives, flavoured with chopped parsley and nutmeg, tied and baked in the oven

crépinettes de volaille France Crépinettes filled with chopped chicken and mushroom, possibly with truffles, bound in a chicken velouté sauce

crépinettes Reine Jeanne France

Crépinettes filled with chopped blanched sheeps’ or calves’ brains, duxelles and truffles, bound with a thick béchamel sauce, panéed with egg white and breadcrumbs, fried and served hot with lemon wedges

crèque France Bullace, the fruit crescent United States Croissant

crescente Italy Dough made with flour, sodium bicarbonate raising agent, salt and milk, rested, rolled into very thin discs which are fried both sides in hot olive oil until they bubble, drained and served hot with a savoury topping

crescentina Italy Flat bread made from dough containing pieces of bacon

crescenza Italy A soft cows’ milk cheese with a buttery texture and no rind from Northern Italy and similar to Stracchino. Contains 57% water, 22% fat and 20% protein.

crescione Italy Deep-fried pasta triangles filled with spinach and cream

crescione dei prati Italy Lady’s smock crescione di fonte Italy Watercress crescione di giardino Italy Cress crespella Italy A thin stuffed crêpe

crespone Italy A salami from Milan made with approximately equal amounts of lean pork, lean beef and pork fat, seasoned and flavoured with garlic and moistened with white wine, packed in fat ends or beef middles, dry-salted and air-dried

cress A small plant, Lepidium sativum, from Iran. The seeds are grown to the two leaf stage on a 6 cm stalk, generally together with mustard and used in salads or for garnishing. It may be grown for the young true leaves, which are harvested continuously. Also called garden cress, curly cress, peppercress, peppergrass

cresson alénois France Land cress cresson cultivé France Cress

cresson de fontaine France Watercress cresson de prés France Lady’s smock cresson de ruisseau France Watercress cresson d’Inde France Nasturtium

cressonnière, purée France A purée Parmentier with watercress added with the potatoes, and garnished with blanched and refreshed watercress leaves

cretons 1. France Crackling 2. Canada A type of rillette from Quebec made from crisped bacon rind simmered with pork, onions, spices and seasoning until soft, thickened with bread crumbs and allowed to set in a mould. Usually served on bread.

crevalle See crevalle jack

crevalle jack An oily tropical and warm water sea fish of the genus Caranx with a deep body, bluish green on top, silver underneath, weighing 1 to 3 kg. Also called crevalle, jack, common jack

crevette France Brown shrimp crevette grise France Shrimp

crevette nordique France Deepwater prawn crevette rose France Common prawn crevette rose du large France A large pink

king prawn, Parapenaeus longirostris, caught off Spain, Portugal and in the Mediterranean and up to 16 cm long. Also called red prawn

crevette rouge France A large king prawn found in the Mediterranean which is either,

Aristeus antennatus, up to 20 cm long with a light red body and a mauve head or,

Aristeomorphia foliacea, up to 30 cm and blood red in colour

crevette royale France A Mediterranean king prawn. See also caramote

crevettes, sauce aux France Boiling fish velouté, consistency adjusted using fish stock or cream, seasoned, strained and finished with picked shrimps

criadilla de tierra Spain Truffle, the fungus criadillas Spain 1. Sweetbreads 2. Testicles crimp, to To pinch together, successively along the edges of pastry where two layers meet, as in a covered pie or pasty, so as to seal the pastry and for decoration. See also

scallop, to

crinkled musket Barrel bread

criolla, a la Spain In the South American style

crisp, to To make food brittle and firm e.g. by chilling vegetables, by drying off biscuits or bread in the oven, by soaking in water or commercially with a variety of firming agents crispbread A, usually rectangular, crisp, light biscuit made from crushed rye or wheat, salt and water, often with a pattern of depressions. Thought to be non-fattening but if buttered, the depressions hold more

butter that the equivalent flat biscuit.

croquembouche

crisphead lettuce A type of lettuce with very crisp leaves forming a tight solid ball. Called iceberg when the outer leaves are removed. crispito Mexico A tightly rolled tortilla, fried or deep-fried and eaten with dipping sauces crisps Thin slices of raw potato deep-fried in hot oil until brown and crisp. Nowadays often made with processed potatoes so as to have a regular shape. May be flavoured and seasoned. Also called potato crisps, game

chips

Crithmum maritimum Botanical name

Samphire

critical moisture content The percentage of water in a food item or substance at which it becomes unsuitable for sale or use

critmo Italy Samphire, Crithmum maritimum croaker The general term for any of over 200 species of fish which make croaking noises

e.g. the Atlantic croaker croccante Italy Praline crocche Italy Croquette crocchetta Italy Croquette

crocette Italy Small cone-shaped shellfish crockery Plates, dishes, cups, etc. and all

types of domestic pots, usually of ceramic materials, used at meals

Crocus sativus Botanical name Saffron croissant France A light, flaky, crescent-

shaped breakfast roll made from white, yeast-raised dough interleaved with butter in the same way as puff pastry. Cut in triangular shape, rolled with a point on the outside and bent into a crescent shape before baking.

cromesquis France A small cylindrical croquette of minced meat bound with a thick sauce, wrapped in bacon or pig’s caul, coated with fritter batter and deep-fried. Served as a hors d’oeuvre or light main course. Also called kromeski, kromesky (NOTE: Cromesquis are a 19th-century French adaptation of a Polish dish)

crookneck squash A yellow or orange summer squash with a neck bent into a hook, common in the USA. Also called yellow squash

crop A chamber at the bottom of a bird’s throat in which food is stored prior to it being passed on to the gizzard for processing

croquant 1. France Crunchy 2. A type of crisp biscuit

croque au sel, à la France 1. With salt and nothing else 2. With a sprinkling of salt

croque-madame France As croque-monsieur, but with cooked chicken replacing the ham croquembouche France A tall pyramid made of cream-filled choux pastry spheres coated with caramel and decorated. Traditionally

served at French weddings.