A Dictionary of Food

gåsleverpastej

marjoram, loosely packed in the unbroken neck skin of the goose, tied and simmered until cooked. Served cold or in made up dishes.

gåsleverpastej Sweden One goose liver finely minced with one third of it weight of lean pork and one third its weight of suet, passed through a coarse sieve, mixed with ground cloves, bayleaf and nutmeg, seasoned, placed in a covered greased mould and cooked in a bain-marie in a medium oven for 30 to 40 minutes

gas mark A scale of temperature, written as GM, peculiar to gas ovens and based on an arbitrary scaling of the first oven thermostat when °F were in use. The relationship to temperature is as follows:- GM1/4 110°C, 225°F; GM1/2 130°C, 250°F; GM1 140°C, 275°F; and thereafter 25°F per unit until GM9 240°C, 475°F. Also called regulo

gåsöga Sweden As solöga, but with rings of anchovy, onion and dill

gaspereau Alewife

gass Middle East Doner kebab gastaurello Italy Skipper, the fish

gastronome A connoisseur of fine food and wine

gastronomy The study and knowledge of fine food and wine

gastropod The name given to any mollusc (soft bodied invertebrates without segments or limbs) with a hard, one piece outer shell, sometimes coiled, such as the abalone, snail, whelk, winkle, etc. Also called univalve

gata Philippines Coconut gà tây Vietnam Turkey

gâteau 1. France Cake 2. England, France An elaborate cake sliced for a dessert made from layers of sponge, biscuit or pastry or a mixture of these interspersed with sweet fillings and decorated

gâteau au fromage France Cheesecake gâteau aux amandes France Almond cake gâteau d’anniversaire France Birthday cake gâteau de patate Caribbean Cooked sweet

potato mashed with ripe banana and sugar (12:2:3) and eggs (3 per kg of potato), flavoured with coconut cream, vanilla essence, cinnamon and nutmeg then let down to a thick pouring mixture with evaporated milk, baked in a buttered tin for 90 minutes at 180°C, turned out, cooled and served with cream or coquimol (NOTE: From Haiti)

gâteau de riz France Rice pudding

gâteau de semoule France Semolina pudding

gâteau noir France Créole Christmas cake

gâteau Pithiviers France Two layers of puff pastry with a rich cream filling containing almonds and rum (NOTE: From Pithiviers) gâteau Saint Honoré France A circle of cooked shortcrust or sugar pastry, biscuit or sponge, with a circle of choux pastry piped around the edge, topped with choux buns filled with whipped cream and coated with caramel, the centre filled with crème

pâtissière and the whole decorated gâteaux à apéritif France Small savoury

biscuits

gato marino Spain Lesser spotted dogfish gato pardo Spain Larger spotted dogfish

gatto, gatto di patate Italy Seasoned mashed potatoes enriched with eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese, half of the mixture spread in a flat oven-proof dish, covered with Mozzarella and/or other cheeses or fillings, covered with the remainder of the mixture, gratinated with breadcrumbs and baked until crisp on top

gattuccio Italy Lesser spotted dogfish Gätupgelter Germany Channel catfish gaucho Argentina A rich-tasting firm cheese

made from skimmed cows’ milk resembling

Port-Salut

gau choy China Chinese chive or garlic chive gau choy fa Flowering chive with a mild

flavour

gau choy sum China Flowering chive with a strong flavour

gaufres Belgium, France Rectangular waffles made by cooking a pancake mixture with raising agent between two hot indented metal plates (gaufrier) to give a large surface to volume ratio. Served with butter or sugar syrup.

gaufrette France Wafer

Gaultheria procumbens Botanical name

Wintergreen gaur See guar bean

gaur bean See guar bean

gau wong China Yellow chives, i.e. Chinese chives which have been blanched by growing them in the dark

ga xao xa ot Vietnam Chicken stir-fry with lemon grass and chillies

gayette France A small Provençal crépinette made with pigs’ liver, fat bacon and possibly pork, diced, finely seasoned and flavoured with garlic and spice, wrapped in pig’s caul and tied, baked in the oven in lard or stock. Served hot or cold.

gazpacho Spain A cold soup based on stale bread, garlic, oil and vinegar pounded to a paste and mixed with water, nowadays incorporating various salad ingredients such

as tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, leaves and herbs. The bread is often omitted.

gdra North Africa The lower part of a couscousière in which the meat and vegetables are cooked to produce steam. See also kskas

ge China Pigeon

Gebäck Germany Fancy pastries, tortes, rolls, biscuits, generally eaten in the afternoons

gebacken Germany 1. Fried 2. Baked gebackene Eier Germany Fried egg. Also

called Spiegeleier

gebackene Kartoffeln Germany Baked potatoes

gebakjes Netherlands 1. Pastries 2. Tartlets gebakken Netherlands Fried

gebonden soep Netherlands 1. Cream soup

2. Thick soup

gebraden Netherlands Roasted

gebraden kip Netherlands Roast or fried chicken

gebraten Germany Roasted

gebunden Germany Thickened (as of sauces) gedämpfte Ente Germany Steamed duck gedämpfte Rinderbrust Germany Beef,

marinated in wine and slowly braised with onions and carrots

ge dan China Pigeon egg

gedünstete Gurke Germany Stewed cucumbers in a sour cream sauce

gedünsteter Ochsenschlepp Germany

Braised oxtail

gee choy China Nori sheets gee jook China Bean curd sticks

geelbeck toutjies South Africa A traditional Cape delicacy made by removing the head and bones from a Cape salmon (a relative of the cod) but leaving the flesh attached to the tail. The flesh is cut into 4-cm-wide strips which are salted and hung up to dry. After 5 hours the salt is washed off and the fish is resalted lightly and hung up for seven days. It is then ready to eat.

gefilte fish Fish balls of ground raw fish with seasonings, or fish cutlets stuffed with the same mixture, simmered in a court bouillon with sliced carrots and saffron. A Jewish speciality served hot or cold.

Geflügel Germany 1. Poultry 2. Fowl Geflügelklein Germany Chicken giblets

Geflügelleber Germany Chicken livers Geflügelragout Austria A chicken and

chicken giblet stew gefüllt Germany Stuffed

gefüllte Kartoffeln Germany Stuffed baked potatoes

gelée

gefüllter Gansenhals Germany A goose liver sausage made from chopped goose liver and pork, mixed with breadcrumbs and seasoning, bound with egg, stuffed into the intact skin of the goose’s neck, tied and fried in goose fat. Eaten cold.

gefüllter Rinderbraten Germany Rib roast of beef stuffed with onions, celery, carrots and hard-boiled eggs

gefüllter Schöpsenrücken Germany Roast and stuffed saddle of mutton

gegrillt Germany Grilled gehakt Netherlands Chopped

gehaktballetjes Netherlands Meatballs

Geheimratskäse Austria, Germany A semihard, scalded-curd close-textured cheese produced in Southern Germany. It has small holes and a delicate taste and is enclosed in a tender rind.

Gehirn Germany Brains

Gehirnwurst Germany A sausage made from a mixture of 2 parts pigs’ brain, 1 part lean pork and 1 part pork fat, chopped, seasoned and flavoured with mace, filled into hog casings, linked in pairs, boiled for 5 minutes then cooled. Served fried in butter.

gekocht Germany 1. Boiled 2. Cooked gekookt Netherlands Boiled gekristalliseerde gember Netherlands

Crystallized ginger

gel Jelly. Technically any liquid which is in a solid state by virtue of the network of strands of protein or carbohydrate which gives it a solid structure.

gel, to To set into a jelly gelat Catalonia Ice cream gelatin United States Gelatine

gelatina Italy, Spain 1. Gelatine 2. Jelly gelatine The soluble protein obtained by

boiling bones and connective tissues in water and purifying it by fractional precipitation. Produced in powder form and as a purer sheet or leaf. Used extensively for gelling and setting jellies, aspic, mousses, etc. and adding body to sauces and soups. Since proteases break down the protein and destroy the gelling action it cannot be used with raw pineapple or paw paw or other fruits used to tenderize meat. See also leaf gelatine

gélatine France Gelatine Gelatine Germany Gelatine

gelato Italy 1. Ice cream 2. Iced, frozen, or chilled

Gelbe Rübe Germany Carrot

Gelbwurz Germany Turmeric gelé Sweden Jelly

gelée France 1. Jelly 2. Aspic

gelée, en

gelée, en France 1. Garnished with chopped jelly 2. Coated in aspic jelly

geléia Portugal Jelly gelinotte France Hazel hen

gelling agent Any substance which when dissolved in a liquid will enable it to set into a gel

gelo Italy Ice

gelo di melone Italy The diced and sieved pulp of watermelon, sweetened, thickened with arrowroot or fécule, flavoured with vanilla and mixed when cool with chopped bitter chocolate, candied fruit and pistachio nuts, allowed to set in moulds, demoulded and sprinkled with cinnamon

gelsomino Italy Jasmine gema Portugal Egg yolk gember Netherlands Ginger

gemeiner Dornhai Germany Rock salmon gemeiner Krake Germany Octopus gemeine Sepie Germany Cuttlefish

gemelli Italy Short lengths of spaghetti twisted together

gemischt Germany Mixed

gemischter kalter Braten Germany A plate of assorted sliced cold roast meats

gemischter Salat Germany Mixed salad gemsenfleish Italy A dish of chamois cooked

in vinegar and served with polenta. From the alpine region.

Gemüse Germany Vegetables Gemüsesuppe Germany Vegetable soup gendarme 1. France Popular name for red

herring (hareng saur), often served as a hors d’oeuvre 2. France, Switzerland A small flat rectangular spicy smoked sausage made with beef, pork fat, pork rind and wine. See also Ländjäger

genevoise, sauce France A fine mirepoix of vegetables browned in butter with parsley, thyme and bayleaf, a chopped salmon head and pepper added and stewed, the fat drained off, red wine added and reduced by half, a fish-stock-based espagnole sauce added, simmered 1 hour, strained, skimmed and finished with anchovy essence and butter. Served with salmon and trout.

gen furay West Africa A snack from the Gambia consisting of small fried fish, coated with a mixture of fried onions, tomatoes, garlic and chilli

Genghis Khan griddle Mongolian barbecue gengibre Portugal Ginger

genièvre France Juniper berry

genip Caribbean A small round fruit like a grape, from the tropical American tree,

Melicoccus bijugatus, eaten raw by removing the skin and sucking the slightly astringent

pulp off the seed. Also called Spanish lime, chenette

genmai Japan Brown rice

genoa cake A fruit cake decorated with almonds or brazil nuts

genoese A light sponge cake made from creamed eggs and sugar into which molten butter is rapidly whisked to form a stable emulsion. Sifted flour is then folded in prior to baking. Also called génoise, genoese cake, genoese sponge

genoese cake, genoese sponge See genoese genoese sponge mixture Flour, butter, caster sugar and eggs (2:1:2:4) without raising agent. Made up by the whisking method.

génoise France Genoese

génoise, à la France In the Genoese style, i.e. including tomato sauce

génoise, sauce France A purée of skinned pistachios, pine nuts and a little cold béchamel, strained then made into a mayonnaise type sauce with egg yolk, lemon juice and oil

genoise paste Flour, butter, caster sugar and eggs (2:1:3:5), made up using the whisking method and used for baked desserts. Not to be confused with genoese, which is a cake. genovese, alla Italy In the Genoese style, i.e.

with olive oil and garlic

gen stew West Africa A fish stew from the Gambia containing onions, green sweet peppers, tomatoes, garlic and chilli

gentleman’s relish England A paste made from salted anchovies, tomatoes and extenders used as a relish and to spread on fingers of hot buttered toast as a savoury geoduck A large Pacific clam, Panope generosa, weighing up to 1.5 kg. The flesh is

usually fried.

George’s bank flounder Winter flounder gepökeltes Rindfleisch Italy Ham, from the

alpine region

geranium See scented geraniums

Gerardmer Lorraine geräuchert Germany Smoked

geräucherte Bratwurst Germany A smoked

Bratwurst containing 6 parts of lean pork chopped fine to 1 part of fat bacon chopped coarsely

Geringium foetidum Botanical name See cilantro 2

germ That part of a seed, grain or nut from which the new plant starts to grow, equivalent to an embryo. The remainder of the seed is the food supply for the growing plant.

German chocolate United States A milk chocolate for cooking, flavoured with vanilla

and containing additives which make it stable when heated

German coffee A mixture of kirsch and hot sweetened coffee topped with whipped cream and drunk through the cream

German garlic sausage See Jagdwurst

German lentils The original brown lentils used in British cooking since the Victorian era

German millet Foxtail millet

German mustard A prepared, sweetish mustard from Dusseldorf, often flavoured with herbs and spices

germano reale Italy Mallard, the wild duck

German pound cake A cake similar to genoa cake but with less fruit and no almonds or brazil nuts

German salami A hard, preserved and highly seasoned slicing sausage about 5 cm in diameter made from finely minced pork and beef, normally flavoured with garlic and peppercorns and contained in a casing. Sometimes smoked.

German sausage 1. A generic name for all sausages originating in Germany usually made from 100% meat products with spices, flavourings, garlic and seasoning, often smoked. There are three principal types:

Brühwurst, Rohwurst and Kochwurst. 2.

United Kingdom Luncheon sausage germicide A disinfectant

Géromé France A cows’ milk cheese from Lorraine similar to Munster

Géromé anisé France Géromé cheese flavoured with aniseed

gerookt Netherlands Smoked

gerookte paling Netherlands Smoked eel eaten as a snack or hors d’oeuvres, garnished with lemon and gherkin slices

geroosterd brood Netherlands Toast geröstet Germany Grilled

geröstete Kartoffeln Germany Fried potatoes gerst Netherlands Barley

Gerste Germany Barley

Gerstensuppe Germany, Italy Barley soup containing bacon, onions and celery from the alps

gerty meat pudding England A type of haggis from Cornwall made from boiled pigs’ offal including lungs and spleen, minced with the scallops from the fat and with groats, boiled in the cooking liquor from the offal, seasoned, packed into large casings, tied and boiled

Gervais France A branded soft cream cheese generally sold in 6 individually wrapped segments of a circle, but the name is also

ghee

used to denote the general types of fresh cows’ milk cheeses sold in small tubs

geschabt Germany 1. Scraped 2. Grated 3. Ground

geschmort Germany 1. Braised 2. Stewed

Geschnetzeltes Switzerland Fried pieces of veal and fried chopped onions simmered in a sauce made from wine, stock, seasoning and cream. Usually accompanied by Rösti.

geselchtes Austria Smoked pork or bacon gęsinka Poland A soup made from chopped

carrots, onions, celeriac and mushrooms sweated in butter until tender, passed through a sieve and mixed with beef broth, seasoned, thickened with sour cream and egg yolks and finished with lemon juice and a little cooked pearl barley

gesottenes Rindfleisch Germany Boiled beef and vegetables, served with horseradish sauce

gestoofd Netherlands Stewed

Gestreifte Germany Red mullet, Mullus surmuletus

getmesost Sweden A Swedish version of getost cheese made with the whey from goats’ milk cheese

getost Sweden A hard goats’ milk cheese, drysalted and ripened for 2 to 4 months and with a dry rind

Getreide Germany Cereal

getrüffelt Germany Flavoured with truffles geung China Ginger root

gevogelte Netherlands Poultry gevuld Netherlands Stuffed

gevulde boterkoek Netherlands Buttercake with a marzipan filling

gevulde broodje Netherlands Filled bap or bread roll

gevulde kalfsborst Netherlands Stuffed breast of veal

gevulde kool Netherlands Cabbage rolls stuffed with a meat filling

gewöhnliche Herzmuschel Germany

Common cockle

Gewürz Germany Spice

Gewürzegurke Germany Pickled gherkin

Gewürzgurkensosse Germany A seasoned meat stock slightly thickened with roux, mixed with sweated chopped onions and finely chopped dill pickles (300 g per litre) and simmered 10 minutes

Gewürzkuchen Germany Spice cake

Gewürznelke Germany Clove, the spice ghaw-be-thot Burma Fried cabbage

flavoured with blachan

ghee South Asia Clarified unsalted butter used in Indian cooking because of its high smoke

gherigli

point in comparison with other oils and fats. Also called ghi, usli ghee

gherigli Italy Kernels of nuts, etc.

gherkin A small (up to 8 cm long) variety of prickly cucumber which grows in damp subtropical and tropical climates. The immature fruits are soaked in brine and treated with boiling vinegar. Some varieties of small ridge cucumbers are occasionally sold as gherkins.

ghi Ghee

ghiaccio Italy 1. Ice 2. Iced

ghiandole Italy Glands (thyroid, lymph, etc.) of pork

ghiotta Italy Dripping pan used under spitroasts

ghiotta, al Italy In a delicious style, nowadays with tasty vegetables and accompaniments such as onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, olives, capers or raisins

ghiotto Italy 1. Greedy 2. Delicious, appetizing ghiottone Italy A gourmand

ghiozzo Italy Goby, the fish

ghiraybah Persian Gulf Shortbread biscuits made with clarified butter using the creaming method

ghisau Italy A beef stew from Sardinia made with red wine, tomatoes and potatoes. Also called stuffau

ghiu Nepal Ghee

ghiveci cǎlugǎresc Romania Fried onions stewed with potatoes, carrots, celery, aubergines, courgettes, French beans, garlic and salt. Served with roast meat and bread. Also called monk’s hotchpotch

ghivetch 1. An Armenian vegetable stew made from garlic-flavoured olive oil and beef stock (3:8), seasoned, flavoured with bay, dried tarragon and oregano, brought to the boil, whatever mixed vegetables are available added, and the whole baked in a closed dish at 180°C for about 1 hour until all tender. Quick cooking vegetables may be added towards the end. 2. Bulgaria As the Armenian version but with and egg and yoghurt topping and baked without a lid

ghoriba North Africa A type of Moroccan macaroon made with beaten whole eggs, icing sugar and ground almonds (1:2:4), flavoured with lemon zest and vanilla but raised with baking powder (1:50 on almonds). Baked at 180°C. Also called ghriyyba

ghormehsabzi Iran Lamb chops and kidney beans in a thick sauce flavoured with parsley, Persian leek, coriander and sun-dried lemon, served with rice

ghriyyba North Africa Ghoriba

ghuiyan Nepal, South Asia Yam gia Vietnam Bean sprouts giallo Italy Yellow

giambonetto Italy A boned leg of chicken shaped and tied to resemble a ham

gianchetti Italy Very tiny fish fry. See also bianchetti

gianfottere Italy A vegetable stew from Calabria made with aubergines, courgettes, sweet peppers and herbs

giant garlic A mild garlic-flavoured bulb,

Allium scorodoprasum, of the onion family with mauve flowers which develop edible aerial bulbs like the tree onion. Also called rocambole, Spanish garlic

giant granadilla A large tropical passion fruit,

Passiflora quadrangularis, with an indifferent-tasting greenish yellow fruit. Immature fruits are sometimes baked as a vegetable.

giant puffball A spherical fruit body of a fungus, Langermannia gigantea, which can grow up to 30 cm in diameter but is eaten when young before the spores, which are made within the outer flesh, have formed. Normally sliced, panéed and fried.

giant saxidome A large clam, Saxidomus gigantus, found along the west coast of North America down to San Diego

giant shells United States Conchiglie, pasta shells

giant west coast clam A large clam,

Schizothaerus nuttalli, from the west coast of the USA which lives 60 cm deep in the mud. It makes excellent chowder. Also called

Washington clam

giant white radish Mooli

giardiniera, alla Italy In the gardener’s style, i.e. with assorted fresh or pickled vegetables

gia vi pha lau Vietnam Five-spice powder gibelotte France A fricassée of rabbit in wine

usually with onions and potatoes gibier France Game

gibier à plume France Game birds gibier à poil France Game animals gibier d’eau France Waterfowl

giblets The entrails and neck of poultry and birds comprising the neck, gizzard, liver, heart and sometimes kidneys. Used for stock or gravy, but livers and gizzards often used as the basis of separate dishes.

Gien France A soft creamy but firm cheese with a fine flavour made around Orleans from a mixture of goats’ and cows’ milk, matured in leaves or wood ash for about 3 weeks

gigginstown Ireland A hard, unpasteurized cheese

Gigha Scotland A firm cheese made from cows’ milk on the island of Gigha in Scotland gigoret France Pig’s head cooked in blood and red wine. A dish from Poitou-Charentes.

gigot France Leg of lamb or deer

gigot boulangère France A garlic piquéed leg of lamb, roasted with butter at 200°C over a thick bed of preroasted sliced potatoes flavoured with chopped onions and herbs until the lamb is cooked, the dish then covered with foil and rested 10 minutes before serving

gigot d’agneau à la couronne d’ail France

Sealed and browned leg of lamb, pot-roasted with 50 to 60 cloves of garlic, sweet white wine, brandy and seasoning. Served with defatted pot juices and a fresh green salad. gigot lamb chops England The North of England name for chump chops of lamb

gigot of lamb Scotland A full leg of lamb gigot pourri France A leg of lamb roasted with

a large number of garlic cloves

gigue France Haunch (of venison, etc.) gila Portugal A type of gourd. See also chila

Gilboa Middle East A cows’ milk cheese from Israel similar to Edam

gild, to 1. To glaze with beaten egg before baking. Gives a rich golden colour to the goods. 2. To coat the surface of some hard food with gold leaf for decorative purposes and to exhibit the wealth of the person serving it

gildeneh yoich Jewish chicken soup

gilead Middle East A ewes’ milk cheese from Israel resembling Kashkaval

gili khichhari South Asia A moist version of khichhari for children and invalids

gill United Kingdom A fluid measure equal to one quarter of an imperial pint in the standard British and USA system,i.e. 142 ml and 118 ml respectively, and one eighth of a pint in Scotland. To confuse matter further a gill of beer in England is half a pint.

gilt A female pig, especially a young sow

gilt-head bream A silvery seawater bream,

Sparus aurata and Chrysophrys aurata, from the Northern Mediterranean with a goldtinged head and fine-tasting flesh, very similar to the sea bream and easily confused with it. Weighs approximately 1 kg. A related species, Chrysophrys major, is used in Japan for sashimi.

gin Burma Ginger

gindungo Central Africa A type of hot chilli pepper from Angola

ginepro Italy Juniper berry

ginseng

ginestrata Italy A light mildly spiced soup from Tuscany made with chicken stock, egg yolks, butter and white wine

gingelly South Asia Light sesame seed oil gingembre France Ginger

ginger The knobbly, buff-coloured, branching rhizome (creeping fleshy root) of a tropical plant, Zingiber officinale, with a warm aroma and hot burning taste. Available fresh, dried, preserved in sugar syrup and as a ground dried powder. Used extensively in all forms in all cuisines.

gingerbread 1. United Kingdom A moist fawn to dark brown cake made by the melting method, sweetened with golden syrup or treacle and flavoured with powdered ginger root. May be decorated with slices of preserved ginger. 2. United States A gingerflavoured biscuit

gingerbread man United Kingdom A ginger biscuit mixture rolled and cut in the shape of a man (the traditional shape) and decorated with currants to represent eyes and buttons. Baked at 190°C until brown.

ginger buds The pink buds of various types of ginger plant which are sliced and used as a garnish or eaten raw in salads. Also called pink ginger buds, torch ginger

ginger mint A mint type, Mentha x gentilis ‘variegata’, with smooth, gold-splashed leaves and a spicy flavour. Used for flavouring.

ginger nut A small round biscuit strongly flavoured with ginger

ginger pudding United Kingdom Basic steamed pudding mixture flavoured with ground ginger and chopped stem ginger ginger shoots Long thin pinkish stalks of the ginger plant which are harvested in spring. They are pickled in vinegar in Japan where they are known as hajikama shoga. Also

called blushing ginger

ginger snap A round sweet biscuit flavoured with ginger and very crisp and crunchy

gingko See ginkgo nut

ginitan Philippines Guinataan

Ginkgo biloba Botanical name Maidenhair tree

ginkgo leaf cut See icho-giri

ginkgo nut The kernel of the fruit of the maidenhair tree, Ginkgo biloba. From East Asia but now grown around the Mediterranean. The flesh of the fruit is not edible but the nuts are used in Japanese cooking. May be roasted, used in sweet or savoury dishes or as a garnish or snack food.

ginnan Japan Ginkgo nut

ginseng The roots of various members of the genus Panax, found in East Asia and North

giorno, del

America. Besides its medicinal uses it is used to flavour soups and stews.

giorno, del Italy Of the day, as in dish of the day

giovane Italy Young, new, of vegetables, etc. Also called giovine

giovine Italy Giovane

girasol France, Spain Sunflower girasole Italy Sunflower

girdle See griddle

girdle cake See griddle cakes

-giri Japan A cutting stroke of the knife, e.g. hyoshigi-giri, a baton cut for vegetables

giriama East Africa A Kenyan fish dish made from stir-fried onion, garlic, saffron, turmeric and cumin. Fish is added towards the end with chopped tomatoes and the whole then simmered in coconut milk until creamy.

girofle France Cloves

girolle France 1. Chanterelle 2. A special knife used to cut very thin slices of cheese and butter

gist Netherlands Yeast

gîte France Lamb shank and foot

gîte à la noix France Thick flank of veal, topside of beef (UK), bottom round of beef (USA). Also called noix pâtissière

gîte-gîte France Shin beef

githeri East Africa A Kenyan dish of equal quantities of cooked cow peas or black-eyed beans and maize kernels mixed with a kind of ratatouille of onions, sweet peppers and tomatoes. See also nyoyo

giuncata Italy 1. A soft curd cheese retaining some whey, made from cows’ or ewes’ milk and named after the rush container in which the curds are drained 2. Curds and whey 3. Junket

givre The powdery white crystals of vanillin found on the best quality vanilla pods

gizzadas Caribbean Small Jamaican tarts filled with shredded coconut flavoured with nutmeg and ginger

gizzard A thick muscular organ in a bird, often the second stomach, used to grind food

gizzard shad See shad

Gjetöst Scandinavia A sort of cheese which is an acquired taste. It is made with the whey from cheese made with goats’ and cows’ milk. This is reduced by boiling to a paste of caramelized lactose and whey proteins and is made in both soft, for spreading, and hard consistencies. The hard variety is eaten as shavings made with a special knife.

gjuwetch Bulgaria Diced mutton simmered in oil with chopped onions, sweet green peppers, aubergines, green beans, squash,

okra and potatoes until cooked, most oil drained off the mixture, seasoned, covered with slices of tomatoes, oiled and baked in the oven

glaçage France Icing or glazing with an egg wash

glace France 1. Ice 2. Ice cream 3. Glaze, i.e. reduced clear meat stock 4. Royal icing

glacé(e) France 1. Ice cold, iced 2. Glossy glacé cherry Candied cherries, not dried and

with a glossy appearance, coloured with red or various other colours of food dye, used for decoration of cakes and desserts or sometimes in cake mixtures

glace de poisson France Fish glaze

glace de viande France A reduction of clarified meat stock which is shiny and syrupy. Used to add flavour and body to other dishes. Also called glaze

glacé fruit Candied fruit which has not been dried so as to retain a glossy appearance glacé icing A simple mixture of sugar and water or strained fruit juice (100:15) of coating consistency which has a glossy appearance when spread on cakes, biscuits, etc. Possibly coloured and flavoured. Also

called water icing

glace portative France Ice cream to take away as e.g. ice cream cone

glacer France To glaze glacière France Ice box

gladde haai Netherlands Smooth hound, the fish. Also called toonhaai

Glamorgan cheese sausage, Glamorgan sausage Wales A skinless sausage from Wales made with a mixture of grated cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, parsley, thyme or rosemary, seasoning and possibly mustard, bound with egg, shaped into cylinders and fried

Glarnerschabziger Sapsago

glas Denmark, Sweden 1. Glass 2. Tumbler

Glasgow magistrates Scotland Loch Fyne herring, the analogy is to their plumpness Glasgow pale Scotland A small haddock prepared as finnan haddock but smoked

more

Glasgow tripe Scotland Tripe is cooked in its own juices with an equal weight of chopped onions and some butter in a covered dish in the oven at 170°C for 2 hours. Half an hour before finishing some of the cooking liquor is thickened with flour and returned. The dish is finished with cream and chopped parsley and served with baked potatoes.

glasmästarsill Sweden Pieces of herring, marinated in vinegar and sugar for 2 days, the marinade drained off, heated and poured

over the herring pieces which have been packed in a jar interspersed with slices of carrot and onion, grated horseradish, bay leaves and pickling spices. Refrigerated until eaten. Also called glass blower’s herring

glass 1. Sweden Ice cream 2. Norway Glass or tumbler

glassato Italy Glazed, iced

glass blower’s herring See glasmästarsill glasswort Samphire, Salicornia europaea Glasur Germany Icing

Glattbutt Germany Brill

Glatthai Germany Smooth hound, the fish

Glattrochen Germany Common skate glaze See glace de viande

glaze, to 1. To give a glossy coating to sweet and savoury dishes so as to produce a decorative finish. Beaten egg, milk, and lard are used with bread or buns. Sugar and fruit syrups are used with sweetened doughs and cakes. Arrowroot and sugar thickened fruit juices are used with fruit tarts, butter with vegetables, and aspic jelly is used with savoury items, canapés, etc. 2. To brown food under a very hot grill e.g. crème brûlée and sauces containing a liaison of eggs and cream used on fish

glazuur Netherlands Glazed

gliadin One of the types of protein in gluten which is soluble in dilute salt solutions. This affects the plasticity of dough.

glister pudding Scotland A steamed pudding made from a Victoria sponge mixture flavoured with ginger, marmalade and lemon juice. Served with custard or wine sauce.

globe artichoke See artichoke

globe onion The common variety of spherical onion with a brown papery skin and concentric layers of white translucent crisp flesh springing from the root end. Fairly strong-flavoured and especially pungent when raw.

Glomzda Poland 1. A type of cottage cheese 2. Quark

Gloucester cheese England Cheese originally made from morning milk (lower fat) of the Gloucester cow. It is a hard cheese with a mild and pale-coloured paste and cast in squat cylinders. Now very rare. See also single Gloucester, double Gloucester

Gloucester pudding England A steamed suet pudding containing chopped raw apple and chopped candied mixed peel

Gloucester sauce England Very thick mayonnaise mixed with sour cream, lemon juice, chopped fennel and a little Worcester sauce. Served with cold meat.

glutenin

Gloucester sausage England A pork sausage made with meat from the Gloucester old spot, a traditional breed of pig with plenty of fat

Gloucestershire pie England Layers of cooked and sliced lamb and thinly sliced apple and onions, both of which have been boiled for 5 minutes, placed in a greased ovenproof dish, seasoned and sprinkled with dried herbs between layers. The layers are covered with a rich gravy, topped with mashed potatoes and swedes, brushed with molten butter and baked at 190°C for an hour.

Gloucester squab pie England same as

Devonshire squab pie

glucono delta-lactone See E575

glucose A monosaccharide which forms the building block of many starch and cellulose carbohydrates and is one of the constituents of the disaccharides sucrose (with fructose), maltose (with itself) and lactose (with galactose). It inhibits the oxidation of foods and facilitates browning in fried sausages. Often added to continental sausages to act as the substrate for a lactic acid fermentation which improves their keeping qualities. Also called dextrose

glucose oxidase An enzyme obtained from Aspergillus niger, used to remove traces of glucose from egg white that is to be dried glucose syrup United States See corn syrup 1

gluea Thailand Salt

Glumse Germany Cottage cheese

glutamate de sodium France Monosodium glutamate

glutamato de sodio Spain Monosodium glutamate

glutamic acid One of the amino acids used by animals and humans. See also E620

gluten The general name given to the proteins in common wheat consisting mainly of glutenin and gliadin. These are responsible for the visco-elastic behaviour of and the baking properties of dough made from wheat flours and for the ability of the dough to entrap bubbles of carbon dioxide. It is extracted from wheat, especially in East Asia and when cooked forms a spongy soft mass which absorbs flavours and is used rather like bean curd and for making cakes.

gluten flour Dry powdered gluten made by washing the starch from high protein flour, drying and grinding

gluten-free food Food which contains no gluten. Necessary for the small fraction of people who are allergic to gluten.

glutenin One of the protein types in gluten insoluble in water or salt solution. It contains

glutiminato di soda

many cross linkages which are broken or rearranged during the kneading of dough and is responsible for its elasticity.

glutiminato di soda Italy Monosodium glutamate

glutinous rice Black or white, shortor longgrain rice which is particularly sticky when boiled and easy to handle with chopsticks. Used in Chinese and Japanese dishes especially boiled and sweetened in sushi. It should be soaked in cold water for 8 hours then cooked with an equal weight of water for about 12 minutes and left to stand covered for a further 10 minutes. See also black rice, mochi-gome, pinipig. Also called sticky rice

glutinous rice flour A fine white flour made from glutinous rice and used to make soft cakes, buns and dumplings especially in Asian and Southeast Asian cooking

glycérie France Sweet woodruff

glycerine A sweetish colourless oily liquid, completely miscible with water, which when esterified with fatty acids forms natural fats and oils. Used as a humectant to prevent foodstuffs drying out, especially royal icing. Also called glycerol. See also E422

glycerol See glycerine

glycerol di-acetate An ester of glycerol and acetic acid used as a solvent for food colours and flavourings. Also called diacetin

glycerol monoacetate An ester of glycerol and acetic acid used as a solvent for food colours and flavourings. Also called monoacetin

glycerol tri-acetate An ester of glycerol and acetic acid used as a solvent for food colours and flavourings. Also called triacetin

glycine An amino acid used as a sequestering agent and buffer

Glycine max Botanical name Soya bean glycogen A polysaccharide produced in the

animal body from glucose and stored in the liver and muscles. Very quickly broken down into glucose and thus a very important quickly available energy store. Animals that are killed after stress e.g. of the hunt or from poor handling have little or no glycogen in their muscles which are thus less flavoursome than otherwise.

Glycyrrhiza glabra Botanical name Liquorice

GMP See good manufacturing practice gnocchetti Italy Tiny gnocchi used for

garnishing soup

gnocchi Italy Small dumplings made in the form of balls, cylinders or circular slices which are poached and used as a garnish or served with a sauce. Made from semolina, choux paste or potatoes.

gnocchi alla bava Italy Gnocchi made with buckwheat flour, fresh cheese and cream

gnocchi dolci Italy Sweet dumplings gnocculi Italy Potato gnocchi from Sicily

served with cheese and broth or meat sauce goa Philippines Goa bean

goa bean A legume, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, which is a native of southern Europe but grown extensively in Southeast Asia. It has winged four-angled pods similar to the asparagus pea which are cooked whole in the same way. The roots are also edible.

goak sung China Bamboo fungus,

goat A horned animal, slightly bigger than a sheep, which can metabolize almost any carbohydrate source. Bred mainly for their milk in the West, they are an important source of meat in Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Caribbean and parts of Asia. Young goats’ meat is eaten in France and Italy especially in the spring.

goat fish 1. Red mullet 2. Australia Redfish goat pepper A very small chilli pepper from Indonesia dried and sold worldwide for

pickling

goats’ milk Goats’ milk has a higher fat and protein content and a stronger flavour than cows’ milk and is often made into cheese. It has something of a health food reputation in the West.

gobhi South Asia Cauliflower

gobhi mhaans South Asia Braised lamb with cauliflower, the lamb browned in butter in the usual way with onion and ginger then cooked in yoghurt with tomatoes, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, turmeric and coriander seed. Finally the cauliflower and sweet red pepper are added with water and all cooked until the meat is tender and the cauliflower reduced to a soft sauce.

gobo Japan Burdock root used in sauces, stocks and braised dishes

goby A small seawater fish of the Gobidae family with a sucker, similar to the freshwater gudgeon. Treated as a whitebait.

gochian South Asia A type of black mushroom from Kashmir similar to the morel

gochujang Korea A chilli paste similar to sambal oelek

gochu jeon Korea Green sweet pepper rings and halved chilli peppers stuffed with a meat mixture, floured, dipped in beaten egg and deep-fried in sesame seed oil

godard, sauce France White wine reduced with a fine mirepoix of vegetables and ham, demi-glace sauce and mushroom essence added, simmered, strained and reduced

godaste färsen Sweden Finely minced beef and pork mixed with softened rusk, egg yolk, seasoning and a little paprika. Half of this placed in a greased oblong mould, slices of skinned tomatoes placed on top followed by the remainder of the forcemeat, topped with a mixture of French mustard, chopped onion and parsley and butter and baked in a 200°C oven for 1 hour to give a crisp crusty surface. Served from the dish. (NOTE: Literally ‘the finest forcemeat’.)

godiveau France A forcemeat made with cushion of veal, beef kidney suet and eggs (4:4:1) with all skin, tissue, sinew, etc. removed, processed, seasoned and flavoured with nutmeg, sieved and, after resting on ice, blended with ice water or cream over ice until of the correct consistency as checked by poaching a small amount

goed doorbakken Netherlands Well done. Used of meat, steak, etc.

goetberg United States A cardamomflavoured sausage originating in Sweden and resembling the German cervelat

Goetta Germany As Scrapple, but thickened with oats

goettinger United States A German-style hard sausage similar to cervelat

gofio Spain A flour with a nutty flavour made by grinding a variety of toasted cereal grains such as wheat, maize and barley. Originating in the Canary islands it is sold as a health food in Spain.

gogi jeon-gol Korea Stir-fried strips of beef with sliced onion, mushrooms and mooli, strips of fresh pear and egg

gogol-mogol Russia A type of zabaglione made by beating equal weights of egg yolk and caster sugar together until lemoncoloured and frothy. Rum is stirred in at the rate of 400 ml per kg of egg yolks and the mixture poured into wine glasses and allowed to set.

gogue France A boudin noir made with pigs blood, cream, eggs, chopped onions sweated in lard, breadcrumbs moistened in milk, beet leaves and seasoning, poached in casings and air-dried for 5 to 7 days

gohan Japan Cooked rice served in a Japanese-style bowl. See also raisu

gohanmono Japan The generic Japanese term for all types of cooked rice and rice dishes

Golan Middle East A ewes’ milk cheese from Israel similar to Provolone

gold beet United States A golden-yellow and sweeter variety of beetroot which may be eaten raw or cooked

golden threads

Goldbrassen Germany Gilt-head bream golden apple betty England Triangles of

white crustless bread soaked in a mixture of equal quantities of molten butter and brown sugar flavoured with cinnamon. One third of these are layered in the base of a pie dish, slices of cored and peeled cooking apples laid over and topped with the remaining bread. Baked at 160°C for 60 to 75 minutes until the top is crisp.

goldenberry Cape gooseberry

golden buck cheese United States Buck rarebit

golden carpet shell A small European bivalve mollusc, Venus gallina, similar to various small clams with a greyish brown shell

golden carpet shell clam Smaller versions,

Venerupis aurea (yellow) and V. geographica

(grey), of the carpet shell clam, without radial markings.

golden cutlets Small decapitated haddocks split, boned and smoked. A smaller version of the Arbroath smokie.

golden fillets United Kingdom Thin fillets of haddock or cod, lightly smoked and artificially coloured golden yellow. Also called smoked fillets

golden gage Mirabelle golden gram Mung bean

golden grey mullet A variety of grey mullet, Mugil auratus, with golden spots on its gill covers

golden mountain oyster United States A light brown fan-shaped mushroom

golden mullet Red mullet golden needles Lily buds

golden nugget A variety of squash which may be used as a potato substitute, i.e. chipped or mashed

golden oak mushroom United States Shiitake mushroom

golden passion fruit Yellow passion fruit golden plover Plover

golden sweetie See sweetie

golden syrup An invert sugar mixture (i.e. one which will not crystallize) made either by clarifying and decolorizing the remaining uncrystallizable portion of the sugar after production of sugar crystals or by treatment of sugar syrup with acids or the enzyme invertase. Contains sucrose, glucose and fructose and is used as a sweetening agent.

golden threads Beaten and strained egg yolks piped using a very fine nozzle in a piping bag onto the surface of hot sugar syrup to form a lacy pattern. Removed and rolled up and repeated as required. See also yemas de San Leandro