A Dictionary of Food

papaw

Papaver somniferum Botanical name Opium poppy, a source of poppy seed

papaw 1. A variety of green custard apple, Asimina triloba, which grows in temperate regions of the USA. It is kidney-shaped with smooth yellow skin and large brown seeds surrounded by a sweet yellow pulp tasting of bananas and pears. 2. Papaya

papaya England, Spain A large pearor melon-shaped fruit to 20 cm long, from the tree Carica papaya which grows in most tropical and sub-tropical regions and is second only in importance to the banana amongst tropical fruit. When ripe it has a yellow/orange skin and a juicy pink/orange flesh tasting like a mixture of roses, peaches and strawberries with many black seeds in a central cavity. The unripe fruit can be boiled and used as a vegetable in the same way as a marrow. The juice contains the protease papain and the seeds may be used as a condiment. Also called pawpaw

papaye France Papaya

papaz yahnisi Turkey Thick slices of mutton or lamb stewed in mutton fat with sliced onions, garlic, seasoning, cinnamon and a little vinegar

papel de paja de arroz Spain Rice paper paper bark Australia The bark of large trees

which is used as a food wrapping and imparts a woody smoky flavour to the meat or fish cooked in it

paper frill See cutlet frill paperino Italy Gosling

Paphos sausage Cyprus Seasoned minced lean leg of pork mixed with chopped pork fat, flavoured with ground coriander and herbs, marinated with red wine for 2 days, filled into pricked casings and air-dried for 5 to 10 days, fried or grilled. May be preserved after drying in rendered pork fat.

papier de riz France Rice paper

papillon France A butterfly-shaped small cake of flaky pastry dredged and possibly glazed with sugar

papillote France Cutlet frill or the paper frill on the bone of a leg of lamb

papillote, en England, France Baked in a buttered greaseproof paper or aluminium foil packet. Usually used of a piece of meat or fish with flavourings which is served from the packet.

papo de anjo Portugal Small spherical cakes made with mostly egg yolks and served with syrup, alternatively a frothy dessert made with egg white

papo seco Portugal Bread roll or ordinary bread without butter

pappa Italy A soup thickened with stale bread. See also pancotto

pappa al pomodoro Italy A Tuscan bread soup with tomatoes cooked in oil, garlic and basil

pappadam South Asia Poppadom pappadum South Asia Poppadom pappardelle Italy Wide egg noodles with

crinkly edges

paprica dolce Italy Paprika

paprika England, France A variety of sweet red pepper, Capsicum annuum, from Hungary, used fresh or more commonly dried and ground as the flavouring of the same name

paprika butter See beurre de paprika

Paprikapfeffer Germany Powdered paprika paprikas Netherlands Sweet peppers,

capsicums

paprikás borjúszelet Hungary Veal escalopes seasoned and sprinkled with paprika, floured and fried in lard with chopped onions, simmered in white stock with sliced sweet green peppers and served with the reduced cooking liquor and sour cream as a sauce

paprikás csirke Hungary A chicken stew flavoured with onions, sweet peppers, tomatoes, paprika, soured cream and seasonings. Served with pasta or tarhonya.

Paprikáskrumpli Austria A type of goulash. Sliced onions and garlic are sweated in oil; sliced potatoes and sausages (debrecen or chorizo), paprika and chilli powder are added and cooked. Then peeled and diced tomatoes, stock, sliced green sweet peppers and dried Hungarian peppers and seasoning are added, and the whole is simmered until cooked.

paprika spice mix A pungent blend of flavouring agents used to coat chicken prior to barbecueing, consisting of fresh ginger, fresh garlic, paprika and ground cumin pounded into a paste

papu Finland Bean

păpusi de cas Romania A hard spun-curd and smoked ewes’ milk cheese with a sharp salty taste made in 500 g cylinders or bricks paquette France The dark green mature lobster roe about to be laid or the lobster

carrying such roe para-amino-benzoic acid See PABA paradicsommártás Hungary Ketchup Paradiesapfel Germany Tomato

Paradieser Austria, Germany Tomato paradise cake Carrot cake

paradise nut South America A nut from a tree, Lecythis sabucajo, which resembles the

Brazil nut but has a more delicate flavour and a thinner shell. Also called sapucaya nut paragonimus A species of fluke endemic in Asia and parts of Africa, transmitted mainly in freshwater crabs and crayfish, causes tuberculosis-like symptoms since it lives in the lungs. It can also affect the brain. Easily

cured with 1 dose of praziquantel. Paranuss Germany Brazil nut

parasol mushroom An edible fungus, Lepiota procera, found in grassy areas and resembling a light brown umbrella. The cap, which has a scaly surface which should be removed, can be up to 15 cm in diameter. Best eaten when young. Also called umbrella mushroom

paratha South Asia Flaky unleavened bread made from a mixture of white and brown flour, water and salt, the dough formed into rounds coated with ghee and fried until crisp on the outside

parboil, to To boil foods until they are about half cooked

parboiled rice See converted rice parch, to To dry-roast until slightly brown

parcha South Asia Parcha-style, i.e. cooked en papillote in a banana leaf or completely encased in pastry and steamed, grilled, barbecued or cooked in the oven. It also refers to the process of dry-roasting with a crust formed by basting at intervals with a marinade of yoghurt and spices.

parched corn Maize kernels which have been cooked or dry-roasted slightly

pare Indonesia Bitter gourd

pare, to To peel thinly, e.g. skins from potatoes, apples, etc.

párek v rohlíku Czech Republic Hot dog, boiled or steamed sausage in a roll

parenica Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia A soft spun-curd ewes’ milk cheese cut into long strips, rolled up and smoked. Also called ribbon cheese

pareve A Jewish term describing food made without milk or meat or derivatives of them, so that it may be eaten with either type

parfait France A frozen, flavoured, cooked egg custard mixture in which the eggs have been well beaten to incorporate air, served as a dessert. Flavourings included coffee (traditional), chocolate, fruit, vanilla, liqueurs and praline.

parfum France 1. Flavour 2. Aroma

pargo 1. Portugal Barbel, the fish 2. Spain Sea bream

paria Indonesia Bitter gourd

paring knife A smaller version of an office knife, used to peel fruit and vegetables

Parma ham

parique South Africa A mixture of peanuts, cooked rice and sugar wrapped in banana leaves, baked and then sliced. From Madagascar.

Paris-Brest A cake consisting of three concentric baked rings of choux pastry, split in half and filled with whipped cream or crème pâtissière mixed with a fine praline and decorated with icing sugar and flaked almonds (NOTE: It is named after a famous 19th-century bicycle race.)

Pariser Schnitzel Austria Veal escalope, dipped in flour and lightly beaten egg and fried in butter

parisersmörgås Sweden An open sandwich consisting of a thick slice of bread and butter topped with a forcemeat of minced beef, egg yolk, breadcrumbs, grated onions, finely chopped pickled beetroot and seasoning. The whole fried both sides, meat side first.

Parisian spice United States A mixture of dried thyme, bay, basil and sage ground with coriander seed, mace and black peppercorns used for flavouring

parisien France Gros pain

parisienne, à la France Garnished with parisienne potatoes and artichoke hearts, and sometimes other vegetables

England, France

parisienne cutter A sharp edged scoopshaped implement for cutting out balls of potato or other vegetables or fruit

parisienne potatoes Potatoes scooped out with a parisienne cutter, browned in a frying pan, finished in the oven at 240°C and coated with meat glaze just before serving

Parker House Roll United States A yeastraised dough formed into a roll and folded in two before proving and baking

parkia A medium-sized leguminous tree, Parkia speciosa, from Thailand and Indonesia which produces flat seed pods about the size of broad beans with a peculiar smell. The pods are eaten as a vegetable and the sun-dried and peeled beans are fried in oil or softened in water and eaten as a snack. Also called stink bean, twisted cluster bean

Parkia speciosa Botanical name Parkia parkin England A moist and dense dark

brown ginger cake from Yorkshire made with oatmeal and sweetened with black treacle. Usually served in squares after maturing for a week.

párky Czech Republic Frankfurter type sausages often boiled or steamed in pairs. Popular as a street snack in Prague.

Parma ham A dry-cured ham eaten raw as prosciutto. It must come from around the

Parmentier

town of Parma in Italy, have been air-dried for at least 8 months and be branded on the skin.

Parmentier France Containing potatoes

Parmentier, purée England, France Sliced onion and leek sweated in butter, bouquet garni, stock and sliced peeled potatoes added, simmered, skimmed, bouquet garni removed, passed through a sieve or liquidized, seasoned, consistency adjusted and served hot with croûtons

Parmesan A very hard Italian grating cheese with a strong and distinctive flavour made from unpasteurized skimmed cows’ milk. The curds are heated and packed into very large circular moulds and matured for well over 2 years, ending up with a pale straw colour and a black rind. When grated it is used on a wide variety of Italian dishes. The composition depends on age, at 18 months it is 27% water, 37% fat and 31% protein. See also Parmigiano Reggiano

parmesane, à la France Containing or sprinkled with Parmesan cheese

parmigiana, alla Italy Finished with butter and grated Parmesan or an escalope panéed with a mixture of grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs

Parmigiano Reggiano Italy The finest and most authentic Parmesan cheese, made in squat barrel shapes (up to 35 kg) which are salted in brine and turned and brushed regularly. It is unique to its particular region and although it may be made at any time it has special names according to the date of manufacture, ‘maggengo’ April to November and ‘invernengo’ December to March. The non-winter period can also be split, ‘ditesta’ April to June, ‘agostano’ or ‘di centro’ July and August and ‘tardno’ September to November. One year old cheeses are called ‘vecchio’ and two year old ‘stravecchio’. Always stamped with the name. It may be eaten young as a dessert.

päron Sweden Pear

parr A young river salmon in its second or third year before it leaves for the sea. Protected from fishing. Also called samlet

parrilla Spain Grill

parrillada Argentina Barbecue

parrillada de pescado Spain A mixed seafood grill

parsa Finland Parsley

parsi dhansak masala South Asia A hot spice mix containing in addition to those listed under garam masala, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, chillies and turmeric

parsley A hardy biennial plant with either bright green very curly leaves, Petroselinum

crispum, or flat duller leaves, P. crispum ‘Neapolitanum’. The flat-leaved variety which is common outside the UK has a stronger flavour. It is very widely used as a culinary herb, as a decoration or garnish either in sprigs or chopped, and as an essential part (esp. the stalks) of a bouquet garni. See also

French parsley, Italian parsley

parsley butter See beurre (à la) maître d’hôtel parsley ham See jambon persillé

parsley root Hamburg parsley

parsley sauce 1. Béchamel sauce with finely chopped parsley. Used for poached and boiled fish and vegetables. 2. A fish velouté mixed with a strong infusion of parsley, chopped parsley and a little lemon juice

parsnip A biennial plant, Pastinaca sativa, whose long (up to 25 cm) conical tap root is harvested as a winter root vegetable in the first year. The roots have a cream sweetish flesh with a distinctive flavour and are best after being frosted. Served boiled, roasted, fried or puréed, etc.

parson’s nose The small projecting fatty tissue growth at the rear of a chicken which carries the tail feathers and, in the case of the male, the sexual organs and glands. It has a strong flavour and is not usually eaten except by those who wish to draw attention to themselves.

parson’s venison England A skinned and boned leg of lamb, stuffed with a duxelle mixed with chopped ham and chives, marinated for 24 hours in port, red wine, red wine vinegar, juniper, allspice, bay leaf and grated nutmeg, drained, dried, seared then braised in the marinade in a covered dish at 180°C for up to 2 hours until cooked and served with the reduced strained cooking liquor

partan bree Scotland Puréed soup from Scotland containing crab meat and rice

partridge 1. United Kingdom A greyish-brown game bird widespread in Europe and the Middle East weighing about 450 g at 2 to 4 months and serving 1 person. Barded and roasted at 200°C for 1 to 2 hours. They come in two varieties:grey-legged, Perdrix perdrix, and red-legged, Alectoris rufa. The shooting season is the 1st September to 1st February, and the hanging time 3 to 5 days. 2. United States The general name for various game birds including the American ruffed grouse, quail, pheasant and bobwhite

parut Indonesia, Malaysia Coconut grater parwal South Asia A small elongated oval

green squash. See also tindoori pasa Mexico, Spain Raisin

pasa de Corinto Spain Currant, from grapes

pasha Finland A type of cheesecake introduced from Russia

pashka See paskha

pashtet iz tieliatiny Eastern Europe A veal and liver pâté from the Ukraine made with fried calves’ liver, veal, bacon and vegetables simmered with chicken stock and dried mushrooms, strained, processed with softened bread, bound with egg, seasoned and flavoured with allspice then baked in the oven at 180°C

Pasiego prensado Spain A soft mild white smooth cream cheese from Santander made from ewes’ and semi-skimmed cows’ milk. Eaten after 2 weeks maturation. The white paste contains small holes and has a decided flavour.

Pasiego sin prensar Spain A cheese similar to Pasiego prensado but hand-moulded into various shapes

pasilla chile Mexico A variety of long, hot and dark brown chilli, commonly dried

pasionara Spain Nigella

paskha Russia A rich dessert made from a mixture of curd cheese, cream, almonds and dried fruits placed in a muslin-lined sieve or unglazed earthenware (flower)pot, weighted and left to drain for 24 hours, then turned out, muslin removed, and decorated. Traditionally served at Easter. Also called pashka

pass, to 1. To pass a food item through an excess of flour, beaten egg, oil or similar so as to completely coat it with the material 2. To make something pass through a sieve or strainer as in making a purée or coulis

passa Portugal Raisin

passa de Corinto Portugal Currant, from grapes

passata Italy Purée, in the UK usually of raw tomatoes

passato Italy 1. Purée soup 2. Well done, overcooked 3. Skinned and deseeded tomatoes simmered with chopped onions (10:1) with garlic, basil, bay and celery until reduced by half, then seasoned and passed through a sieve. May be frozen.

passé l’an France 1. A hard cooked-curd cows’ milk cheese from Languedoc weighing to 40 kg. Similar to Parmesan but with a more mellow flavour. (NOTE: Literally ‘passed the year’, i.e. more than 1 year old.) 2. Ripened, of cheese

Passendale Belgium A semi-hard loafshaped cows’ milk cheese weighing up to 7 kg. The moist and supple paste has many small holes.

passer France 1. To pass (food through flour, beaten egg, etc.) 2. To quickly seal the

pasta e fagioli

surface of food in a hot frying pan prior to cooking by another method

passera Italy Plaice

passera pianuzza Italy Flounder passerino Italy Plaice

Passiflora edulis Botanical name Purple passion fruit

Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa Botanical name Yellow passion fruit

Passiflora laurifolia Botanical name Yellow granadilla

Passiflora ligularis Botanical name Sweet granadilla

Passiflora maliformis Botanical name

Curuba

Passiflora quadrangularis Botanical name

Giant granadilla passion cake Carrot cake

passion fruit The globular fruit of climbing plants, Passiflora edulis, P. edulis v. flavicarpa and P. ligularis, which grow in warm, humid, frost-free climates. See purple passion fruit, yellow passion fruit and sweet granadilla. Passion fruit on its own generally refers to the purple variety.

passoire France Colander, strainer, sieve passover bread See matzo

pasta 1. Italy Dough, paste 2. England, Italy A variety of extruded, cut or pressed shapes and sheets of pasta dough made either fresh and soft, or dried, from a basic dough of water and/or eggs, salt and hard durum wheat flour and sometimes oil. The simplest pasta is made from strong flour and eggs only (9:5), kneading up to 10 minutes until small blisters appear. There are innumerable names and shapes but the main types are spaghetti, macaroni, noodles, vermicelli, lasagne, canneloni and ravioli. Most pastas are cooked and served with a sauce. 3. Spain Pasta or pastry 4. Italy, Spain Noodle

pasta alla sarde Italy Alternate layers of macaroni, fennel and fresh sardines, cooked in a pie dish and served cold

pasta alle acciughe Italy Pasta with tomato sauce, anchovies and clams

pasta all’uovo Italy Pasta made from flour and eggs only without water or oil. Available in various shapes and usually made on the premises where cooked or sold. By law it must contain at least 4 eggs per kg of flour.

pasta cresciuta Italy Vegetable, etc. fritters made with a yeast-raised flour, water and salt batter

pasta d’acciughe Italy Anchovy paste

pasta de hojaldre Spain A patty made from puff pastry

pasta e fagioli Italy A traditional soup made with pasta, white beans and salt pork

pasta fatta in casa

pasta fatta in casa Italy Fresh pasta usually made in the place where it is cooked

pasta filata Italy The term for scalded milk curds that are kneaded until they become an elastic dough and easy to shape

pasta frolla Italy Shortcrust pastry pastai cennin Wales Leek pasty pastai cocos Wales Cockle pie

pasta in brodo Italy Pasta cooked and served in broth

pastai persli Wales Welsh parsley pie pasta italiana Spain Spaghetti pasta liscia Italy Smooth pasta

pastanaga Catalonia Carrots (NOTE: The plural is pastanagues.)

pasta reale Italy Small pasta grains for soup pasta rigata Italy Ridged pasta which traps

more sauce than smooth

pasta rossa Italy A red or pink pasta coloured with tomatoes

pastasciutta Italy Pasta in a sauce

pasta secca Italy Dried pasta usually manufactured and sold through retail outlets

pasta sfoglia Italy Puff pastry

pasta trinata Italy Flat pieces of pasta with frilly or lacy edges wedges

pasta verde Italy A green pasta coloured with spinach

paste The name given to any thick relatively smooth semi-solid which is spreadable, such as a flour water paste or pastry but more specifically to cooked and pounded meat and fish mixed with flavourings and extenders

pastei Netherlands A pie or pasty usually containing meat in a thick sauce

pasteijes Netherlands Blind-cooked pastry shells

pastéis Portugal A round patty-shaped food item, may be a sweet cake or a savoury item such as a fish cake or rissole

pastéis de bacalhau Portugal Dried salt cod, cooked and then recooked en croûte

pastej Sweden Pie

pastel Spain Pastry, cake, pie or pâté pastel, en Spain In batter

pastél Portugal Pie, tart or pastry

pastela Spain An Andalusian speciality consisting of shredded beef cooked with cumin, nutmeg and honey in a pastry case pastelería 1. Portugal, Spain Pastries 2.

Spain Cake shop

pastelillos Caribbean Small deep-fried pasties containing meat or cheese served as a hors d’oeuvre or appetizer

pastélinho Portugal Small pie

pastelito de almendra Spain Almond cake

pastelitos Mexico Biscuits or small cakes pastella Italy Batter

pastels West Africa The West African version of the Cornish pasty, the Hispanic empanadas and the Indian samosa, usually filled with a savoury fish stuffing and served with a hot chilli sauce based on tomatoes, sweet peppers and onions

pastèque France Watermelon

Pastete Germany Pie

pastetice od sira-skute Balkans Turnovers from Serbia filled with ham and using a pastry made from flour, butter and cottage cheese

pasteurize, to To heat a substance, usually a liquid, to a temperature between 60 and 100°C to kill particular pathogenic organisms, e.g. milk may be pasteurized at 62.8°C for 30 minutes or at 72°C for 15 seconds, shelled eggs at 64.4°C for 2 to 5 minutes, etc. This process does not completely sterilize the substance

pasteurized milk Milk pasteurized at 72°C for 15 seconds and then rapidly cooled. This does not affect the flavour of the milk but causes the cream to rise unless it is homogenized.

pasticceria Italy 1. Pastry 2. Pastry-making 3. Cake 4. Cake shop

pasticciata Italy Baked pasta with a savoury sauce, cheese and cream

pasticcino Italy Fancy cake or pastry pasticcio Italy 1. A savoury pie of meat, pasta,

vegetables or cheese or a combination of these 2. Pâté, meat loaf, any mould of processed fish, meat, etc.

pasticcio di maccheroni Italy A large double-crust deep pie made in a cake tin with a removable base, lined with a sweet egg and butter enriched pastry filled with a mixture of cooked pasta, meatballs, peas, rich tomato sauce and diced Mozzarella cheese heaped up in the centre and filled with a sweetened egg custard (5 eggs per litre of milk), covered with a pastry lid, decorated and glazed, then baked at 190°C for 45 minutes. Rested 10 minutes in the tin.

pastiera Italy A tart filled with ricotta cheese pastiera Napoletana Italy A puff pastry case

filled with fruit pasties See pasty

pastilla A type of filled pastry. See also bastilla pastillage A dough-like mixture of icing sugar, water and gum tragacanth which can be coloured and moulded or shaped to make

cake coverings and decorations

Pastinaca sativa Botanical name Parsnip

Pastinake Germany Parsnip

pastine Italy Tiny pasta shapes for soup pastís Catalonia Pie or cake. See also tarta pastitsio Greece Cooked pasta layered with a

cooked meat sauce, usually lamb, an eggenriched and cinnamon-flavoured béchamel and grated cheese, finishing with a final layer of grated cheese and fresh breadcrumbs then baked at 190°C until the top is golden brown (40 minutes)

Pastorella Italy A small version of Bel Paese cheese

pastrami United States Dry cured and smoked brisket or other similar cut of meat usually boiled then thinly sliced for use as a sandwich filling

pastries Various types of small cakes, often iced, filled or decorated and made of pastry or various sponge or cake mixtures

pastry A mixture of flour, fat, possibly egg and sugar, the fat usually dispersed as small solid globules coated with flour and the whole brought together with liquid prior to shaping and baking. There are many types of pastry, including shortcrust, flan, sweet, flaky, puff, rough puff, hot water crust, suet crust, choux and filo.

pastry board A square or oblong board preferably marble but usually wood on which pastry is rolled out

pastry brake Opposed and contra-rotating rollers with a variable gap through which pastry can be worked and reduced in thickness for commercial production. A very small version is used domestically for pasta production.

pastry case An uncooked or blind baked pastry container used to hold savoury or sweet mixtures

pastry cream See crème pâtissière

pastry crimper A tool used to scallop or crimp the edges of pies, tarts etc.

pastry cutters Various metal or plastic outlines of shapes, e.g. circles, fluted circles, diamonds, gingerbread men, etc. sharpened on one edge and used to cut out corresponding shapes from biscuit, scone, pastry or cake mixtures, etc.

pastry wheel A small wooden wheel with a serrated edge attached to a handle, used to crimp edges of pastry etc.

pasty A doubled over sheet of pastry containing a savoury filling, sealed around the edges and baked flat on a baking tray without support. Usually a half circle.

pasztetowa Poland Seasoned pigs’ liver and veal processed and packed into casings

pat A small shaped amount of solid or semisolid such as a butter pat

pâté

pat, to To shape a solid or semi-solid into a pat by using two flat wooden paddles, by forming into a roll, refrigerating and slicing, or by use of a mould

pataca Spain Jerusalem artichoke

pata de mulo Spain Villalón cheese made in the shape of a hoof (NOTE: Literally ‘mule’s foot or shoe’.)

Patagonian black cake Wales A rich fruit cake similar to the Scottish black bun but containing rum and encased in glacé icing instead of pastry. The icing is put on while the cake is still warm from the oven.

Patagonian cream tart Wales Flour, butter and egg yolks (8:4:1) made into a paste, rested for several hours then used to line a pie dish. This is filled with a vanilla-flavoured mixture of double cream and egg whites (5:1), the egg whites being whisked to a stiff peak and folded into the cream. All baked at 179°C for 35 to 40 minutes.

patagras South America A semi-hard cows’ milk cheese resembling Edam and Gouda patakukko Finland A double-crust pie from Karelia made with rye flour and filled with muikko fish, fat pork and seasoning, cooked very slowly to completely soften the filling

patata Italy, Spain Potato

patata, purea di Italy Mashed potato patata arrostita Italy Roast potato patata asada Italy Baked potato patata bollita Italy Boiled potato patata dolce Italy Sweet potato

patatas bravas Catalonia Cubed and fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce, often served as tapas

patata sfogliata Italy Deep-fat-fried potato, chips, French fries

patatas fritas Spain Chips, fried potatoes patata stacciato Italy Mashed potato patate (douce) France Sweet potato

patate alla borghese Italy Potatoes with butter and lemon

patate alla veneziana Italy Diced potatoes fried with onions and herbs

patate fritte Italy Potato crisps, game chips patate lesse Italy Boiled potatoes

patates Turkey Potato

patate sabbiose Italy Sauté potatoes patate tenere Italy New potatoes

pâte France 1. Pastry (NOTE: The ‘e’ is unaccented.) 2. A softish mixture such as batter, etc. 3. Paste, e.g. of cheese

pâté 1. France A raised pie with a meat filling completely enclosed in pastry. Eaten hot. 2. England, France A cooked, smooth or coarse meat paste made from a variety of meats, often liver and belly pork or bacon plus

pâte à choux

flavourings and seasoning. Allowed to cool in the mould then turned out and eaten cold, usually as a hors d’oeuvres. As a rule of thumb there should be equal amounts of lean meat and fat to which are added binders such as eggs, flour, choux pastry or white sauces. Sometimes vegetarian pastes with a similar texture are so called.

pâte à choux France Choux pastry pâte à crêpes France Pancake batter pâte à foncé France Shortcrust pastry pâte à frire France Batter

pâte à sucre France Sugar pastry pâte brisée France Shortcrust pastry

pâte croquante France A crisp ground almond and sugar pastry

pâte d’amandes France Marzipan pâte d’anchois France Anchovy paste

pâté de campagne France Farmhouse pâté, usually made from coarsely chopped pork with garlic and herbs

pâté de foie gras England, France An expensive gourmet pâté made with the enlarged livers (foie gras) of force-fed geese, seasoned and flavoured with truffles. The best pâté is made from livers trimmed of any yellow gall stains, rested or soaked overnight, trimmed of connective tissue, seasoned, possibly marinated, piquéed with truffle slivers, squashed into a terrine, sealed with a flour and water paste and cooked in the oven in a bain-marie. By law, pâté de foie gras must contain 80% goose liver.

pâte de fruit, en France Fruit jelly as in framboise en pâte de fruit (raspberry jelly)

pâté de Pâques France Veal and pork pie pâté de Pâques au biquion France An

elaborate Easter pie made with puff pastry which uses a mixture of butter and goats’ cheese (3:2) instead of all butter. The filling is a mixture of diced pork, veal and kid, fried in butter and mixed with finely chopped onion, parsley and egg yolk, seasoning and nutmeg. The pie is assembled on a baking sheet from a circle of puff pastry with the filling heaped in the centre, halved hardboiled eggs on the top and all covered with another circle of puff pastry sealed around the edges and crimped. Baked at 200°C for 20 minutes, then at 170°C until cooked.

pâtée France The mash that is force fed to geese and chickens

pâté en croûte France Meat pie

pâte feuilletée France Flaky or puff pastry pâte frollée France Almond-flavoured pastry patella Italy Limpet

patelle 1. France Limpet 2. Italy Limpets, the shellfish

pâté maison France A cold pâté produced on the premises usually cut in slices as a hors d’oeuvre and served with a garnish and fingers of hot toast

patent blue V A synthetic blue food colouring. See also E131

paternostri Italy Small squares of flat pasta pâtes France 1. Pasta 2. Noodles

pâte sablée France Sugar pastry (UK), sugar crust pastry (USA)

pâtes alimentaires France 1. Pasta 2.

Noodles

pâtes de fruits France Pieces of crystallized fruits

pâte sucrée France A sweetened shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée) used extensively for patisserie. Quite fragile and requires careful handling.

patience A sorrel-like herb, Rumex patientia, with a slightly acidic taste. Used like sorrel or spinach.

patila South Asia A tinned brass cooking pot. See also degchi

patinho Portugal Duckling

patis Philippines A fermented fish sauce pâtisserie France 1. Cake shop 2. Sweet

items generally made of pastry, filled and decorated. The filling is often crème pâtissière overlaid with glazed fruit or cream, chocolate, jam and the like. 3. The art of cake and pastry making and baking

pâtissier,-ière France Confectioner or pastry cook

patlican dolmasi Turkey Aubergine halves, filled with a mixture of minced beef, chopped onions, tomatoes, rice and seasonings, baked in the oven and served hot

patlican salatasi Turkey Cooked aubergine flesh puréed with lemon juice and olive oil, served cold garnished with tomato wedges, strips of green sweet pepper and black olives Patna rice A north Indian long-grain rice which stays separate during cooking. Similar to basmati rice but not so fragrant. Excellent

for rice salads.

pato Portugal, Spain Duck pato bravo Portugal Wild duck

patola Philippines Angled loofah

patra Dasheen leaves used as a vegetable patrijs Netherlands Partridge

pattegris Sweden Sucking pig

pattie Caribbean A snack food from Jamaica consisting of a flaky pastry case filled with a highly spiced beef or other filling

patty A small pie or pasty

patty pan squash A summer squash,

Curcubita pepo, common in the USA. The creamy white skin and flesh and the seeds

are eaten as a vegetable when it is very young. Also called scallop squash, custard marrow, cymling (NOTE: So called because of its dish shape with scalloped edges.)

patty shell United States A puff or short pastry shell for serving hors d’oeuvres, bouchées, vol-au-vents, barquettes, etc.

patty tin See bun tin

pau South Asia An old unit of weight. See also powa

paua New Zealand A type of abalone, Haliotis iris, with a rainbow-coloured shell which is often used as an ornament

Pauillac lamb Milk-fed lamb from Pauillac, France

paunce bourré United States A Cajun dish of stuffed pork stomach

paunch, to To remove the entrails, heart and lungs of an animal, especially a hare

paupiette 1. England, France A stuffed and rolled thin fillet of fish 2. France Beef or veal olive

paupiettes d’anchois France Anchovy paupiettes

pau ts’ai China Pak choy

pav South Asia An old unit of weight. See also powa

pava Spain Hen turkey

pavé France A thickish square or rectangle e.g. of steak, cheese, cake or mousse (NOTE: Literally ‘cobblestone or paving stone’.)

pavé d’Auge France Pont l’Evêque pavé de Moyaux France Pont l’Evêque

Pavlova Australia Meringue piped into a shallow basket, dried, filled with whipped cream and decorated with fresh fruit. Named in honour of the famous Russian ballet dancer.

pavo Spain Turkey

pavo relleno a la catalana Spain Stuffed and roasted turkey

pavot France Poppy seed pawpaw See papaya

payasam South Asia A paste made from various ingredients but always containing coconut milk, eaten as a sweet snack or accompaniment to a meal. Typical ingredients are cooked and mashed pulses, cooked rice, cooked sago, cashew nuts, jaggery or sugar.

pay darn China Chinese preserved eggs

paymi Caribbean A dessert from Antigua. See also dukuna

payousnaya Russia Payusnaia

pays France Country or region, as in vin de pays, locally produced wine

peach Melba

paysanne A vegetable cut in thin slices and small (1 cm) triangular, square or round shapes

paysanne, à la France In the peasant style, i.e. a simple dish containing onions, carrots and bacon

payusnaia Russia The less mature eggs of sturgeon treated with hot brine to coagulate them and packed into small wooden tubs. Also called pressed caviar

pazlache Italy A type of lamb-stuffed ravioli. See also agnolotti

pazon ng api Burma Shrimp paste

pazun nga-pi Burma A pungent fermented fish sauce made from shrimps

pea The fruit of a climbing legume, Pisum sativum, grown extensively in temperate climates, consisting of a green pod to 10 cm long containing a row of soft, round green seeds which become brown and hard when ripe. Some varieties (e.g. mangetout) have edible pods which are eaten whole before the seeds begin to swell, but most have inedible pods and the green underripe seeds are eaten either raw if very young or cooked. Most peas are frozen in the developed world. Some are dried, possibly dehusked and split or further processed. The fully ripe seed is brown and used as animal and bird food in developed countries but may also be used as a pulse. See also pea leaf. Also called garden pea

pea aubergine Tiny pale green, white/yellow or purple/brown relatives of the aubergine, Solanum torvum, grown in the Seychelles, Thailand and the Caribbean, which look like a rather straggly bunch of grapes. They are picked while unripe and used raw in hot sauces and chutney. Used in nam prik. Also called susumber, gully bean

pea bean Navy bean

peaberry A mutant arabica coffee which is a single round bean instead of the two matching hemispheres as is normal

peach The fruit of a deciduous tree, Prunus persica, originally from China but now cultivated worldwide in temperate climates. Most fruits are spherical up to 7.5 cm diameter with a single longitudinal indentation from the stalk to the calyx end. The sweet juicy flesh may be white, yellow or orange, surrounds a large rough central stone and is enclosed in a downy skin ranging in colour from cream to orange/pink. Used both raw and poached as a dessert and for jam.

peach Melba An individual dessert made with vanilla ice cream plus poached, skinned and

pea crab

destoned peaches with a topping of fresh raspberry sauce. Served in a coupe dish.

pea crab A very small crab from New England, USA which lives in empty oyster shells and is eaten whole after stewing in cream. Also called oyster crab

pea flour Flour produced from fully mature dried peas used for soups and thickening sauces. Also called pea starch

pea leaf The young leaves and shoots of the garden pea which have been prevented from flowering. Used as a gourmet vegetable in stir fries and soups. Also called pea sprout

pea man Japan another spelling of piman

peanut A plant, Arachis hypogaea, from South America whose fertilized flowers send shootlike structures into the soil where the immature fruits develop as two to four nuts in a light brown, dry and soft shell or pod, each nut being covered by a thin papery skin. The Spanish type has 2 light brown seeds per pod, the Valencia type up to 4 dark red seeds per pod and the Virginia type 2 dark brown seeds per pod. They are eaten raw or roasted as a snack food and are a major source of oil and protein. Peanuts are made into peanut butter and are used to thicken and flavour many sauces and stews. Also called groundnut, monkeynut

peanut butter Ground peanuts sometimes with added peanut oil, salt or sugar with a buttery consistency. Sold as smooth or crunchy, the latter containing chopped peanuts. Used as a sandwich spread or to flavour some dishes.

peanut flour United States Ground peanuts sometimes used to enrich baking flours

peanut oil Oil extracted from peanuts containing 20% saturated, 50% monounsaturated and 30% polyunsaturated fat. It has a rather high melting point (freezing point) and a high smoke point. Used for deep-frying. Also called groundnut oil, arachis oil

pear The fruit of a deciduous tree, Pyrus communis var. sativa, native to Europe and western Asia which requires cool winters to fruit. The thin, usually smooth, green through yellow to brown and often mottled skin encloses a firm, juicy, delicately flavoured flesh surrounding a core of seed somewhat smaller than an apple. The fruit is narrow at the stalk end widening towards the calyx. There are both cooking and dessert varieties and they may be eaten raw, poached, baked, etc.

pear apple Asian pear

pear Condé A Condé dessert, possibly made with a short-grain rice, topped with a fanned poached pear. Also called poire condé

pearks sakhoo Thailand Tapioca

pearl barley Pot barley which has been steamed and tumbled in a revolving cylinder to remove the outer coating. Softens more quickly than pot barley.

pearl millet A white-seeded variety of bulrush millet

pearl moss Carragheen pearl onion Button onion

pearl rice United States A short-grain soft sticky rice

pearl sago See sago peasant’s cabbage Kale

pea sausage England A vegetarian sausage made from mashed cooked yellow peas with a little grated carrot, onion, nutmeg and seasoning, possibly bound with a little fat and flour, packed in non-animal casings

pease pudding Split dehusked dried green peas, soaked, boiled, drained and mashed with butter, egg yolks and seasoning. Reheated in the oven before serving.

pea sprout Pea leaf pea starch Pea flour

peau blanche France Ziste peber Denmark Pepper

pebernødder Denmark A spiced Christmas biscuit

pebre Catalonia Pepper, the condiment pebrots Catalonia Red sweet peppers

pecan nut The central stone of the fruit of a large hickory (pecan) tree, Carya illinoensis, from central and southern USA. It has walnut-like wrinkled flesh enclosed in a smooth oval brown outer shell (up to 2.5 cm long). Eaten raw or cooked.

pecan pie United States A sweet open-topped pie filled with pecan nuts often served at Thanksgiving

pechay Philippines Chinese leaves

pêche France Peach (NOTE: Also means ‘fishing’)

pechena tikva Bulgaria Pumpkin slices baked with honey, walnuts, cinnamon and lemon zest

pechenye, pyechenye Russia Tart pêches Melba France Peach Melba pecho de ternera Spain Breast of veal pechuga Spain Chicken breast

pechuga de ave a la Sarasate Spain

Chicken breast filled with chopped veal pechyen-grill, pyechyen-grill Russia Liver

and onion kebabs basted with mutton fat

from Asiatic Russia. The liver can be wrapped in bacon for non-Muslims.

pechyenka, pyechyenka Russia Liver pechyen kur v madere, pyechyen kur v

madere Russia Floured chicken liver pieces sautéed with sweated onions, stewed in chicken stock and Madeira until cooked and served with the reduced cooking liquor blended with sour cream and garnished with chopped parsley

pecora Italy Sheep, ewe, mutton

Pecorino, Pecorino canestrato A semi-hard scalded-curd Sicilian cheese. See also

Canestrato

Pecorino canestrato See Canestrato Pecorino foggiano Italy A hard ewes’ milk

cheese made in cylinders (up to 7 kg), drysalted and cured for 6 months. It has a sharp flavour and a hard rind. Contains 40% water, 29% fat and 25% protein.

Pecorino Romano Italy A hard cooked-curd ewes’ milk cheese made around Rome and in Sardinia and shaped into cylinders (up to 20 kg). The curds are tapped and pierced in their moulds to promote drainage of whey, and the cheeses are dry-salted and needled to allow salt to penetrate over a period of 3 months. They are then ripened for a further 5 months. It has a dense white to yellow paste with a sharp ewes’ milk cheese flavour and a brown oiled rind. Used as a dessert cheese since Roman times. Contains 31% water, 33% fat, 28% protein and 4 to 5 % salt.

Pecorino Siciliano Italy A hard ewes’ milk cheese made between October and June and formed in a basket mould. The cheeses are dry-salted and ripened for 8 months. They have a pale yellow oiled rind and the pale paste which contains a few peppercorns has a sharp flavour and a few holes.

Pecorino Siciliano bianco Italy Pecorino Siciliano without peppercorns. Also called

Pecorino Siciliano calcagno

Pecorino Siciliano calcagno Italy Pecorino Siciliano bianco

pectin A natural hemicellulosic carbohydrate gelling agent which in acid conditions (less than 3.46 pH) causes jam and marmalades to set. If the acidity is too low, less than 3.2 pH, then the jelly will weep, boiling also reduces the gelling power. Citrus fruits, apples, currants and some plums are rich in pectin and acids. Other fruits require added pectin and acid to make a satisfactory jam. See also E440(i)

pectinase An enzyme obtained from Aspergillus niger, used for the clarification of

Peking cooking

wines and beers and for the extraction of fruit juices by breaking down pectin

peda South Asia Milk fudge formed into small rounded blocks and garnished with pistachio nuts

pedas South Asia Hot-flavoured as from chillies

Pediococcus cerevisiae Bacterium used as a starter culture for lactic fermentation in meat products, e.g. salami, and in vegetables, e.g. cucumbers

Pediococcus halophilus Bacterium uses for the second-phase acidification of soya sauce pedra, a la Catalonia Cooked on a hot stone

or hot-plate

Pedroches Spain A hard ewes’ milk cheese with holes in the paste, ripened for 1 to 2 months. Contains 40% water, 30% fat and 24% protein.

peel 1. The outer skin or rind of fruits and some, principally root, vegetables 2. The long handled paddle used to move bread, baked goods, pizzas, etc. in and out of ovens peel, to To remove the skin or rind from fruit or vegetables or to remove any outer covering, e.g. paper from a cake or rind from

a cheese

peeler An implement used for peeling, consisting of a handled steel blade in which a longish slot with a raised sharp edge has been formed. This is used to remove a uniformly thick continuous slice from the surface of the object being peeled. Also called potato peeler, vegetable peeler

peelings The lengths of peel produced by a peeler

peertjes Netherlands Cooking pears

pee tee Thailand A deep saucer-shaped mould on the end of a long handle which is dipped in oil, then in batter, and deep-fried to produce a thin crisp case for filling with appetizers and the like

pei sooli China Asian pear peix Catalonia Fish

peixe Portugal Fish

peixelua Portugal Sunfish, a type of basking shark

peix espasa Catalonia Swordfish pejerrey Spain Smelt

pekin duck England One of the two standard duck breeds, Aylesbury is the other. It matures in about 7 weeks from hatching and contains a lot of fat.

Peking cooking The style of cooking practised in the northeast of China around Beijing. It is suited to a colder climate and includes carp, crab and giant prawns, roasts, hotpots, wheaten bread and noodles. Typical