A Dictionary of Food

presswurst

square inch, equivalent to 1 bar) above atmospheric pressure and decreases by approximately 2.7°C for every 1000 m above sea level.

presswurst Hungary The Hungarian version of the German Presswurst made from pigs’ trotters, neck and head boiled with onions, garlic, seasoning, bay, marjoram and paprika, bones removed and when cool pigs’ blood added, filled into casings simmered for 2 hours and pressed under a weight

Presswurst Germany A pig’s stomach loosely filled with a mixture of diced pickled pork shoulder, pigs’ head meat and salted pigs’ tongue, salted pork rind, calves’ feet and chopped shallots, all chopped until individual pieces are no bigger than a pea, bound with meat glaze, seasoned and flavoured with nutmeg and coriander, simmered for up to 2 hours and pressed in a mould until cool

presunto Portugal Smoked ham

presunto de lamego Portugal Salted, smoked and air-dried ham made from pigs fed on acorns from the cork oak forests

présure France Rennet prêtre France Smelt

pretzel A glossy brittle non-sweet snack biscuit sprinkled with coarse salt resembling a capital B, figure of 8 or lover’s knot. Made by poaching the shaped dough then baking it hard in the oven. Also called bretzel, salt stick

preziosini al pomodoro Italy Fried bread dumplings with cheese and tomato sauce

prezzemolo Italy Parsley prezzo fisso Italy Fixed price

prickly cockle A variety of cockle,

Acanthocardia echinata, with raised projections on the shell

prickly custard apple Sour sop

prickly pear A small greenish-orange fruit from a large cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica, shaped like a 4 to 7 cm long flattened pear. The sweet juicy flesh contains edible seeds which become hard on cooking. It should be handled with leather gloves when skinning although they can be bought with the spines removed. Also called barbary pear, cactus pear, Indian pear, Indian fig, tuna fig

prik Thailand Chilli pepper prik bod Chilli paste

prik chee far Thailand Cayenne pepper prik khee noo Thailand Bird’s eye chilli prik khee noo kaset Thailand Serrano chilli

prik khee noo luang Thailand A small very hot chilli

prik khee noo suan Thailand Bird’s eye chilli

prik leung A mild yellow chilli

prik pon Thailand Red chilli powder prik thai Thailand Peppercorn

prik yuah Thailand Sweet pepper

prik yuak Thailand Medium to large, green to red mild chillies, usually stuffed and fried

prima colazione Italy Breakfast

primavera Italy A garnish of raw or blanched spring vegetables

prime beef United States The best quality beef from young specially fed cattle. It is tender, with an excellent flavour and texture and is well marbled and usually well hung.

prime cut A top-quality cut of meat or fish primer plat Catalonia Main course of a meal primeurs France Early forced fruit and

vegetables. Also used as an adjective especially of wines.

primizie Italy First early vegetables

Primost Scandinavia A soft form of Gjetöst Primula veris Botanical name Cowslip

Prince Albert pudding England A Victoria sponge sandwich mixture in which half the flour may be replaced by breadcrumbs, steamed in a basin lined with precooked prunes

Prince Jean Belgium A soft surface-ripened cows’ milk cheese made in the shape of a cylinder (up to 450 g) with an even-textured aromatic paste

princesse, à la France In the princess’s style, i.e. garnished with asparagus tips and truffles or noisette potatoes, and sometimes with béchamel sauce

pringar Spain To baste or sprinkle with liquid pringue Spain Dripping

prinskorv Sweden Small sausages printanière, à la France In a spring-like

fashion, i.e. garnished with a mixture of spring vegetables coated with melted butter

Printen Germany Honey biscuits with nuts prix fixe France A fixed-price menu probecho Spain See violet 2

probiotics A rather vague name sometimes used for functional foods but more often for the various beneficial bacteria which hopefully grow in the colon and crowd out the more hostile ones. Typical are

Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidum longum, which can be obtained in capsule form or in various yoghurt-type foods.

process, to To grind to a fine or coarse consistency in a food processor

processed cheese Fairly bland cheese compounded with flavourings, emulsifiers, preservatives, extenders and stabilizers, then formed into blocks, portions, wedges, slices,

etc. or filled into squeezy tubes or sausage casings

processed peas Marrowfat peas, cooked in their cans and coloured a particularly bright green

profiterole England, France A light cake filled with cream or custard usually served with chocolate sauce, now restricted to choux pastry balls about 3 to 5 cm diameter with the centre hollow filled with whipped cream, Chantilly cream, ice cream or crème pâtissière

profumata, alla Italy Flavoured with prolamin One of the proteins in seeds and

grains. It is soluble in the water-ethanol mixtures formed during dough proving and affects the texture of wheat dough during proving and baking.

proof cabinet A controlled temperature and humidity enclosure, used for proving baked goods

propan-1,2-diol A solvent used for food colours and flavourings. Also called propylene glycol

propan-1,2-diol alginate E405, an ester of alginic acid which is partially soluble in fats

propan-2-ol See isopropyl alcohol proprionates Salts of proprionic acid used as

flour improvers and food preservatives. The sodiumE281, calciumE282 and potassium proprionates E283 are used.

Proprionibacterium A genus of microorganisms associated with the ripening of Swiss cheese and the development of the holes

proprionic acid E280, a simple fatty acid which occurs naturally in dairy products, now synthesized for use as a flour improver and preservative

propylene glycol See propan-1,2-diol prosciutto Italy Fresh uncooked ham

preserved by curing and/or air-drying. Usually served in very thin slices as antipasto.

prosciutto cotto Italy Cooked ham often boned and pressed into shape

prosciutto crudo Italy Raw smoked ham prosciutto di montagna Italy A type of Parma

ham but with a more powerful flavour and darker colour

prosciutto di Parma Italy Parma ham

proso Common millet

Prosopis glandulosa Botanical name

Mesquite bean

Prosopis juliflora Botanical name Mesquite bean

prostokvash Russia Milk soured at around 30°C

provisions

protease A specialized group of enzymes which attack the peptide links (i.e. between the amino acids) in proteins causing a variety of changes including complete digestion of proteins to amino acids. Used in brewing, baking, cheese making and for flavour enhancement and meat tenderization.

protein Long chains of amino acids which arrange themselves in many different shapes, some for use as muscle fibres, others to act as structural building blocks of body tissue and others as the enzymes which mediate most body processes. Of the 20 amino acids required 8 (9 in the case of infants) cannot be synthesized by the body and must be supplied in the diet. These are known as essential amino acids. Proteins in food are broken down into amino acids in the gut, these are absorbed into the blood and reassembled as required or burnt to provide energy.

protein bodies These are roughly spherical structures consisting of protein encapsulated in a membrane which occur in all seeds including cereals. They cannot be broken mechanically but water causes them to swell and break open, this being the process occurring in germination and also in dough production. See also gluten, glutenin, gliadin, prolamin, lectins

proteolytic enzyme See protease

protose steak United States A type of textured vegetable protein made to resemble steak

prove, to 1. To allow a yeast dough to rise both before and after shaping. Even rising depends on the incorporation and dispersion of the correct amount of air in the dough by the mixing and kneading processes. 2. To heat a new frying pan to a high temperature with oil or salt prior to using it so as to fill in minute imperfections in the surface. This prevents certain mixtures containing eggs or other proteins from sticking to it. Such pans should not be washed in detergents.

provençale, (à la) France In the Provence style, i.e. with olive oil, garlic, olives and tomatoes, and sometimes mushrooms or anchovies

provençale, sauce France A fondue of concassée tomatoes fried briefly in hot oil then cooked very slowly in a covered pan with crushed garlic, chopped parsley, seasoning and a little sugar

provision, to To purchase or acquire all the foods necessary for a particular task, usually for a voyage or expedition

provisions 1. Foodstuffs acquired for use or storage 2. Caribbean A general name for

provitamin A

edible tubers such as eddoes, dasheen and cassava or starchy fruit and vegetables, i.e. main carbohydrate sources

provitamin A See carotenes

Provola Italy A soft spun-curd cheese made with buffalo or cows’ milk in the same way as Mozzarella but ending up rather more firm. It is formed into 500 g pear shapes and a string tied around the top leaves a small sphere where the stalk of the pear would be.

Provolone Italy A hard, scalded and spuncurd smooth-textured, pale yellow cheese made from unpasteurized cows’ milk. It is started with fermented whey and rennet and the curd is warmed and washed to reduce calcium which makes it more pliable. It is then cheddared and drained, moulded by hand into a variety of shapes, cooled, brined and ripened at high humidity and strung in pairs when moulds develop on the surface. It is brushed and washed before sale. Used for dessert and cooking, as it matures the flavour increases in intensity. The mature form contains 33% water, 35% fat, 28% protein and 4% salt.

Provolone affumicato Italy A smoked Provolone cheese

Provolone piccante Italy A type of grating provolone in which the milk is coagulated with kid’s rennet and the cheese is left to mature for up to 2 years when it becomes dark, hard and strong

prugna Italy Plum prugna secca Italy Prune

prugna selvatica Italy Sloe prugnolo Italy Sloe

prugnuoli Italy Saint George’s mushrooms pruim Netherlands Plum

prune 1. A whole plum with or without the stone dried to a black colour 2. France Plum

pruneau France Prune

prune d’Agen France One of the best French plums, used for making prunes

prune de Damas France Damson prunelle France Sloe

Prunus armeniaca Botanical name Apricot

Prunus avium Botanical name Sweet cherry

Prunus cerasifera Botanical name Cherry plum

Prunus cerasus Botanical name Acid or sour cherry

Prunus communis var. sativa Botanical name Pear

Prunus domestica Botanical name Plum and gage

Prunus dulcis var. amara Botanical name

Bitter almond

Prunus dulcis var. dulcis Botanical name

Sweet almond

Prunus insititia Botanical name Damson, gage, mirabelle and bullace

Prunus mahaleb Botanical name Mahlab Prunus pennsylvanica Botanical name Bird

cherry

Prunus persica Botanical name Peach Prunus persica var. nectarina Botanical

name Nectarine

Prunus salicina Botanical name Japanese or salicine plum

Prunus spinosa Botanical name Sloe Prunus triflora Botanical name Japanese or

salicine plum

Prunus virginiana Botanical name

Chokecherry

psarassoupa Greece A thick fish soup made from fish stock simmered for 30 minutes with sliced onions, celery, carrots, potato and garlic all sweated in olive oil, plus tomato concassée and bay leaf. Skinned boned and portioned white fish (about 1:2 on the original stock) and white wine added, simmered 10 minutes then seasoned and finished with lemon juice and simmered a further 2 minutes. Served with chopped parsley. Also called kakavia

psari Greece Fish

pshennaya kasha Russia A porridge made from millet and milk with salt and sugar

Psidium guajava Botanical name Guava psiti crema Greece A baked custard made

from plain yoghurt, sugar and egg yolks (15:3:2) flavoured with cinnamon. The yoghurt is whisked into the creamed egg and sugar and all cooked in a bain-marie.

psito arni Greece Roast lamb

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus Botanical name Goa bean

ptaquiloside The compound in bracken,

Pteridium aquilinum, which is broken down in the body into dienone, a potent carcinogen. This may explain the high incidence of throat cancer amongst the Japanese who eat bracken shoots.

ptarmigan A small rarely seen wild bird, Lagopus mutus, of the grouse family from northern Europe and North America, which goes white in winter. It is generally cooked in the same way as grouse. Shooting season 12th of August to the 10th of December. Hanging time 2 to 4 days. Also called willow partridge, rock partridge, mountain grouse

puak Thailand Taro

Pucheria campechiana Botanical name

Canistel

puchero 1. Spain Olla podrida 2. Argentina An olla podrida containing diced pumpkin and quarters of corn on the cob

puchero argentina Argentina A complex stew of cubed brisket of beef, lamb’s and pig’s heads, portioned chicken and chick peas, simmered slowly with diced bacon, chorizo sausage, cabbage, potatoes, rice and tomatoes added towards the end

puchero mexicana Mexico A one-pot meal of beef, veal, pickled pork and goose giblets cooked in plenty of water with carrots, turnips, onions, Hamburg parsley and chick peas in a special earthenware pot and served as both soup and main course

puddenskins England A Cornish sausage of slightly salted pork, potatoes, turnips and onions, seasoned and baked in the oven in a covered dish, chopped and mixed with flour, suet, oatmeal and raisins, bound with egg and filled into large casings, tied and baked or fried until coloured

pudding 1. The general term for sweet or savoury dishes cooked or assembled and set in a pudding basin or other type of mould 2. The general term for hot sweet dishes served at the end of a meal 3. The Old English term for minced meat or offal and cereal packed into a casing and boiled. Haggis and black pudding are the two common survivors of this once common practice.

pudding grass Pennyroyal

pudding iz kartofelia i iablok Russia A Baltic dish of equal parts of mashed potatoes mixed with mashed cooking apples sautéed in butter, flavoured with sugar and nutmeg and mixed with a little cream, placed in a baking dish covered with breadcrumbs and butter and baked at 200°C until golden

pudding rice A short-grain rice, chalky when raw and sticky when cooked. Requires 40 minutes to cook.

pudding spice England An English blend of ground spices used in cakes, biscuits and puddings selected from cinnamon, cloves, mace, nutmeg, coriander seeds and allspice

pudeena South Asia Mint pudim Portugal Pudding

pudim de nozes Portugal Custard with cinnamon and walnuts

pudim de ovos Portugal Caramel custard flavoured with lemon and cinnamon

pudim flan Portugal Crème caramel pudim portugués Portugal Orange custard pudín Spain Pudding

pudina ki patti South Asia Mint puerco Spain Pig or pork puerro Spain Leek

puffball An edible pear-shaped or spherical fungus of two distinct types called the common puffball and the giant puffball

pullao

Puffer Germany 1. Fritter 2. Potato pancake puffer fish A yellow and black fish, Fugu rubripes, with a white underside whose raw flesh is prized by Japanese gourmands for use in sashimi. It contains a powerful toxin which kills several consumers each year. See

also fugu

puff pastry Pastry made from 700 to 1500 interleaved layers of a very short flour dough and fat formed by rolling out a rectangular layer of the short flour dough, coating or sandwiching with fat, folding in 3 (3-fold turn) or folding the ends to the centre and then together like a book (book turn), rotating a quarter turn and repeating this, resting for 20 minutes in the refrigerator between turns. 5 book folds and 6 3-fold turns are required. The fat used must be of the same consistency as the dough. Margarine or pastry fat requires a strong flour, butter a softer flour. The ratio of fat to flour in the dough is roughly 1:8 whilst overall, the fat flour ratio is 1:1. See also

French puff pastry method, puff pastry, rough puff pastry, virgin pastry

puff pastry fat A high-melting-point fat which can be used to make puff pastry in warm conditions and which will withstand rough handling. Usually free of water. If it contains water the amount of fat in the puff pastry must be increased to give the correct ratio of pure fat to flour.

puffs Small cakes or tarts made with a casing of puff pastry filled with jam, custard, whipped cream, etc.

puila A sweet bread from Finland flavoured with cardamom

pui la ceaun cu mujdei Romania Roast chicken served with a sauce made from chicken stock and garlic

puits d’amour France A small round pastry filled with cream, jelly or fruit (NOTE: Literally ‘well of love’.)

pulao South Asia Pilau

pulasan The fruit of a small tree, Nephelium mutabile, covered with red to yellow warts, similar to the lychee and used in the same way

puleggio Italy Penny royal puli Indonesia Blade mace

pulla Finland A roll or bun especially an enriched and sweetened yeast-raised dough formed into a braid or plats before proving pullan Ireland A white-fleshed fish, Coregonus lavaretus, similar to vendace found in freshwater lakes especially in Ireland. Also

called white fish pullao South Asia Pilau

pulled bread

pulled bread United States Freshly baked bread with its crust removed

pullet A young hen or laying fowl

pullet eggs The small eggs laid by pullets when they first start to lay. Not normally sold through other than producer outlets.

pulp 1. The soft, somewhat formless, interior of a fruit or vegetable 2. A thick or coarse purée of fruit or vegetables 3. The residue of cooked or uncooked fruit or vegetables after sieving or pressing out the juice. Citrus pulp is sometimes used in manufactured orange drinks.

pulpeta Spain Slice of meat pulpo Spain Octopus or squid

pulp wash The liquid containing sugars, acids and minerals obtained by washing the pith and cell walls left when orange juice is separated from whole oranges. It is illegal to add it to pure orange juice in the UK but not in the USA.

pulse The general name for most dried leguminous seeds used for their protein content, such as beans, peas, lentils, etc.

Pultost Norway A soft cooked-curd naturally curdled cheese made from very low-fat cows’ milk. The curds are salted and often flavoured with caraway seeds to give a very tasty paste. Contains 60% water, 3% fat and 30% protein. Also called knaost, ramost

pummelo The fruit of a tree, Citrus grandis, which looks like a large pale green grapefruit and has a firm sharp-tasting white or pink flesh and a very thick skin. It probably originated in southern China but is now grown throughout Southeast Asia. There are 3 main groups: the Thai which is relatively small and of high quality, the Chinese which is medium-sized with a coarse juicy flesh and the Indonesian which is the largest and is perfectly spherical. They are usually eaten by removing a segment and peeling away the walls on two sides. Also called pomelo, shaddock

pumpa Sweden Pumpkin

pumpernickel A dark brown slightly sticky dense German-style bread made from coarse rye flour and steamed for up to 20 hours. Usually eaten in very thin slices. Also called black bread

pumpkin The various yellow to orange fruits of a vine, Cucurbita pepo, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family native to America. Pumpkins are usually used for decoration e.g. jack o’ lantern and Connecticut field cultivars. Pumpkin pie is usually made from squash which have better cooking qualities; New England sugar however is a small pie pumpkin.

pumpkin pie United States A dessert served with whipped cream consisting of a cooked pumpkin or squash purée mixed with eggs, sugar, cream, black treacle or molasses and spices, baked in a precooked open pastry case until set

pumpkin seeds Large flat green seeds from pumpkins and squashes eaten raw or cooked, in sweet or savoury dishes or as a snack food. Can be sprouted.

punajuuri Finland Beetroot punajuurikeitto Finland Borscht

punch, to To fold dough in triple or bookfold and literally punch it to expel air

punchero Mexico A one-pot meat, bean and vegetable stew. The broth is served first, then the meat and vegetables.

Botanical name

Punkersdorker Germany A strong juicy salami-style sausage

punnet A small square, rectangular or oval basket originally of woven wood or leaves but now plastic or card, used to hold soft fruit, mushrooms and the like for sale

Punschtorte Germany A rum-flavoured cake punt, al Catalonia Medium cooked (of meat) punta di vitello Italy Breast of veal puntarelle Italy A winter salad green with thin

serrated leaves on long stalks puntina Italy Pinch, e.g. of salt

puntine Italy Tiny pasta seeds, smaller than semini

puntino, a Italy Medium well done as applied to meat

puntitas Paco Alcade Spain An Andalusian speciality of beef sautéed with fresh tomatoes, black olives and garlic

punto, en su Spain Medium-cooked. Used of meat steaks, etc. See also à point

puppadom South Asia Poppadom

pur chèvre France Cheese made only from goats’ milk

purea Italy Purée

puré de patata Spain Mashed potato

purée England, France 1. A type of soup in which fresh vegetables and pulses are simmered in stock with flavouring then forced through a sieve or liquidized to give a smooth consistency. Usually served accompanied with croûtons in a separate dish. 2. Any food processed or pounded to a smooth consistency, somewhere between coating and pouring

Püree Germany Purée

pure olive oil Blended olive oil made by larger companies from a mixture of refined oils

from various sources. Also called 100% pure olive oil

puri South Asia A deep-fried chapati which puffs and swells as it is cooked. Served hot, often with a hot spicy filling for use as a snack. Also called poori, bhatura, bhatoora

purjo Sweden Leeks

purple basil A type of basil from Southeast Asia with red to purple tinged leaves and red stalks. The flavour and aroma become intense when it is cooked.

purple granadilla See purple passion fruit purple guava See strawberry guava purple laver Nori

purple passion fruit A large (up to 7.5 cm diameter) globular fruit, Passiflora edulis, with a hard wrinkled purple to black skin containing a deliciously flavoured mucilaginous yellow pulp full of small edible seeds. The pulp is scooped out for eating or use in desserts, or it may be sieved to use as a flavouring. Also called maracuya, purple granadilla

purple sage A variety of sage, Salvia officinale ‘Purpurascens’, with very strong-flavoured purple leaves, good for tea

purple sprouting broccoli See sprouting broccoli

pursindah seekhi South Asia An elaborate way of skewering lamb fillet by first trimming it to a block 75 mm long by 60 mm wide by 20 mm deep. The block is then cut once from either end into a 6 to 7 mm thickness without completely finishing the cut so as to form a long strip roughly 210 by 60 by 7mm. This strip is pierced along its length in a series of S curves with a greased skewer then grilled, with flavourings added either before or after cooking.

purslane A plant of two distinct types, summer purslane which is a half-hardy annual and winter purslane which is fully hardy

pusit calmar Philippines Squid

puso no saging Philippines Banana flower pu tao China Grapes

pu tao gan China Raisins

pu tao jiu China Wine made from grapes

putcha A Jewish appetizer made from calf’s foot jelly. See also petcha

Pute Germany Hen turkey Puter Germany Cock turkey

puttanesca, alla Italy In the style of the harlot, i.e. with tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives and anchovies

pyy

puuro Finland Porridge

Puzol Spain A soft ewes’ milk cheese eaten very fresh. Contains 61% water, 21% fat and 18% protein.

pwdin cymreig Wales Welsh pudding pwdin eryri Wales Snowdon pudding

pwdin gwaed Wales A Welsh black pudding made of salted fresh pig’s blood mixed with a little water, allowed to stand overnight, chopped onions and a little fat coated with oatmeal, herbs and seasoning added, this then mixed with the blood, all packed into hog casings, boiled 30 minutes then dried. Served sliced and fried.

pwdin gwaed gwyddau Wales As pwdin gwaed but using goose blood instead of pig’s blood

pyaaj Nepal, South Asia Onion pyechenka Russia Pechyenka pyechenye Russia Pechenye pyechyen-grill See pechyen-grill

pyechyen kur v madere See pechyen kur v madere

pyin daw thein Burma Curry leaf pyin tha-leik Burma Turtle p’yogo Korea Shiitake mushroom

pyramide France A soft surface-ripened goats milk cheese with a sweet flavour which becomes stronger as it ripens. It is formed in the shape of a truncated pyramid and sometimes coated with ashes to dry it out.

pyrethrum A nontoxic pesticide made from dried pyrethrum flowers that can be used near food

pyridoxal See vitamin B6 pyridoxamine See vitamin B6 pyridoxine See vitamin B6 pyridoxol See vitamin B6

pyroligneous acid A yellow liquid obtained by condensing the vapours obtained by heating sawdust in a closed metal retort. Used to impart a smoky flavour to some foods.

Pyrus communis Botanical name Pear tree Pyrus pyrofolia Botanical name Asian pear Pyrus ussuriensis Botanical name Asian

pear

pytt i panna Sweden Fried cubes of potato, ham and beef, mixed with fried onions and chopped parsley, the whole topped with a raw egg yolk which is stirred into the mixture at the table. Also called Swedish hash

pyy Finland Hazel hen

qâlat daqqa Middle East, North Africa An Arabian spice blend of ground black peppercorns, cloves, grains of paradise, nutmeg and cinnamon used in vegetable dishes and with lamb

qa tagine North Africa A deep copper dish in which a tagine is served at the table so as to protect the table’s surface

qataif Middle East A pancake made from flour, water and yeast, dipped after cooking in lemon-flavoured syrup scented with orange flower water. Can be stuffed, folded and deep-fried.

qawwrama Middle East Lebanese preserved meat made from the rendered fat of specially fattened sheep in which cubes of lean mutton which have been pressed to remove moisture are fried and the fried meat and fat to cover, packed in earthenware pots. Will keep for several months.

quadrello Italy Rack of lamb or loin of pork quadretti di riso alla piemontese Italy Rice

fritters with meat sauce and cheese quadrucci Italy Small squares of egg pasta

used in soups

quaggiaridda Italy A mixture of sheep’s offal, sausage and cheese wrapped in a pig’s caul and baked

quaglia Italy Quail

quaglie alla borghese Italy Quails wrapped in vine leaves and roasted on a bed of puréed peas and lettuce

quaglie rincartate Italy An Umbrian dish of quails wrapped in bread dough and baked

quagliette Italy Cabbage rolls and similar quagliette di vitello Italy Paupiettes of veal

stuffed with ham and grilled on a skewer quahog clam An Atlantic Ocean clam,

Mercenaria mercenaria, up to about 13 cm in diameter with a dull grey to brown exterior and purple interior shell. Eaten raw or cooked. Also called hard clam, hard shell clam, hard-neck clam, cherrystone

quaietta Italy A dish from Turin of veal cutlets stuffed with meat, cheese and truffles

quail A small game bird, Coturnix coturnix, now protected in the wild but farmed for table use. The English version is usually more tasteless than the French which has a yellow flesh from being corn-fed. Usually barded and roasted at 220°C for 25 minutes and served one per person on buttered toast garnished with watercress.

quails’ eggs Small eggs regarded as a delicacy, boiled for 1 minute or hard-boiled and served with a dip as an appetizer or used as a garnish for cold buffets

quaking custard United States A New England demoulded egg custard garnished with egg white which tends to shake easily on the plate

qualheim cutter United States A type of mandolin that also dices food

quandong fruit Australia One of the best known wild fruits of the continent, Santalum acuminatum, now grown in considerable commercial quantities. It is bright red, mildly tart and the flavour is a mixture of apricot and peach with a touch of cinnamon. It is used in sauces, desserts etc. The seed kernels are toxic unless roasted to a light chocolate colour. Also called native peach

quarg See quark

quark, Quark Central Europe, England, Germany A soft, slightly sour, curd cheese sometimes flavoured with fruit or herbs, made from skimmed, whole or buttermilk possibly with added cream. Eaten as a dessert. Contains 70 to 80% water, and less than 3 % fat. Also called kvarg, quarg,

Buttermilchquark, Labquark, Speisequark

Quarkklösse Germany Dumplings made with quark

Quarktorte Germany A type of cheesecake with a short pastry base. The filling is strained quark creamed with butter, sugar and egg yolk flavoured with lemon zest and

cinnamon and with currants and stiffly beaten egg whites folded in. The base and fillings are baked in a very slow oven and served cold dusted with icing sugar.

quart 1. 2 pints in either imperial or USA volume measure 2. France A quarter, one fourth part

quarter A volume measure equal to 8 bushels or 64 gallons in either imperial or USA measure

quarter of meat See forequarter

quartier France Fore or hindquarter of an animal carcass

Quartirolo Italy A soft, cows’ milk cheese similar to Taleggio made with a lactic starter and having a distinctive mushroom flavour quarto Italy 1. A quarter, one fourth part 2.

Leg, haunch or hindquarter of meat

quasi France The top of the leg of veal cut from the English cushion and undercushion and the rear of the loin

quasi de veau bourgeoise France Boneless quasi of veal casseroled with pork, calf’s foot and vegetables

quassia A bitter flavouring extracted from the wood and bark of a South American tree, Quassia amara, or West-Indian tree, Pacrasma excelsa, mainly used for drinks and tonics

Quassia amara Botanical name Quassia

quatre-épices France The classic French spice blend used in charcuterie and stews, consisting of 5 parts black peppercorns, 2 parts nutmeg, 1 part cloves and 1 part dried ginger ground to a fine powder. Cinnamon is substituted for black pepper if used in sweet dishes and the proportions vary from place to place.

quatre-quarts France The French version of pound cake

quattro spezie Italy A spice mix of pepper, nutmeg, juniper and cloves (NOTE: Literally ‘four spices’.)

quattro stagioni Italy 1. A butterhead lettuce with dimpled soft and glossy leaves tipped with red 2. A type of pizza in which the four quarters have different additions to the tomato and cheese base to represent the four seasons

quay Vietnam Roast

que Vietnam A type of mint

queen cake A small individual cake made from the basic cake mixture using the creaming method with a final addition of washed and dried mixed dried vine fruits

queen crab See snow crab queenie Queen scallop

queijo Minas curado

queen of puddings England Bread or cake crumbs covered with a sweetened and flavoured egg custard mixture baked in the oven in a bain-marie until set, cooled, spread with warmed jam or fruit, topped with a meringue mixture and browned in the oven

queen scallop A small variety of scallop,

Pecten opercularis or Chlamys opercularis, with an almost circular shell up to 10 cm diameter and a vivid red roe. Found in deeper waters than the great scallop. The flesh weighs about 12 g. Also called queenie, quin scallop

Queensland nut Macadamia nut Queensland school mackerel Australia An

important commercial fish, the school mackerel, Cybium queenslandicus, makes excellent eating. It can grow to 8 kg but is generally available at between 1 and 3 kg. It is green on top and silver below and its alternative name, blotched mackerel, refers to the several rows of light grey blotches along the sides. Also called blotched mackerel (NOTE: Not to be confused with the common mackerel, Scomber australasicus, which rarely weighs more than 800 g in Australia.)

queen snapper Australia Morwong queijadas de sintra Portugal Unsweetened

patties made with eggs, almonds and cheese served with French beans

queijo Portugal Cheese

queijo arreganhado Portugal A mild and mellow cheese made from the first milk drawn from the ewe which doesn’t contain much fat

queijo da Ilha Portugal A hard cows’ milk cheese from the Azores resembling a mature Cheddar, used mainly for cooking. Also called queijo da Terra

queijo da Serra Portugal The famous semihard high-fat cheese made from the milk of ewes pastured on the high meadows of the north East. It resembles a well-flavoured Brie and is eaten either runny or ripened until firm and pungent. Its origin and method of production are controlled by the government. Also called Serra

queijo da Terra Portugal Queijo da Ilha queijo do ceu Portugal A cheese dessert queijo Minas Brazil A white scalded-curd

cheese made from cows’ milk eaten fresh as a dessert or allowed to mature and become yellow

queijo Minas curado Brazil The mature, semi-hard version of Minas with a thin rind and paste containing scattered holes. Contains 45% water, 20% fat and 28% protein.

queijo Minas frescal

queijo Minas frescal Brazil A soft fresh cows’ milk cheese with a pleasant acid taste. Contains 60% water, 16% fat and 17% protein. Also called Mineiro Frescal

queijos frescos Portugal Fresh cheeses made from ewes’ or goats’ milk sometimes allowed to ripen

quemada Mexico Milk which has been boiled until it turns a caramel colour

quenelle England, France Fish, meat or poultry meat processed to a very fine forcemeat, bound with eggs or fat, shaped with two spoons into small round or oval dumplings and poached in a cooking liquor. Served as a garnish or as a main course with a sauce.

quenelles de brochet France Quenelles or dumplings made with the flesh of pike

quente Portugal Warm, hot

quesillo Caribbean Crème caramel from Dominica

queso Spain Cheese

queso blanco South America A soft cheese made from cows’ milk curdled with acetic acid, the curds kneaded, pressed and salted. Eaten fresh or after ripening for up to 3 months. Contains 50% water, 19% fat and 25% protein.

queso Ciudad Real Spain A smoked goats’ milk cheese

queso de bola Spain A round ball-shaped Dutch-style cheese

queso de cabra South America A soft cylindrical (up to 1 kg) goats’ milk cheese from Chile with a sharp flavour

queso de cerdo Spain Brawn made from pig’s head

queso de los Bellos Spain A hard cheese. See also Bellos

queso de nata Spain Cream cheese queso helado Spain An ice cream brick

queso manchego Spain A hard sheeps’ milk cheese

quesong puti Philippines Kesong puti quetsche France A variety of dark purple

plum

queue France 1. Tail, of an animal 2. Handle of a pan

queue de boeuf France Oxtail

queue de boeuf claire France Clear oxtail soup

queue de boeuf liée France Thick oxtail soup queues d’écrevisses France Crayfish tails quiche A savoury custard tart made from a

shortcrust or puff pastry-lined quiche dish or flan ring, possibly precooked, filled with various solid savoury and raw salad or vegetable items which are then covered with

a seasoned mixture of eggs and milk and/or cream, possibly gratinated and/or decorated, then baked in the oven at 200 to 230°C until cooked and browned

quiche dish A shallow (about 3 cm deep), round, glazed ceramic dish used for cooking quiches

quiche lorraine England, France A quiche made with a filling of chopped ham or bacon and grated cheese or slices of Gruyère

quick bread United States Bread made with chemical raising agents

quick cooking rice See precooked rice quick freeze, to To freeze food so that it

spends a minimum of time between 0°C and –4°C, the region where ice crystals would, if given the time, grow to such a size as to rupture cell walls releasing their contents on thawing. Usually done by blasting with liquefied gases. Quick frozen food is usually stored at around – 30°C.

quiejo do Reino Brazil A cows’ or goats’ milk cheese similar to the Portuguese Serra cheese

quiejo Prato Brazil A flat semi-hard Edam-like cows’ milk cheese with a few small holes and a tender rind

quignon France Crust or hunk (of bread)

quill Cinnamon bark rolled up into a cigar-like tube

quillaia The compound extracted from the bark of the soap bark tree from SA used as a foaming agent in soft drinks. Permitted for use in the UK.

quillings Small broken pieces of cinnamon bark often rolled up within larger quills

quince The apple or pear-shaped fruit of a temperate climate bush, Cydonia oblonga, with a green skin which turns to gold when ripe and is covered by a greyish-white down. The ripe flesh is sweet, juicy and yellow with a pronounced scent and is always cooked. Used as apples or made into jam without the need of added pectin. They originated in western Asia but are now grown worldwide especially in Uruguay.

quin choy China Winter rape quing dou China Fresh soya beans quing suan China Asian leek

quinoa A tiny golden seed from South America cultivated since 3000 BC. It is rather like rice but has a higher protein content. Requires 10 to 15 minutes boiling. Can be grown in temperate climates.

quinoline yellow E104, a synthetic yellow food colouring

quin scallop Queen scallop

quire of paper England An old English cake made from very thin pancakes cooked on one side only, sprinkled with sugar and built up into a cake. The pancake mixture is rich in eggs, cream and melted butter and flavoured with sherry, rose water and nutmeg.

quisquilla Spain Shrimp quisquilla gris Spain Brown shrimp

Quitte Germany Quince

Quittengelee Germany Quince jam

quorn The thread-like mycelium of a fungus grown industrially in a medium made principally from the starch content of field

quwarmah ala dajaj

beans. It contains about 45% protein and 13% fat together with dietary fibre, and after drying and compounding is used as a highclass protein in vegetarian meals, both made up and home cooked.

quroot Central Asia Yoghurt or sour milk drained and dried to form a cheese-like substance which can be stored. It is usually reconstituted with water and used as a base for sauces.

quwarmah ala dajaj Persian Gulf A lightly curried chicken flavoured with garlic, fresh ginger root, a little chilli powder, turmeric and loomi powder