A Dictionary of Food

singkong

being released when it is cooked on the griddle.

singkong Indonesia Cassava

single-acting baking powder Baking powder that releases carbon dioxide only on contacting water

single cream Cream with a minimum butterfat content of 18%. Not suitable for whipping.

single-crust Describes a pie or food dish with a single layer of pastry below the filling, and none above

single Gloucester A hard, mild Cheddar-like white farmhouse cheese made in the form of a squat cylinder from the skimmed cows’ milk of an early season day’s milking. Also called haymaking cheese

single loin of lamb See loin of lamb sinigang Philippines A thin stew of meat or

fish with vegetables, simmered in a cooking liquor soured with some of lime, lemon, tamarind or unripe tomatoes, seasoned and flavoured with fish sauce or soya sauce

sinistral Describes a flatfish in which the eye on the right of the juvenile form moves to join that on the left which becomes the uppermost side of the adult fish

sink tidy A triangular metal or plastic dish with perforations in the base and sides used to strain off vegetable peelings and the like

sinn China Eel

Sint Jakobsschelp Netherlands same as coquille Saint Jacques

sipoli merce Latvia A dish of herring fillets coated in a mixture of German mustard, French mustard, egg yolks and cream, covered and left overnight in the refrigerator, passed through rye flour and pan fried in butter. Served with onion rings and lemon wedges.

sippet A small right-angled isosceles triangle of toast about 2 cm on the side (12 per slice of English bread). Several are served in a sauce boat as an accompaniment to soup. See also croûtons

sipuli Finland Onion and the onion family generally

sipulipihvi Finland Steak and onions

sir Eastern Europe The generic name for cheese in Balkan and some Slav countries siracha Thailand A thin red chilli sauce in which individual flakes of chilli pepper can

be seen

sirap Sweden Syrup

Sirene Bulgaria A firm white salty and crumbly white cheese similar to Greek feta

sirka South Asia Vinegar

sirloin United States A cut of beef from the upper part of the loin just in front of the round, including some of the English rump and the rear part of the English sirloin, the rear half of the whole loin

sirloin of beef Part of a loin of beef, comprising about 6 full vertebrae. Sometimes roasted on the bone, boned out and reassembled on the bone or boned and rolled. Also used as steaks.

sirloin steak 1. United Kingdom A slice about 1.5 to 2 cm thick cut from a boned out sirloin of beef. Also called entrecôte steak 2. United States Steak cut from the sirloin usually including bone and the outer layer of fat. They are designated by the shape of the vertebra and its extension as pinbone, flatbone and wedgebone or, if without bone, as boneless.

sirop France Syrup

sirop d’érable France Maple syrup sirsak Indonesia, Malaysia Soursop

Sirup Germany Molasses

sishi salad Netherlands A dark bluish brown sprouted seed grown like mustard and cress as a decoration

sis kebap Turkey A shish kebab consisting of cubes of meat, pieces of tomato and pieces of sweet pepper grilled on separate skewers, removed from the skewers on to the plate and served with a rice pilav

sis köfte Turkey Meatballs of lamb threaded on and/or formed around a skewer as a flattened rectangle, grilled and served off the skewer with a rice pilav

sissay yassa West Africa Joints of chicken marinated in lemon juice and oil with onions, garlic, ginger and chilli, fried and served with rice. A Gambian speciality.

sitaw Philippines Long bean sitron Norway Lemon sitruuna Finland Lemon

sitruunakohokas Finland Lemon soufflé sitruunankuori Finland Lemon zest sitsaro Philippines Mangetout peas

sitsaron Philippines A dry snack made from pork crackling or fried chitterlings. Also called chitcharon

siu choy China Chinese leaves

siu mai China Dumplings made from won ton wrappers filled with a paste made from lean pork and prawn meat, chopped water chestnuts, reconstituted black mushrooms, spring onions, fresh ginger, salt, sugar and soya sauce. The wrappers are circular and made into a cup shape as they are filled, left open at the top, sprinkled with grated carrots

and the dumplings placed in an oiled steamer basket and steamed for 12 minutes.

Sium sisarum Botanical name Skirret siwalan Indonesia Palm nut sjokolade Norway Chocolate

sjokoladefarget Norway Covered in chocolate

sjömansbiff Sweden A casserole of alternate layers of fried slices of rump or sirloin beef, sliced onions with seasoning and thyme and sliced potatoes, starting and finishing with potatoes, simmered in water, lager or stout (NOTE: Literally ‘seaman’s beef’.)

sjøørret Norway Sea trout sjötunga Sweden Dover sole sjøtunge Norway Dover sole

skaba puta Latvia A cold soup made from a duxelle of mushrooms and onions brought to the boil with tomato purée, lemon juice and chicken stock, barley added and simmered until tender, cooled, mixed with 10% buttermilk and 10% sour cream and chopped dill. Served cold garnished with chopped hard-boiled eggs and gherkins.

skalddyr Denmark Shellfish skaldjur Sweden Shellfish skalldyr Norway Shellfish

skånsk kålsoppa Sweden Cabbage soup from Skåne, made from diced lean pork simmered in water, skimmed, sliced cabbage, swede, carrots and potatoes added with salt, peppercorns and a bay leaf, simmered until all tender, seasoning adjusted and served with a chopped parsley garnish

skånsk potatis Sweden Diced potatoes browned in butter and reserved. Chopped onion fried in the same fat, potatoes added back, seasoned and the whole mixed with double cream. Served with a chopped parsley garnish.

skärbönor Sweden French beans

skarpsås Sweden A sharp sauce made with equal parts of mashed hard-boiled and raw egg yolk, with a little vinegar and French mustard into which oil is emulsified as in mayonnaise production, seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper, mixed with an amount of double cream equal to the oil and finished with chopped dill. Often served with baked fish.

skate A flat triangular-shaped seawater fish, Rajus batis, of the shark family, with eyes on the upper side and mouth and gills on the lower side. The upper surface is greenish brown with spots and they can be up to 2 m wide. The white medium oily flesh from the skinned sides (wings) cut into pieces and nuggets of flesh cut from under the body are

skirret

cooked in any way. See also common skate, thornback ray, guitar fish. Also called ray

skewer Variously sized wooden or metal rods resembling knitting needles with a handle, loop or enlargement at one end. Used for trussing joints of meat, birds and poultry or for holding meat, fish or pieces of vegetables for grilling.

skewer, to To hold the edges of joints of meat together, to hold the limbs of poultry and birds against the body using skewers or to thread pieces of meat or vegetable on a skewer

skillet United States Frying pan, sometimes with a lid

skim, to To remove surface layers of fat, froth and scum from a simmering stock, sauce, soup, stew or jam, using a ladle, spoon or skimmer. Occasionally adsorbent kitchen paper is used especially to remove the last traces of fat from a consommé.

skimmed milk Milk with a butterfat content of 0.3% or less. Tends to burn on heating. Sold in bottles with a silver and blue checked top.

skimmed milk quark Magerquark

skin 1. The outer protective covering of an animal, fruit or vegetable 2. The hard dryish film which forms on top of soups, sauces and jams when cooled and left. Prevented by using a cartouche or other means to avoid evaporation.

skin, to To remove the skin from food items such as fish, fruit, meat, vegetables, etc.

skinka Sweden Ham

skinkbullar Sweden Ham and potato balls skinke Denmark, Norway Ham skinkestek Norway Roast ham

skinkfärs Sweden A mousse made with finely ground ham

skinklåda Sweden Ham omelette cooked in the oven

skink of beef Scotland A Scottish term used for leg or shin of beef. Also called hough of beef

skipjack tuna A cheap species of tuna fish, Katsuwonus pelamis, often substituted for the more expensive yellow fin or the rare blue fin. Also called Pacific bonito, California bonito, oceanic bonito

skirlie Scotland A Scottish accompaniment to grouse consisting of finely chopped onion fried slowly until coloured in butter or pork dripping, then enough medium oatmeal added to absorb the fat, crisped and seasoned

skirret A hardy herbaceous perennial, Sium sisarum, growing to 1 m with small clusters of tiny fragrant flowers, narrow leaves and aromatic tuberous roots. The young shoots

skirt

may be steamed or stir-fried. The roots, which should be cooked in their skins to preserve the flavour, are steamed, boiled or pickled and are eaten in Germany with new potatoes. The hard inner core of the root is removed.

skirt United Kingdom A fairly tough cut of beef from the extreme bottom of the belly of the animal and the diaphragm, divided into thick, thin and body skirt. Thick skirt is part of the inner muscle of the belly wall attached to the rump, whilst thin skirt and body skirt are part of the diaphragm. It must either be braised very slowly or cooked fast on a high heat and served rare. Also called thin flank

sköldpadda Sweden Turtle sköldpaddsoppa Sweden Turtle soup skordalia Greece Skorthalia

skorpor Sweden Rusks

skorthalia Greece Mayonnaise flavoured with raw garlic, ground almonds and lemon juice or vinegar, thickened with pounded bread and sometimes with the addition of chopped walnuts or pine nuts. Used as a general cold sauce or condiment. Also called skordalia

skull cap Preformed cooked pieces of puff pastry used to cover sweet or savoury dishes of food. The pastry is rolled to 3 mm, cut to the shape of the bowl, edges dampened and placed on bowls full of warm water and baked in the oven at 220°C for 12 minutes.

skyr Iceland 1. Curds 2. A soft cultured and very smooth cheese made from rennetcurdled skimmed milk similar to fromage frais or a strong-flavoured yoghurt

Skyros Greece A cheese from the island of the same name similar to Kefalotiri

sla Netherlands Salad, lettuce

sladkoe pechenye iz gryetskikh orekhov po-uzbeksky Central Asia Uzbekistan walnut brittle

slagroom Netherlands Whipped cream slake, to To mix a powder with a small amount

of water or other liquid to a creamy lump-free consistency

slaked lime Lime (calcium hydroxide) släpärter Sweden Peas in the pod slapjack United States A large flat pancake slata North Africa Salad

slatka Balkans Preserved fruits from Serbia served as an afternoon snack with strong coffee and cold water

slatur Iceland 1. Butcher’s meat 2. Sheep’s pluck 3. A version of haggis

slätvar Sweden Brill, the fish slaughterhouse See abattoir slaw See coleslaw

slice, to To cut into thin sheets

sliced beef United States Dried beef

slicing knife A knife with a long thin blade (30 cm by 2 to 3 cm) with a rounded end used for slicing, usually cooked food

slicing machine A machine with a motordriven circular knife blade together with a tray which holds a solid food item and is moved by hand or mechanically so as to cut the food in slices of a predetermined thickness. Also called food slicer

slip Australia Baking tray

Slipcote England A small soft cheese produced in Kent which is placed between cabbage leaves to ripen for 1 to 2 weeks. When ripe its skin becomes loose.

slipper lobster A small lobster, Scyllarus arctus or Scyllarides squammosis, with a flat slipper-shaped tail which is the part used. The Mediterranean variety S. arctus (up to 13 cm) has little meat and is usually used in soups. The tail of the larger variety S. squammosis which is fished off the coast of Queensland in Australia, is eaten as a dish in its own right. Also called flat lobster

sliver A thin narrow strip of a foodstuff, e.g. of almonds, cheese and the like

sloe The small black sour fruit of the blackthorn bush Prunus spinosa about 1 cm in diameter and with a central stone. May be used in jam, as a souring agent or to make sloe gin.

sloke Laver slokum Laver

sloppy joe United States A split bread bun filled with a thinnish mixture of seasoned and cooked minced beef mixed with tomato sauce

slot Wales A thick oatcake without fat, crushed and served with cold buttermilk poured over it

slott Scotland A Shetland dish of cod roe, beaten with flour and seasoning until smooth and creamy, dropped in spoonfuls into boiling seawater or brine (35 g salt per litre) and eaten either hot or left to cool, sliced and fried

slotted spoon A large long-handled spoon with holes in the bowl end used for removing large solids from a liquid

slottsstek Sweden Roast sirloin of beef generally served with braised onions, roast potatoes and jus rôti, More traditionally a boned sirloin was seasoned, browned then braised in a covered dish with stock, onion, anchovy, bay, white vinegar, sugar and peppercorns. Served with a jus lié thickened with beurre manié and finished with cream, accompanied with boiled potatoes,

cucumber salad and redcurrant or cranberry jelly.

slouk Laver

slow cook, to To cook at a low temperature in the range 80 to 95°C

slow cooker A thermostatically controlled electrically heated deep metal container into which a lidded earthenware or glass, deep and well fitting pot is placed. Used for slow cooking food at or below simmering temperature for long periods of time.

Slow Food Society Italy The Arcigola slow food society of Cuneo, Italy was formed in 1986 to promote slow eating and has since flourished. Their logo is a snail shape and appears in restaurant guides, the most well known of which is the Osteria d’Italia, a guide to Italy’s family-run restaurants.

slugane Ireland Laver

slumgullion United States Disgusting food (colloquial)

slump United States A dessert made of stewed fruit topped with a dumpling-like pastry and served with cream

sly cake England See Cornish sly cake småbröd Sweden Small cakes and biscuits småkage Denmark Biscuits

småkakor Sweden Biscuit

små köttbullar Sweden Small meatballs småländsk ostkaka Sweden A type of

cheesecake from Småland smallage Wild celery

small calorie The scientific calorie written with a lower case c, equal to the one thousandth part of the calorie (kilocalorie) used in nutrition. See also calorie

small eats United Kingdom Savouries, canapés, etc. served with drinks (colloquial; a naval term)

small thread stage See sugar cooking

Smältost Sweden A mild runny cooking cheese

småsill Sweden Pilchards smatana Smetana

småvarmt Sweden Hot dishes served at the smörgåsbord, traditionally filled omelette, sautéed kidneys, chipolata sausages or items in a thick cream sauce

smedovska lukanka Bulgaria A smoked sausage made with two thirds pork and one third beef, chopped, mixed with sugar, seasoning and caraway seed and packed into ox middles

smell See odour

smelt Various small round oily silver-coloured seawater fish of the genus Osmerus, with a flavour similar to trout. Gutted by squeezing

smoked cod’s roe

out the entrails through an incision made below the gills and deep-fried or baked.

smen North Africa A type of clarified butter with the flavour of cheese, which may be flavoured with herbs and kept for years to mature

smeriglio Italy Porbeagle shark

smetana A soured low-fat cream (12% butterfat) originating in Russia and Eastern Europe, now made in the West from a mixture of skimmed milk and single cream. The original Russian version was made by mixing sweet double cream and sour cream and had a much higher fat content than nowadays. Also called smatana, smitane, smytana

Smilax officinalis Botanical name

Sarsaparilla sminuzzato Italy Brawn

smitaine sauce See smitane, sauce smitane Smetana

smitane, sauce England, France Chopped onions, sweated in butter, white wine added and reduced, sour cream added and reduced, strained, seasoned and finished with lemon juice. Also called smitaine sauce

Smithfield ham United States Ham from pigs traditionally fattened in the woods on hickory nuts, beechnuts and acorns, finished before slaughter on peanuts, obtained by rooting in the fields after the peanut harvest, followed by maize. The hams are dry salt-cured, spiced and smoked. Also called Virginia ham (NOTE: From the town of the same name)

Smith tangerine Honey tangerine

smoke, to To expose food, usually hung on racks, to the dense smoke from slowly smouldering sawdust or wood chips. Usually fish, meat and occasionally cheese are smoked but most of the latter so described is flavoured with a synthetic mix of chemicals which mimic the real thing. Meat and fish will be partially cooked and dried which helps to preserve them and the flavour will be improved. See also cold-smoke, to, hotsmoke, to

smoked bacon Bacon which is smoked after curing

smoked beef United States Dried beef smoked cheese See Räucherkäse

smoked cod Brined cod fillets, naturally smoked to a pale straw colour or more often dyed a deep yellow and then smoked or sprayed with a smoke flavour

smoked cod’s roe Salted and smoked cod roes usually separated from the tough enclosing membrane and used for savouries, canapés and hors d’oeuvres

smoked eel

smoked eel Lightly brined eel, smoked then cut in slices. Served in the same manner as smoked salmon and equally regarded as a delicacy.

smoked egg Shelled hard-boiled eggs marinated then smoked and served as a hors d’oeuvre

smoked fillet Scotland Aberdeen fillet smoked fillets See golden fillets

smoked haddock Unskinned haddock fillets or small whole haddock, brined then smoked as cod. Sometimes dyed. Finnan haddock is the superior version.

smoked haddock creams United Kingdom A processed mixture of smoked haddock, egg and egg yolk, curd cheese or yoghurt with seasoning and Tabasco sauce, filled into ramekins, cooked in a bain-marie, cooled and demoulded

smoked mackerel A popular prepared fish usually filleted and coldor hot-smoked. Often coated with crushed peppercorns. Eaten cold as purchased or hot.

smoked mussels Cooked mussels, brined (250 g salt per litre) for 5 minutes, oiled, smoked at 82°C for 30 minutes packed in jars with oil and retorted at 121°C for about 15 minutes

smoked oysters Oysters removed from the shell, steamed to set them, brined, smoked and generally canned or packed in oil. Used for savouries, canapés or as an appetizer. smoked salmon Fillets of salmon still on the skin, cold-smoked for a long period of time and considered by some to be a delicacy. Usually cut very thin on the slant and served with brown bread and butter and garnished

with lemon slices or wedges.

smoked salmon butter A compound butter made from smoked salmon pounded with 2.5 times its weight in butter and sieved

smoked sprats Lightly brined and smoked sprats which keep their silvery appearance. Eaten without further cooking as a savoury or as a hors d’oeuvre. Sometimes canned in oil. smokehouse A well-sealed chamber in which food is hung on racks for smoking with provision for the generation of smoke from smouldering wood, for temperature control and for the removal of smoke. Such a chamber may range in size from a small box

up to a large room.

smoke point The minimum temperature at which oils and fats begin to decompose and produce smoke, usually above 160°C

smoke-roast, to United States To smoke meat such as spare ribs or steaks at a temperature between 97 and 107°C without prior salting

or cold smoking. Such meat requires cooking.

smokie Scotland Hot-smoked, gutted and deheaded haddock or whiting tied together in pairs by the tails. See also Arbroath smokie smolt A 2– to 3-year-old salmon about 12 to 14 cm long which is leaving the river where it hatched for the open sea. Not caught or

eaten at this stage.

smoored chicken Scotland A young chicken, split in half down the backbone, flattened with a cutlet bat, seasoned and basted with molten butter before grilling either side for 5 minutes. The flesh side is coated with a milk and mustard mixture and grilled slowly or cooked in a covered pan for 25 minutes then finished by sprinkling with breadcrumbs and briefly grilling to form a crust. (NOTE: Literally ‘smothered chicken’.)

smoorsnoek South Africa A lightly curried stew of snoek and onions

smoorvis South Africa A dish made from onions cooked in oil and butter until caramelized, diced parboiled potatoes, tomatoes and finely chopped chillies added and cooked until the potatoes brown, cooked rice, flaked smoked fish and sultanas added and all cooked through. Lemon juice and chopped parsley are added before service and it is traditionally served with black grape jam or acar and brown bread.

smooth hound A large, long and thin, edible sea fish, Mustelus mustelus, with a brown skin, very prominent fins and a fairly wellflavoured flesh

smooth venus clam Venus shell clam smör Sweden Butter

smør Denmark, Norway Butter

smørbrød Norway Open sandwiches similar to smörrebröd

smörgås Sweden Sandwich

smörgåsbord Sweden A buffet meal of various hot and cold fish, meat and egg dishes with vegetables, salads, etc., always starting with herring, bread and butter and boiled potatoes followed by a succession of more or less elaborately presented foods and finally cheese and coffee, all eaten separately in small portions

smørrebrød Denmark Open sandwiches consisting of a rectangular slice of buttered bread topped with cold savoury items, meats, fish, salads, etc. usually eaten with a knife and fork at informal or snack meals. Also called Danish open sandwich

smother, to United States To braise in a covered pot with gravy or sauce

smothered beef United States Étouffe of beef smultringer Norway Doughnuts

smultron Sweden Wild strawberry

Smyrnium olusatrum Botanical name

Alexanders smytana Smetana

snack A small amount of food, often savoury, usually eaten between meals, but sometimes as a replacement for a meal

snail Various edible gastropod molluscs of the genus Helix, found in the wild on land and in both fresh and seawater and sometimes cultivated. Prepared by starving for at least 24 hours, cleaning and boiling or frying for 5 minutes. The flesh is then removed from the shells, degutted and cooked as appropriate. Sometimes returned to the shell for service.

snail butter Butter mixed with finely chopped shallots, garlic paste, chopped parsley and seasoning. Put in an empty snail shell before inserting the cooked snail.

snake bean Long bean

snake fruit Indonesia, Malaysia The small fruit of a low palm with little or no trunk, Salacea edulis. The fruit is triangular with a coarse red peel like snakeskin and the flesh is firm and crunchy with a slightly sweet flavour. Also called snakeskin fruit

snake gourd The narrow cylindrical fruit of an annual climber from Africa, Asia, Australia, and India, Trichosanthes anguina and T. cucumerina, which can grow to 2 m long in a spiral shape. Picked when immature and treated like a courgette save that the central core of seeds should be discarded and the skin rubbed with salt to remove the down.

snakelocks Oplet

snake palm plant A plant, Amorphophallus konjac, with a glutinous starchy tuber used to make shirataki noodles and black bean curd. Also called devil’s tongue, arum root

snakeskin fruit See snake fruit

snap England Food taken to work in a lunchbox, especially by the once numerous coal miners (colloquial)

snap, to To break a brittle foodstuff with a clean break

snap bean United States French bean snapdoodle United States A New England

chocolate-coated cake

snapper An inshore fish, Chrysophrys auratus, of the red snapper type found in New Zealand and the Arabian gulf

sneeuwballen Netherlands A cream puff pastry

sneeze guard See counter guard snickerdoodle United States A New England

sweet biscuit flavoured with cinnamon and possibly containing dried vine fruits and nuts

soba

snijbonen Netherlands Haricot or kidney beans

snip, to To cut into small pieces or cut a small portion off something with scissors

snipe A game bird, Gallinago gallinago, with a long bill and striped plumage weighing about 110 g and requiring two per person. Cooked as plover by roasting at 190°C for 15 to 20 minutes. Shooting season in the UK is 12th August to the 31st of January. Young ones can be eaten fresh but skinned if they smell fishy, older ones can be hung for 3 to 4 days.

Snir Middle East A semi-soft cows’ milk cheese from Israel similar to Bel Paese

snitbønner Denmark French beans

snoek 1. A seawater fish, Thyristes atun, related to the mackerel, tuna and swordfish found in the southern hemisphere warm waters only. It may weigh up to 8 kg and be up to 1.2 m long and has a delicious flesh. Also called Australian barracuda, sierra, barracouta 2. Netherlands Pike

snoekbaars Netherlands Pike-perch snook Robalo

snöripa Sweden Ptarmigan

snow A mixture of sweetened puréed fruit and egg white whisked to a peak. Used as a dessert either as a topping or served on its own with biscuits or sponge fingers.

snow crab Canada A cold water crab,

Chionoecetes opilio, from the coast of Canada, with long thin claws which contain a fine-tasting meat

Snowdon pudding Wales A boiled pudding made from suet, fresh breadcrumbs, brown sugar, lemon marmalade and ground rice (6:6:4:4:1) and lemon zest well mixed, to which is added beaten eggs equal to twice the weight of the sugar. This mixture is poured into a thickly buttered pudding basin lined with raisins, covered and boiled for about 90 minutes. Also called pwdin eryri

snow eggs United States Iles flottantes snow fungus White fungus

snow pea Mangetout snow pear Asian pear so Vietnam Scallops

soak, to To immerse a foodstuff in water either to rehydrate it or to dissolve out excessive salt used in its preservation, or undesirable constituents e.g. alkaloids, prussic acid, etc. so as to make it suitable for cooking

Soay lamb Scotland Lamb from sheep raised on the Scottish islands with an excellent flavour

soba Japan Thin brown noodles with a square cross section made from buckwheat flour or

Sobado

a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour. Popular in Tokyo.

Sobado Spain A semi-hard, sharp-tasting cheese. See also Armada

sobbollire Italy To simmer

soboro Japan A chicken and rice dish made from chicken breasts and petit pois, simmered in soya sauce, sake and sugar until cooked, the chicken sliced and arranged with the peas over the top of boiled rice and in turn covered with sliced, reconstituted and cooked shiitake mushroom caps and strips of Japanese omelette

sobrasada Spain Chorizo sausage mix but minced much finer and with extra red peppers

sobrasada mallorquina Spain A milder version of sobrasada from Majorca with the filling ground to a paste-like consistency

sobremesa Portugal Dessert sobretto al frutto Italy Fruit sherbet socker Sweden Sugar

sockerkaka Sweden Sponge cake

sockeye salmon One of the Pacific salmon,

Oncorhynchus nerka, caught off the northwest coast of North America weighing up to 2.5 kg. The deep red flesh is oily with small flakes. Cooked in any way but usually available in Europe as canned red salmon. Also called red salmon

sock mai jai China Miniature corn

socle A bed of rice, vegetables or similar on which the main component of a dish is raised above a flat for presentation to the customer. Alternatively a base or ornamental stand on which a food item is raised above the rest especially in buffet presentation.

sød Denmark Sweet

soda 1. A general name for alkaline sodium compounds such as caustic soda, bicarbonate of soda, washing soda and soda ash. They are not interchangeable. 2. United States Bicarbonate of soda

soda ash The dry powdered anhydrous form of sodium carbonate used for cleaning floors and absorbing dangerous spilt, especially acid, liquids

soda bread Ireland A bread made with soured milk or buttermilk and using bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast as the raising agent. It may be made with white or brown flour, if brown, cream of tartar is also added. Also called Irish soda bread

soda cake England A light spicy fruit cake from Somerset raised with bicarbonate of soda and an acid, usually sour milk (lactic acid) or vinegar. Also called Somerset soda cake

soda water See carbonated water sode Italy Hard-boiled, of eggs

sød frugtsuppe Denmark A sweet fruit soup sodium 5’-ribonucleotide See E627 sodium acid pyrophosphate A compound

used in 2% water solution in the USA to treat potato chips before deep-frying to prevent blackening

sodium aluminium phosphate See E541 sodium bicarbonate See bicarbonate of soda,

E500

sodium carbonate A mild alkali used for cleaning purposes. See also E500. Also called washing soda, soda ash

sodium carboxymethyl cellulose E466, the sodium salt of a derivative of cellulose used as a thickener and bulking agent

sodium caseinate A food additive made from milk protein used to maintain colour in sausages and other processed meats

sodium chloride The common salt used as a seasoning and preservative

sodium diphenyl-2yl-oxide E232, a synthetic derivative of diphenyl (E230) used in the same way as a fungicide

sodium ferrocyanide See E535

sodium formate E237, the sodium salt of formic acid used in the same way as the acid

sodium gluconate See E576

sodium glutamate See monosodium glutamate

sodium guanylate See E627

sodium heptonate A sequestering agent used in edible oils

sodium hydrogen diacetate E262, a sodium salt of acetic acid used as a preservative and firming agent

sodium hydrogen L-glutamate See E621 sodium hydroxide The strongest alkali

available for domestic or general industrial use. It should be handled with extreme care with all bare skin and eyes protected. Used for dissolving fats from drains, etc. by converting them to soaps and for removing the bitterness from unripe olives. Also called caustic soda. See also E524

sodium inosinate See E631 sodium lactate See E325

sodium nitrate E251, the sodium salt of nitric acid used for curing and preserving meat sodium nitrite E250, the sodium salt of nitrous acid which is used in curing salts to preserve meat and maintain a pink colour by its reaction with haemoglobin. Banned in some countries because of fears that it might

induce stomach cancers.

sodium orthophenylphenate See E232

sodium phosphate An emulsifier used to assist in the incorporation of water into various processed foods such as sausage, luncheon meats, etc.

sodium polyphosphate A chemical used to increase the water uptake of poultry and of other meats and bacon so as to increase their weight. All of this water is lost on cooking and can cause problems e.g. when frying bacon.

sodium saccharin A sodium salt of saccharin used in the same way as saccharin

sodium sesquicarbonate See E501

sodium stearoyl-2-lactate E481, the sodium salt of a stearic acid ester with the lactate of lactic acid used to stabilize doughs and emulsions and to improve the mixing properties of flour and the whipping and baking properties of dried egg white

sodium sulphate See E514 soep Netherlands Soup

soezen Netherlands A large cream puff soffiato Italy Soufflé

soffrito Italy, Spain Sofrito

soffrito calabrese Italy Lamb’s offal cooked to a paste with tomatoes, herbs and seasoning and spread on bread. Also called suffritu

sofregit Catalonia A sauce made from onion, garlic, tomatoes and sweet peppers, sweated in oil until very soft and then sieved

sofrito 1. Italy, Spain A condiment and flavouring made by slowly cooking until tender a mixture of chopped onions, garlic, green sweet peppers, ham, salt pork, tomatoes, herbs and seasoning. Also popular in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Also called soffrito 2. Floured and seasoned stewing steak, browned in oil then simmered in equal parts of vinegar and water with garlic, herbs and tomato purée until tender, seasoned and finished with chopped parsley

soft ball stage See sugar cooking

soft-boil, to To boil an egg in the shell for roughly 3 to 4 minutes so that the white is just set but the yolk remains runny

soft cheese A cheese made with the retention of much of the whey so it has a high water content. The limits of water content are 80% for low-fat (2 to 10% butterfat), 70% for medium-fat (10 to 20% butterfat) and 60% for full-fat (greater than 20% butterfat) soft cheeses.

soft corn See squaw corn

soft dough United States A thick flour water mixture suitable for biscuits and bread, roughly 1.5 parts of flour per part of water. The proportions depend on the flour.

soissonaise, purée

soft drop batter United States A soft flour water mixture suitable for cakes and muffins with roughly equal parts of flour and water. The proportions depend on the flour.

soften, to 1. To allow hard fats or frozen foods to become soft by raising their temperature 2. To sweat chopped vegetables in a little oil or fat to make them soft

soft flour Flour made from soft wheat consisting of unbroken starch granules, mostly used for cakes, biscuits and general thickening and coating. Much cheaper than strong flour.

soft fruit Summer fruits such as berries and currants which are easily damaged

soft red winter wheat flour United States A good low gluten pastry flour

soft roe The sperm of male fish which is soft and creamy and forms a long packet within the abdominal cavity. Usually floured and fried, steamed or poached. Also called milt

soft roe butter Beurre de laitance (Fr) soft-shell clam A large, greyto fawn-

coloured clam, Mya arenaria, up to 15 cm diameter with a thin brittle shell. They are often gritty and need thorough cleaning. Found throughout the Atlantic Ocean. Also called long neck clam, steamer clam

soft-shelled crab A crab eaten just after it has shed the hard shell it has grown out of before its new shell has had time to harden. Usually applied to the American blue crab.

soft sugar Light brown sugar

soft wheat A wheat in which the starch granules are loosely bound with voids between. This is thought to be caused by the protein triabolin which is only found in soft wheats. The endosperm is brittle and when ground tends to give intact granules since the cracks pass around them. Not necessarily, but often with a low protein content.

so fun China Rice vermicelli

soggy Of a cake, damp and heavy in the centre due to excess of moisture, lack of raising agent or incorrect baking temperature

sogi-giri Japan A diagonal cut of long thin vegetables such as leeks, carrots, etc.

sogliola Italy Dover sole

sogliola limanda Italy Lemon sole soia Italy Soya

soissonaise, à la France Garnished with or including white cooked haricot beans

soissonaise, purée France As purée Saint Germain but with soaked haricot beans substituted for the peas. Also called haricot bean soup

soja

soja France, Spain Soya

Sojabohne Germany Soya bean Sojasosse Germany Soya sauce sokeri Finland Sugar

Solanum melongena Botanical name

Aubergine

Solanum torvum Botanical name Pea aubergine

Solanum tuberosum Botanical name Potato Solanum x Burbankii Botanical name

Wonderberry

sole England, France The name given to several types of flatfish, in particular Dover sole, lemon sole and witch or Torbay sole. Also called flounder

sole Albert Whole soles skinned and cleaned, one side dipped in melted butter and stale white breadcrumbs, put crumb side up in a buttered baking tin with the base covered with 3 parts dry vermouth to 1 part water, seasoned and sprinkled with chopped shallots and parsley and baked in a hot oven so that the bottom is steamed and the top browned. The fish is removed carefully and served with the strained and reduced cooking liquor with butter (monté au beurre).

sole Bercy England, France Bercy, fish

sole bonne femme England, France Bonne femme, fish

sole Colbert England, France Whole sole skinned, gutted, eyes and gills removed, fins trimmed, fillets on one side cut from centre to within 1 cm of the edge and folded back, back bone broken in 3 places, the whole panéed and deep-fried with fillets open, bone removed exposing white flesh in the centre which is piped with parsley butter. The whole served with lemon wedges or pigtails.

sole dieppoise France Sole poached in white wine and mussel liquor, garnished à la dieppoise and napped with sauce vin blanc made with the poaching liquor

sole Dugléré England, France Dugléré, fish sole limande France Lemon sole

sole normande France Poached sole coated with a truffle-scented cream sauce and garnished with oysters, mussels and other seafood

soles in coffins England Baked potatoes with a lid cut off, scooped out, filled with poached paupiettes of sole napped with a suitable sauce, lids replaced and the coffins baked at 200°C for 10 minutes

sole Walewska England, France Walewska, fish

Solferino, crème France Equal parts of crème de tomates and purée parmentier

Solferino, sauce England, France The juice from very ripe tomatoes reduced, mixed with meat glaze, lemon juice and a little cayenne pepper, finished with beurre maître d’hôtel, pounded shallots and chopped tarragon

solferino cutter A sharp-edged scoopshaped implement for cutting out small pea shaped balls of e.g. carrot, turnip, cucumber

sôlha Portugal Plaice

solianka Australia Fish fillets covered in a thick, sieved, tomato, onion and cucumber sauce, all poached in fish stock and served garnished with chopped olives and capers solidified cooking oil Decolorized and deodorized vegetable oil, hardened by hydrogenation and used for frying and

baking

sollo Spain Pike

solöga Sweden A dish consisting of concentric rings starting from the centre of chopped anchovies, chopped onions, capers and chopped pickled beetroot. A raw egg yolk is placed in the centre just before serving and the ingredients are mixed at the table and either fried in butter and spread on toast or spread on buttered bread and grilled. (NOTE: Literally ‘eye of the sun’.)

solomillo Spain 1. Loin of pork 2. Sirloin solomillo a la sevillana Spain Loin of pork

with boiled potatoes, artichoke hearts, stuffed olives and tomato sauce

solomon gundy Canada Chopped salt herrings and onions pickled in spiced vinegar with sugar for several days and served as an appetizer (NOTE: From Nova Scotia)

soluble fibre Various non-metabolizeable soluble polysaccharides such as pectin, gums and related compounds found in vegetable matter, seeds, nuts, grains, etc. said to reduce blood cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels and to be essential for good health

sølvkake Norway A light coconutand lemonflavoured cake

solyanka Russia A thick fish soup or thin stew made with salmon, chopped pickled cucumbers, olives, capers, onions, etc., butter and seasoning

som Thailand Orange

somen Japan 1. A thin white noodle resembling vermicelli, made from wheat flour 2. Cooked, refreshed, drained and chilled somen noodles served on a bed of ice with a platter of decoratively arranged hardboiled eggs, cucumber and ham sprinkled with strips of mint leaves and served with a dipping sauce made with chopped reconstituted shiitake mushrooms, dashi,

soya sauce, sugar and sake, all boiled together then cooled

Somerset apple cake England Cake, sauce Somerset chicken England Chicken portions roasted until cooked, then added to a rouxthickened sauce with sweated onions, milk and cider. The mixture is finished with grated Cheddar cheese and mustard, the top gratinated with more cheese and browned

under the grill.

Somerset cider cake England Wholewheat flour, butter, sugar and eggs (2:1:1:1) made up by the creaming method, with 2 dsp of bicarbonate of soda per kg of flour and a large amount of grated nutmeg, then brought to a soft dropping consistency with dry cider and baked in the oven for 60 to 75 minutes at 190°C until the top browns and the sides shrink away from the tin

Somerset cider Cheddar England A mild Cheddar cheese flavoured with cider

Somerset fish casserole England Deboned and skinned white fish cut in chunks, passed through seasoned flour, briefly fried with previously sweated chopped onion and mixed with a sauce made from pan residues, butter, flour, cider, anchovy essence, lemon juice and seasoning then baked at 180°C for 20 minutes. Garnished with apple rings fried in butter and chopped parsley.

Somerset soda cake England Soda cake som khay Laos A delicate-coloured dip made

from the roe of the pa boeuk. Also called

Laotian caviar sommacco Italy Sumac

sommargryta med korv Sweden A summer casserole of fresh spring vegetables simmered with good quality pork sausages

sommelier France Wine waiter

som mu Laos A pungent flavouring ingredient made from powdered pork and fermented rice

som-o Thailand Pummelo

som pa Laos A pungent flavouring ingredient made from pounded fish and fermented rice

som saa Thailand Citron son France Bran

soncaya A particularly large custard apple, Anona purpurea, from Mexico and Central America

sone ka warq South Asia Gold leaf used for decorating food

song tse China Mulberry

song zi huang yu China Yellow croaker fish garnished with pine nuts

Sonnenbarsch Germany See butterfish 3 Sonnenblume Germany Sunflower sonth South Asia Soondth

sopa seca

soo hoon Malaysia Cellophane noodles soojo South Asia Semolina

sookha dhania South Asia Coriander seeds soondth South Asia Dried powdered ginger

root. Also called sonth soonf South Asia Fennel seed

soon geung China Pickled ginger

soong hwa dan China Chinese preserved eggs

so’ o-yosopy South America Sopa de carne sop Hard bread soaked in a hot liquid such as

milk or soup

sopa 1. Catalonia Soup 2. Spain A breakfast dish of hot coffee and milk poured over toasted bread from the previous day

sopa a la mallorquina Spain A fish soup with tomatoes and onions

sopa blanca Spain A cold soup from Andalusia made from equal parts of blanched and skinned almonds and cooked broad beans processed with garlic and oil and let down with lemon juice and water, seasoned, chilled and served over cubes of bread

sopa burgalesa Spain Lamb and crayfish soup

sopa coada Italy A bread-thickened soup made from roast pigeon flesh

sopa cuarto de hora Spain Quick soup made by adding leftovers to stock

sopa de aguacate Mexico Soup made from defatted seasoned chicken stock with mashed avocado and chopped parsley and coriander leaf. Served lukewarm or chilled. Also called avocado soup

sopa de almejas South America A clam and white fish soup with vegetables (from Colombia)

sopa de batata e agrião Portugal Potato and watercress soup

sopa de camarão e mexilhão Portugal A soup of mussels and shrimps

sopa de carne South America A beef and vegetable soup with rice or vermicelli (from Paraguay). Served with grated Parmesan cheese. Also called so’ o-yosopy

sopa de feijão Portugal Bean soup

sopa de legumbres Spain Vegetable soup sopa de moni South America A peanut and

potato soup finished with cream (from Ecuador)

sopa de pescado Spain Fish soup sopaipilla Malaysia A flat bread which is fried

and puffs up

sopar Catalonia Dinner sopari South Asia Betel nut

sopa seca Portugal Shredded left-over meat layered in a large oven-proof pot with sliced