A Dictionary of Food

sope

boiled potatoes and carrots, bread and chopped mint, covered with boiling stock and dried in a hot oven (NOTE: Literally ‘dry soup’.)

sope Mexico A filled turnover made with tortilla dough. See also garnacha

sopp Norway Mushroom soppa Sweden Soup

soppressa Italy A Veronese salami made from pork and beef

soppressa del pasubio Italy A firm textured pork sausage with potatoes and chestnuts soppressate Italy A large sausage from the southwest, oval in cross-section, wellseasoned and flavoured with ginger,

sometimes preserved in olive oil soprafino Italy Superfine olive oil sopressa Italy Coppa

sorb Rowanberry

Sorbais France Maroilles cheese

sorb apple A close relative, Sorbus domestica, of the rowanberry, native to southern Europe. It is cultivated for the small green appleor pear-shaped fruit which may be eaten as a fruit or used to make a type of cider.

sorbates Salts of sorbic acid used as permitted food preservatives, the sodium salt is E201, the potassium E202 and calcium sorbate is E203

sorbet A soft water ice rather like a soft snow made by freezing a sweetened fruit juice or liqueur-flavoured light syrup mixed with whipped egg white, whisking vigorously at intervals to inhibit ice crystal formation and to incorporate air. Used as a dessert.

sorbet colonel South Asia An Anglo-Indian dessert of lemon sorbet with a sprig of mint floating in a coupe of spirituous liquor, e.g. vodka

sorbetto Italy Sorbet

sorbic acid A permitted preservative, E200, for use in baked and fruit products. May be obtained from berries of the mountain ash but is now synthesized and is a mould and yeast inhibitor.

sorbier des oiseaux France Rowanberry sorbitol A compound found in many fruits

and berries but now synthesized from glucose for use as a humectant and as a sweetening agent for diabetics. Available as a water solution E420(ii). See also E420(i)

Sorbus americana Botanical name See mountain ash 2

Sorbus aucuparia Botanical name Rowan tree (rowanberries)

Sorbus domestica Botanical name Sorb apple

Sorbus scopulina Botanical name See mountain ash 2

sorgho France Sorghum

sorghum A very important plant, Sorghum vulgare, which grows in semi-arid tropical and subtropical regions. It has the general appearance of the maize plant with thinner leaves and a top terminal spike of small seeds. Some varieties produce white seeds which are preferred for eating, the red seeded type is more bitter and used for brewing beer. There is also a variety whose stems are crushed like sugar cane to produce a syrup used for sweetening, mainly in the USA. Sorghum grain is used for human consumption where grown and is only traded for compounding animal feeds. See also sweet sorghum, great millet, kaffir corn. Also called Guinea corn

sorghum flour Ground sorghum or milo maize occasionally used to thicken soups

sorghum syrup The juice of the sweet sorghum evaporated to produce a slightly acid molasses-like syrup

Sorghum vulgare Botanical name Sorghum, great millet

sorpresine Italy Tiny pasta shapes used in soups

sorrel A hardy perennial plant, Rumex acetosa, with pointed oval, sour leaves used in salads, soups, etc., cooked with fish or used as a spinach-like vegetable. The variety grown in France is less acid than that which grows wild in the UK. The leaves may be blanched before final cooking to reduce the acidity. Also called broad leaf sorrel, sourgrass

sorsa Finland Wild duck sorsapaisti Finland Roast wild duck sorvete Portugal Ice cream sosaties South Africa Mutton kebabs

sose Finland Purée, sauce, stewed and mashed, mash

sosiska Russia Sausage, usually pork and smoked. May be cooked or eaten as a snack. sospiri Italy Small custards with a cheese and

egg filling

Sosse Germany 1. Sauce 2. Gravy söt, sött Sweden Sweet

søt Norway Sweet

sotánghon Philippines Cellophane noodles sot-l’y-laisse France Oyster (2), part of

chicken

sotong Malaysia Squid

sotong karang Malaysia Cuttlefish søtsuppe Norway A sweet fruit soup sottaceti Italy Pickles, pickled vegetables sottaceto Italy Pickled

sotto Italy Under, as in sottaceto, under vinegar

søtunge Denmark Sole, the fish

Soubise, sauce England, France An onion sauce boiled with more onion to extract the onion flavour or a béchamel with a large quantity of onion purée added, passed through a chinois, seasoned and flavoured with nutmeg. Used for roast meats.

souchet France A type of wild duck souchet, sauce France The poaching liquor

from fish, reduced, mixed with sauce aux vin blanc, consistency corrected if necessary with beurre manié and garnished with julienned carrot, leek and celery which has been sweated in butter and drained

souci France Marigold

soudzoukakia Greece, Middle East A variety of frying sausage made from seasoned and minced pork or veal, breadcrumbs and onions, flavoured with garlic, salt, parsley and ground cumin and bound with egg

soufflé England, France An air-raised fluffy sweet or savoury baked dish made from a flavoured starch-based mixture (a thick white panada or crème pâtissière) into which stiffly beaten egg whites are folded, this poured into a buttered and floured soufflé dish and baked for about 25 minutes at 200°C. The soufflé should rise well above the rim of the dish and be served immediately. See also cold soufflé

soufflé dish A straight sided ovenproof dish in which soufflés are baked

soufflé omelette Whisked sweetened or seasoned egg whites, folded into slightly stirred egg yolks, a little water added, rewhisked then cooked as an omelette, often with a sweet filling

soulie Ireland Sugar dissolved in hot vinegar used as a salad dressing

Soumaintrain France A strong-flavoured surface-ripened cows’ milk cheese from Burgundy cast in the form of a disc. The rind is reddish brown and the paste has a slightly spicy flavour.

so-un Indonesia Cellophane noodles

soup A flavoured liquid based on meat and/or vegetable extracts in water, milk or occasionally water only, with added ingredients. Derived from the old English ‘sop’, a term applied to hard bread dipped into water or wine to make it palatable. There are 7 classical types of soup: consommé, potage, broth, purée, cream, velouté and bisque plus a few specials, often cold, based on fruit or tomato juice, wine and the like. See also basic soup

soupa Greece Soup

sourdough bread

soupa faki Greece A brown lentil soup made from blanched and refreshed lentils simmered in water (1:3 on dried lentils) for 45 minutes in a closed pan with finely sliced onions, garlic, celery and carrots, olive oil, tomato purée, tomato concassée and a faggot of herbs, the herbs removed and the soup finished with a little vinegar and chopped thyme or parsley

soupe France Soup, tends to be more substantial than potage

soupe à l’ail France Garlic soup

soupe à l’oignon France See brown onion soup

soupe au pistou France A country-style vegetable soup accompanied with a pistou The soup is made from shredded white of leek and brunoise-cut carrots and turnips sweated in butter, mixed with cooked haricot beans, chopped green beans, broad beans, tomato concassée, tomato purée, macaroni, seasoning and vegetable stock simmered until all tender

soupe aux légumes France Vegetable soup soupe aux rognons France Kidney soup soupe de poisson France Saffron-flavoured

and coloured fish soup, usually passed through a chinois to remove all large pieces of fish and bones. Served in the south of France with rouille, toast and grated cheese. soupe germou Caribbean A vegetable soup with pumpkin, onions, celery and garlic thickened with a roux and served hot or cold soup herbs The principal herbs used in soup are basil, bay, borage, caraway, chervil, chives, dill, juniper, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, summer savory, sorrel, tarragon, thyme, wild celery

and winter savory

soup spoon A large oval-bowled (France) or round-bowled (UK) spoon, used to drink soup

sour, to To add a souring agent such as acid or acid fruits to a foodstuff to give it a sour taste

sour cherry Acid cherry

sour cream Cream allowed to sour by a lactic fermentation either naturally or more usually with the addition of a starter culture which may be cottage cheese. See also acidulated cream

sour cream sauce A chicken or game velouté flavoured with vinegar, sweated chopped shallots, white wine and soured cream. A simple version of smitane sauce.

sourdough bread Bread which uses in place of yeast, dough from a previous batch which has been allowed to ferment with a little warm water and sugar overnight or longer.

soured cream

About 10% of a batch is reserved as starter for the next equal-sized batch. Less will require a longer time to prove. The method is simple and the taste of the bread is thought by some to be superior.

soured cream Made by adding a souring culture of Lactobacillus to homogenized single cream

sour finger carambola Belimbing sourgrass Sorrel

souring agent Any edible substance containing a reasonable concentration of acid such as vinegar, lemon juice, tamarind, etc.

sour milk Milk which has naturally curdled or been deliberately exposed to some acidproducing organism and thus curdled at around 30 to 35°C. UHT milk should not be soured. Useful in baking where bicarbonate of soda is used as double the amount of carbon dioxide will be liberated.

sour milk cheese 1. Handkäse 2. The curd separated from naturally soured milk by straining through muslin. Commonly made in the home before refrigerators.

sour orange See Seville orange

sour skons Scotland An unusually flavoured scone made from oatmeal, buttermilk, flour and caster sugar (3:3:3:1) with 4 tsp of bicarbonate of soda and 4 dsp of caraway seeds per litre of buttermilk. The oatmeal is mixed with the buttermilk and left in a cool place for 2 to 3 days before blending with all the other ingredients to make a soft elastic dough, adding more buttermilk if necessary. The dough is shaped into large rounds about 2 cm thick, each cut in quarters and baked on a hot griddle for 5 to 10 minutes, then wrapped in a cloth to cool.

sour sop A type of custard apple from a tree, Anona muricata, which has large 15 to 23 cm long heart-shaped fruits with a green spiny skin. They are more acid-tasting than most custard apples and the texture of the juicy flesh is not as good. Suitable for drinks and desserts. Also called prickly custard apple

sous-chef France Under chef, assistant chef

souse Caribbean Pigs’ trotters and tails possibly chickens’ feet and/or pork meat boiled until soft, rinsed and drained then marinated overnight in lime juice and water (1:2) with chilli peppers and cucumbers, garnished with parsley and served cold often with black pudding and sliced boiled breadfruit

souse, to To pickle in vinegar or brine especially of herrings

soused herrings United Kingdom Herring fillets, rolled and secured with a sliver of wood, briefly cooked in a non-metallic covered dish with vinegar, water, onions, sugar, herbs, spices and seasoning and allowed to cool in the cooking liquor. Eaten cold.

soused mackerel United Kingdom As soused herring but substituting small mackerel fillets for the herring

sous-noix France Undercushion of veal

South American oyster An oyster,

Crassostrea chilensis, found off the coasts of central and south America

southern bean United States Cow pea southern bluefin tuna A common variety of

tuna, Thunnus macoyii, from the southern hemisphere. The catch is worth half a billion pounds a year but is in danger of being fished out.

southern blue whiting A deep-water fish from New Zealand

southern bream Australia Australian black bream

southern calamari Australia A variety of squid, Sepioteuthis australis, found from the south of Western Australia to southern New South Wales. It is extensively fished for human consumption although once was considered only fit for bait.

southern cornpone United States Corn pone southern fried chicken United States Jointed portions of chicken passed through seasoned flour and fried until crisp on the outside and just cooked through. Sometimes served with a béchamel-based sauce and

mashed potatoes.

southern lobster See spiny lobster

southern rock lobster A type of spiny lobster,

Jasus novahollandiae, coloured yellow, orange and purple, found in Southern Australia and shipped to the USA as rock lobster. Also called crayfish (seawater)

southern sea garfish Australia A long slender fish, Hyporhamphus melanochir and H. australis, with a characteristic beak-like elongation of the lower jaw, found mainly in South Australia and Victoria with some in Western Australia and Tasmania. The flesh has a sweet taste and firm texture but the fish is small and has many fine bones. It is generally cooked whole with the beak pushed into the tail end and grilled or barbecued or in chunks. It is a very gelatinous fish and makes excellent soup. Also called beakie

southern stone crab United States A greyish crab, Menippe mercenaria, up to 12 cm across and with very large claws, one of

which is bigger than the other. It lives in deep holes in mud or rock piles around the coast from Texas to the Carolinas. Only the claw meat is edible and often only the claws are traded.

soutribbetjie South Africa Ribs of lamb or mutton lightly brined, hung up to dry then cooked on a barbecue

Souvaroff, à la France (of a casserole of poultry or game birds) Containing brandy, foie gras and truffles

souvlakia Greece Kebabs of lamb, veal or pork, cooked on a griddle or over a barbecue and sprinkled with lemon juice during cooking. Served with lemon wedges, onions and sliced tomatoes.

sovs Denmark Sauce sowa South Asia Dill

sowbelly United States Salted fat belly pork or streaky bacon

sow cabbage See jiu la choy

soya batter Japan A batter sometimes used for tempura made from water, egg and soya sauce (13:3:1) whisked together lightly then mixed with half its combined weight of flour to give a lumpy consistency

soya bean The seeds of an erect bushy plant, Glycine max, of the pea family, originating in China but now a major crop grown worldwide in frost-free, warm summer climates and containing about 20% oil and 35% protein on a dry weight basis. The pods contain between 2 and 4 seeds which may be green, brown, yellow or black. A common food in China and Southeast Asia and an important animal feed. Used as a source of bean sprouts, oil, flour, milk, protein curds, vegetable protein and meat analogues and sauce as well as being an important food pulse in its whole state. The beans, especially the oil, are rich in compounds which behave like weak oestrogens and dilute the effect of the body’s own oestrogens, thus reducing the risk of breast cancer, but evidence has been reported that raw soya flour fed to rats produced pancreatic cancer. See also black soya bean, yellow soya bean, bean curd

soya bean cheese See bean curd cheese soya bean condiment See yellow bean sauce soya bean curd See bean curd

soya bean flour Ground lightly-roasted soya beans containing a high percentage of fat from the beans

soya bean oil See soya oil

soya bean paste Ground fermented black soya beans mixed with flour, salt and water to give a thick paste used in Chinese cooking

spaghetti alla carbonara

soya bean sprouts Long (up to 13 cm) yellow sprouts from soya beans, used as a vegetable

soya flour Flour produced from soya beans with a high fat and protein content, used together with wheat flour in baking and in ice creams and other manufactured foods

soya milk A substitute for cows’ milk used by vegetarians and vegans made by boiling ground soya beans with water for long periods of time and filtering off the sediment

soya noodles See bean curd noodles

soya oil Oil extracted from soya beans used as a cooking oil, for salad dressings and for the manufacture of margarine containing only about 10% of saturated fat. Said to have protective effects against breast cancer. Also called soy bean oil

soya sauce A highly flavoured liquid which is obtained by long fermentation of soya beans and various cereal grains. It is produced in 3 stages. In the first, polished rice is fermented with Aspergillus oryzae. This is then mashed with boiled soya beans and crushed roasted grains of wheat, incubated at 30°C for 3 days, diluted with brine then fermented with

Pediococcus halophilus to reduce the pH. In the third stage the mixture is fermented slowly for between 1 and 3 years with

Saccharomyces rouxii. Both light and dark varieties are produced with varying amounts of salt added. Also called soy sauce

soya vermicelli See bean curd noodles soy bean See soya bean

soy bean oil See soya oil soy sauce See soya sauce

Spaetzle Germany See Spätzle 1

spag bol United Kingdom Spaghetti Bolognese (colloquial)

spagetti Sweden Spaghetti

spaghetti England, Italy Thin solid pasta made by extruding a pasta paste though circular holes about 2 to 3 mm in diameter, either cooked immediately or cut into lengths (up to 40 cm) and dried for future use

spaghetti al aglio e olio Italy The basic dish of spaghetti with chopped garlic and olive oil spaghetti al burro Italy Spaghetti with butter spaghetti alla Bellini Italy Spaghetti with tomatoes, aubergines and ricotta cheese

(NOTE: Named after the composer.) spaghetti alla bolognese Italy Spaghetti with

a tomato and minced meat (Bolognaise) sauce

spaghetti alla carbonara Italy Freshly cooked spaghetti tossed with crisply fried bacon chopped in small pieces, cream and sometimes beaten egg. Served with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan.

spaghetti alla carrettiera

spaghetti alla carrettiera Italy Spaghetti with tuna fish, mushrooms and tomato concassée or purée

spaghetti alla marinara Italy Spaghetti with clams, mussels, garlic, tomatoes and onions spaghetti all’amatriciana Italy Spaghetti with a tomato sauce flavoured with chopped onions and pieces of salt pork or bacon and

sprinkled with grated Pecorino cheese spaghetti alla napoletana Italy Spaghetti

with mushrooms, tongue and tomatoes spaghetti alla pommarola Italy Spaghetti

with tomatoes, garlic and basil

spaghetti alla puttanesca Italy Spaghetti with capers, black olives, parsley, garlic and olive oil

spaghetti alle vongole Italy A classic spaghetti dish with a sauce made from chopped tomatoes and courgettes, sweated in olive oil, warty venus clams put in a minimum of cold water and heated until all the clams open, clams reserved, cooking liquor added to the vegetables and all reduced, the reserved clams added just before serving

spaghetti al pesto Italy Spaghetti with a pesto sauce

spaghetti marrow See vegetable spaghetti spaghettini Italy A thin version of spaghetti spaghetti squash See vegetable spaghetti spalla Italy 1. Shoulder of lamb, veal, etc. 2.

Cured and pressed shoulder of pork forced into a rectangular mould

spam United States A canned pork and ham meat loaf imported in large quantities into the UK during World War II (NOTE: Spam is short for Spiced Pork And Ham.)

spanakopita Greece Cheese and spinach pie spandauer Denmark, Sweden A cake made from squares of unproved Danish pastry each with a blob of apple purée, almond paste, conserve, crème pâtissière or similar in the centre, the four corners folded in towards the centre and pressed down, proved 30 minutes then baked at 230°C for 10 minutes and glazed with icing after

cooking

Spanferkel Germany Sucking pig spanischer Pfeffer Germany Sweet pepper,

capsicum

spanische Windtorte Germany A decorative meringue shell filled with cooked berry fruit and topped with whipped cream

Spanish United Kingdom Liquorice

Spanish bayonet United States See yucca 2

Spanish black radish A round radish the size of an orange with a black skin, eaten raw or cooked

Spanish chestnut See chestnut

Spanish dagger United States See yucca 2 Spanish garlic Giant garlic

Spanish lime A small round fruit like a grape. See also genip

Spanish ling A fish related to the ling found in the western Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay

Spanish omelette Tortilla

Spanish onion A large delicately flavoured onion with a brown or red skin favoured by professional chefs for its ease of handling and suitability for frying. Grown in most countries. May be served raw.

Spanish peanut A variety of peanut with an upright habit and 2 light brown seeds per pod

Spanish pepper Sweet pepper

Spanish rice United States A mixture of rice, chopped onion, chopped green sweet pepper and chopped tomatoes, all cooked separately with herbs and seasoning. Served as an accompaniment to a meat course.

Spanish sage A narrow-leaved sage, Salvia lavandulifolia, with a slightly balsamic flavour. Also called narrow leaf sage

Spanish salami A salami very similar to the Italian but with a milder flavour

Spanish sauce See espagnole, sauce spanner crab Australia A deep red-coloured

frog-like crab, Ranina ranina, with claws that resemble spanners. It is found along the coasts of Queensland and northern New South Wales. The white meat is particularly fine.

spanocchi Italy Large prawns

spanspek South Africa Cantaloupe melon sparaglione Italy Small sea bream

spare rib of pork United Kingdom The cutlets, i.e. rib bones, vertebrae and longitudinal muscles equivalent to middle neck of lamb, which are hidden behind the shoulder. They may be roasted whole, chopped into cutlets for grilling or the meat used for pies, etc.

spare ribs United Kingdom A sheet of skinned and partially defatted lower part of the rib bones of pork cooked either as a whole sheet or in separate ribs, often marinated in a spicy sauce, and barbecued or fried. Served as a starter or appetizer. Not to be confused with spare rib.

Spargel Germany Asparagus

Spargelfest Germany A country festival held annually in the spring for the sole purpose of eating white asparagus

Spargelkohl Germany Broccoli

sparl United Kingdom A broad sheep casing

sparling United States Smelt sparris Sweden Asparagus sparrow grass Asparagus

spatchcock A chicken prepared by removing the wish bone, severing the leg sinews, cutting horizontally from below the rear point of the breast over the tops of the legs down to the wing joints without removing the breasts, bending the breasts towards the neck end and snapping the backbone so that the point of the breast extends forward, flattening and neatening the whole chicken. When placed skin side up it should resemble a toad. It is then seasoned, brushed with oil and cooked under the grill for approximately 15 minutes per side. Also called chicken spatchcock, poulet à la crapaudine (NOTE: So called because it can be cooked in a hurry, i.e. with dispatch)

spatula 1. A flexible plastic or rubber scraper, rectangular in shape with a curve on one side, used for removing all the contents of bowls and pans which would otherwise stick to the sides. Some have a handle. 2. A long thin flexible rectangular metal blade on a handle used for spreading and smoothing icing and fillings and for handling long fillets of fish

spatule France Spatula

Spätze Germany A type of gnocchi made with seasoned flour and beaten eggs (2:1) made into a soft dough with water if necessary, teaspoonfuls poached in boiling salted water for 6 to 10 minutes, drained and served with molten butter and fried bread crumbs

spätzele France Short lengths of cooked pasta lightly browned in the oven or fried until golden. Also called spetzli (NOTE: From the Alsace region of France)

Spätzle Germany 1. A batter of flour, milk, eggs, salt and nutmeg made into noodles by pouring through one or more small holes into fiercely boiling water. Served tossed or fried in butter. (NOTE: From the southern and Alsace regions) 2. A type of gnocchi made with seasoned flour and beaten eggs (2:1), made into a soft dough with water if necessary, teaspoonfuls poached in boiling salted water for 6 to 10 minutes, drained and served with molten butter and fried bread crumbs

spaul of beef Scotland A Scottish term for chuck and blade steak of beef

spear A young pointed cylindrical plant sprout, especially of asparagus

spearmint A type of mint, Mentha spicata, with closely set toothed leaves and a clean spearmint flavour. Used for drinks and for

spenatsoppa

flavouring and can be crystallized for decoration. Also called Moroccan spearmint specialité France Speciality, e.g. of the

house, de la maison, etc.

specific gravity The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of water at the same temperature. It has no units and substances with a specific gravity greater than 1 will sink in water, whilst if less than 1 they will float. Sugar solutions and brines have a specific gravity greater than 1, oils and fats less than 1. Also called SG, relative density

Speck Germany Bacon or the mildly cured and smoked pork fat used in traditional cooking

Speckblutwurst Germany A large-diameter sausage made with seasoned and minced lean pork mixed with diced speck and pigs’ blood

Speckknödel Austria Bread and onion dumplings mixed with diced bacon and Speck from the Tyrol

Speckkuchen Germany A flat cake containing diced bacon

Specklinsen Germany Lentils cooked with a piece of bacon, a whole onion and root vegetables until soft, bacon and vegetables removed, strained and the lentils bound with a demi-glace sauce and sprinkled with crisply fried finely diced bacon

speculaas Netherlands Spiced biscuits made for the feast of St Nicholas and the rest of the Christmas season

spegepølse Denmark A type of salami made with a mixture of various minced or chopped meats, seasoned. sugar and saltpetre added, packed into ox runners, dry-salted then airdried and smoked.

speilegg Norway Fried egg Speiseeis Germany Ice cream Speisekarte Germany Menu Speisequark Germany Quark spejleæg Denmark Fried egg spekemat Norway Cured meat

spekepølse Norway A mutton sausage, lightly smoked

spekeskinke Norway Cured ham eaten raw Spekulatius Germany A sweet almond biscuit. Eaten during the Christmas season. spelt flour Flour made from an ancient variety of wheat which has a hard husk making it difficult to mill. It has a high gluten content which makes it very suitable for making

bread.

spenat Sweden Spinach

spenatsoppa Sweden Spinach soup based on roux-thickened beef stock finished with double cream

spencer

spencer Ireland Ulster roll

spencer steak United States Delmonico steak spermaceti A low melting point wax obtained from the whale’s buoyancy aid, used as a

releasing agent

sperm oil The oil rendered from the blubber of the sperm whale used as a releasing agent spettekaka Sweden A tall cake baked on a

spit

spetzli France Spätzele spezie Italy Spices

spezzatino Italy A light stew usually of tender meat, sautéed and finished with a sauce. Also called spezzato

spezzato Italy Spezzatino

spicchi, in Italy In segments or sections spicchio Italy Clove, e.g. of garlic

spice One or other of various strongly flavoured aromatic substances of vegetable origin obtained from tropical plants, particularly dried roots, seeds, buds, berries, fruits and bark

spice bread See Yorkshire spice bread spiced beef United Kingdom Salted and

rolled silverside, soaked, simmered with onions, carrots and turnips for 4 hours, left to cool in the cooking liquor, drained, stuck with cloves, covered with dark muscovado sugar, mustard powder, ground cinnamon and lemon juice and baked at 180°C for one hour

spiced salt China A mixture of salt and anise pepper heated in a heavy frying pan until the anise pepper darkens, cooled and ground. Used in China as a dip for raw or deep-fried vegetables, roast meat and poultry.

spice Parisienne United States Épices composés

spicken sill Sweden Top-quality plain salt herrings, soaked 12 hours, rinsed, dried, deboned and skinned. Two fillets formed into a whole herring and cut into 2 cm slices, garnished with fresh dill and accompanied by potatoes boiled in their skins, chives and soured cream.

spicken sill med sur grädde Sweden Pieces of pickled herring dressed with a mixture of soured cream and mayonnaise flavoured with chopped dill weed or chives

Spickgans Germany Smoked breast of goose spider A shallow circle of steel mesh with the appearance of a spider’s web about 20 cm in diameter with a metal handle used for collecting deep-fried food, especially fritters

and any food in batter, from the oil or fat spider crab A round-bodied leggy

crustacean, Maia squinado, from Spain, also found in the English Channel. It has an oval shell to 20 cm across and is brown to

reddish-orange with prickly spines. It has a fine flavour and is usually poached and served in its shell. Also called spiny crab

spiedino Italy Skewered or spitted, usually meat or prawns

spiedo, alla Italy Grilled over charcoal

Spiegelei Germany Fried egg

Spiessbraten Germany Spit-roasted meat spigola Italy Bass

spijskaart Netherlands Menu spinace Italy Spinach

spinach A fast-growing annual plant, Spinacia oleracea, which grows as a loose cluster of leaves to a height of 15 to 20 cm and a spread of 15 cm. Used as a vegetable and puréed as a base for other food. Very popular in Italian cooking as a colouring for pasta and as a constituent of fillings.

spinach beet A variety of beet, Beta vulgaris Cicla Group, grown for its leaves which resemble spinach. Grows well in northern climates.

spinach mustard Komatsuna spinaci Italy Spinach, the vegetable

spinaci alla milanese Italy Spinach finished with pine nuts and butter and served with scrambled eggs

spinaci alla piemontese Italy Spinach finished with garlic and anchovies

spinaci alla romana Italy Spinach finished with garlic, ham, pine nuts and raisins

Spinacia oleracea Botanical name Spinach spinaci in padella alla trasteverina Italy

Spinach cooked in fat in a frying pan with raisins and pine nuts

spinacio Italy Spinach, the plant spinarola Italy Rock salmon spinat Denmark, Norway Spinach Spinat Germany Spinach spinazie Netherlands Spinach

spineless amaranth Chinese spinach spinkrab Netherlands Spider crab spinola Italy Sea bass

spiny bitter gourd A close relative,

Momordica cochiniensis, of the bitter gourd but more rounded in shape with pointed warts on the skin

spiny cockle A large variety of cockle,

Acanthocardia aculeata, growing up to 10 cm in diameter

spiny crab See spider crab spiny dogfish Rock salmon

spiny lobster A seawater crustacean,

Palinurus elephas var. vulgaris, resembling a lobster in taste and texture but without the large claws. They are reddish brown with yellow and white markings and may be up to 50 cm long, but taste better when smaller.

They are found around the coasts of Britain, Spain, France and the Mediterranean, but now rare. Often called crayfish especially in Australia and the USA. Cooked as lobster. Also called crawfish, rock lobster, southern lobster

spiral peel A continuous strip of apple or citrus peel about 6 to 9mm wide, used for decoration

spisekart Norway Menu

spit A substantial metal rod on which meat is impaled for roasting in front of, over, or under a source of radiant heat, or in an oven. It usually has attachments which clamp to the rod and engage the meat so that it turns as the rod is turned giving even cooking on all sides. The term often includes the supporting structure and the mechanism for turning the spit.

spitchcock A split eel, grilled or fried spit-roast, to To roast meat whilst it is being

turned on a spit

spitskool Netherlands Chinese cabbage spleen A soft red pulpy organ near the

stomach of an animal which is used for recycling the iron from dead or damaged red blood cells. Used in offal-based dishes or for stuffings.

split almonds Blanched and dehusked almonds split into their two halves

split pea Dehusked dried peas split into two equal hemispheres along the natural dividing line

split tin loaf England A bread loaf baked in a tin in which the top of the dough has been cut along the centre to allow outward expansion as the dough rises and more crust area

spoileensmall Ireland A joint of meat spongada Italy A type of sherbet made with

stiffly beaten egg whites

sponge cake A light chemical or air raised cake generally made by the creaming or whisking methods. Varieties include Genoese or Victoria sponge.

sponge finger biscuits See sponge fingers sponge fingers Thin fingers of sponge made from creamed egg yolks and caster sugar (3 per 100 g of sugar) mixed with sifted flour equal in weight to the sugar, the stiffly beaten egg whites and salt folded in to the mixture progressively and then baked for 12 minutes at 160°C either in sponge finger tins or after

piping onto a baking tray

sponge flan A circular flan case made with a sponge cake mixture in place of pastry. After baking and cooling, the centre is filled with fruit, whipped cream, mousse or the like and decorated.

sprängd

sponge gourd Loofah

sponge pudding A hot, baked or steamed pudding made from a Victoria sponge mixture possibly with added fruits which is cooked in a pudding basin, sometimes with jam, golden syrup or treacle in the base. Served hot with a sweet sauce.

sponge sandwich A victoria sponge or genoese sponge sliced horizontally in half using a serrated knife, and filled with jam and/or whipped cream or butter cream, the top dusted with icing sugar. Also called sandwich cake

spoom France A dessert made from fruit juice, champagne or fortified wine, frozen then mixed with Italian meringue

spoon An implement with a shallow, oval or round bowl at one end of a handle, constructed of metal, plastic, ceramic, wood or other natural materials or a combination of these. Wooden spoons are often used in mixing and stirring so as not to leave scratches on the container. Spoons used for eating are either small (around 5 ml capacity) called teaspoons, medium (around 10 ml capacity) called dessert spoons or large (around 15 ml capacity) called tablespoons. Larger ones may be used for serving. The Chinese ceramic spoon is around 20 ml capacity. See also measuring spoon, slotted spoon, ladle

spoon bread United States Batter bread spore The inactive form of a bacterium which

is very resistant to heat or chemical treatment. It will, however, start to grow and divide again, given the appropriate environmental conditions.

sport coconut Makapuno

sposi Italy A small soft cream cheese

spot prawn Canada The most important prawn, Pandalus platyceros, found on the west coast of Canada

spotted dick England A steamed pudding made from a sweetened, egg-enriched suet pastry mix with dried vine fruits and a raising agent cooked in a pudding basin or cloth for several hours and served with cream or English custard. An alternative uses fresh breadcrumbs, self-raising flour, shredded suet, caster sugar and currants in the proportions 4:3:3:2:6, flavoured with grated lemon zest and brought together with milk. Also called spotted dog

spotted dog England Spotted dick

spotted whiting Australia King George whiting sprængt oksekød Denmark Corned beef sprag United States A large codfish

sprängd Denmark, Sweden Salt-cured e.g. of meat

sprat

sprat England, France A small, round-bodied member of the herring family, Sprattus sprattus, up to 14 cm long and with a bluishgreen back. Found on the northeastern shores of the Atlantic. Baked, fried or grilled. Also called brisling, Swedish anchovy

spratto Italy Sprat. Also called papalina spray-drying A method of drying solutions of

foods or other soluble materials in liquid by spraying the liquid into a warm atmosphere and collecting the solid powder. Used for coffee extracts, milk and egg white.

spread A semi-solid savoury paste spread on bread for sandwiches or on toast for canapés, also any soft food item which can easily be spread

spread, to To smear out a semi-solid food to form a uniform thin layer using a knife or a spatula as with butter on bread, whipped cream or icing on a cake or a savoury spread on toast

spremuto Italy Squeezed, of citrus fruit, etc. spring cabbage An early-season cabbage, mainly leaf with no heart, planted in the autumn, overwintered and harvested in

spring. See also spring greens

spring chicken A chicken weighing a round 1.5 kg and 3 to 4 months old

Springerle Germany Aniseed-flavoured biscuits stamped with various designs before cooking for the Christmas season

spring-form cake tin A cake tin with a flexible side which can be tightened around or loosened from the circular base by means of a latch mechanism, thus making the release of the cooked cake easy

spring greens Individual leaves of the brassicas, especially cabbage, picked early in the season before the plants have hearted spring lamb Milk-fed lamb between 6 weeks

and 4 months old

spring onion A variety of onion, Allium cepa, which initially grows with a long white leeklike stem (up to 1 cm diameter) before forming a bulb. When young has a mild flavour and the whole stem including part of the green leaves is used in salads, as a garnish, and in many Chinese dishes. Also called salad onion, shallot

spring roll A thin rectangle of pastry made with eggs instead of water, wrapped securely around a cylinder of filling and deep-fried until crisp and golden. The filling consists of various mixtures of cooked chopped meat, poultry, shellfish or vegetables. Also called pancake roll

spring salmon See chinook salmon sprinkle, to To scatter small or large particles

or liquid drops over the surface of food as

e.g. icing sugar over cakes, grated cheese over soup or a fish dish, flour over bread or vinegar over a salad. See also drizzle, to

spritärter Sweden Green peas spritsar Sweden Almond butter biscuits

spritz biscuits Biscuits made by piping or squirting a biscuit mixture in zigzag shapes onto a tray then baking at 175°C until crisp and brown. A typical mixture might be flour, butter, sugar, ground nuts and eggs (2:2:2:1:1) made by the creaming method. Popular in Holland and Belgium.

Spritzgebäck Germany Spritz biscuits sproal Ireland A joint of meat Sprotten Germany Sprats, whitebait

sprout 1. The initial growth from a seed, usually very delicate and crisp, e.g. bean sprouts 2. See Brussels sprouts

sprout, to To keep seeds, beans or grains in warm damp conditions after soaking in water so that they germinate and begin to grow and generally convert starch and protein into sugars and plant tissue. Many seeds become more palatable and digestible after this process.

sprouting broccoli Large, very hardy biennial plants Brassica oleracea Italica Group growing to 90 cm, with many flowering shoots which develop in spring and are cooked as a vegetable. Both purple and white forms are available.

sprue Thin shoots of asparagus spruitjes Netherlands Brussels sprouts

spruzzare Italy To baste or sprinkle with a liquid

spuma Italy Mousse

spun curd cheese Cheese in which the curd had been extruded through small holes or otherwise drawn and kneaded to make cheeses like Mozzarella

spun sugar Sugar syrup cooked to the hard ball stage (121°C) which is spun or pulled into fine threads when sufficiently cool and used to make cake and dessert decorations

spur dog Rock salmon

spurtle Scotland A carved wooden stick used in Scotland to stir porridge

squab 1. United Kingdom A young pigeon 2.

United States A small single-portion chicken squab pie England See Devonshire squab pie squadro Italy Angel fish

squash The Native American derived name for various members of the Cucurbitaceae family, a vine crop originating in North America now grown worldwide. See also summer squash, winter squash

squash blossom Courgette flowers squash melon Tinda

squaw corn A soft mealy variety of maize preferred by Native North and South Americans. Also called soft corn, flour corn squid A widely distributed member of the cephalopod group of molluscs, genus Loligo, varying from small to over 60 cm in length with a torpedo-shaped body, eight arms and two long tentacles growing from around the central mouth parts at the rear of the body. It is semi-transparent with a reddish spot but can change colour and is opaque when cooked. May be cooked in any way. It has an inner shell. See also flying squid, southern

calamari. Also called inkfish

squidgy chocolate roll England A fatless, flourless type of Swiss roll made from eggs, caster sugar, milk and cocoa powder (8:4:5:1). The egg yolk and sugar are creamed and mixed with milk and cocoa powder, the stiffly beaten egg whites folded in, all baked in a Swiss roll tin at 180°C, rolled, cooled, filled with whipped cream and decorated.

squille France Mantis shrimp

squirrel A bushy tailed tree climbing rodent of the family Sciuridae, eaten in many parts of the world. Well known in Cajun cookery, probably the grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis.

squirrel cut A method of preparing fish for frying by cutting at an angle to the vertical in a cross hatch pattern from skin to bone for whole fish or from fish to skin for fillets so that it looks like a pine cone. The cuts are opened out with the fingers and dusted with corn flour to prevent them closing up.

srikhand South Asia A dessert made from drained yoghurt with sugar, nuts and saffron srpska proja Balkans Serbian bread made

from maize flour

stabburpølse Norway Black pudding stabilizers Food additives used to prevent

food constituents separating out from a mixture. Emulsifiers are usually considered to be under this classification.

stable emulsion An emulsion which will not separate into its components under the conditions for which it was made

Stachelbeere Germany Gooseberry

stachys Chinese artichoke

Stachys sieboldii Botanical name Chinese artichoke plant

Staffordshire beef steaks England Slices of braising steak flattened, dipped in seasoned flour and fried with sliced onion until brown, simmered in beef stock until the meat is tender and finished with walnut ketchup

Staffordshire yeomanry pudding England A double-crust tart made with sugar pastry, the

stanislas

base layered with raspberry jam and the filling made from butter, caster sugar, beaten eggs and ground almonds (4:4:3:1) by the creaming method and flavoured with almond essence. Baked at 180°C for 40 minutes with a foil covering placed over the tart as soon as the pastry starts browning.

stag chicken United States An old male chicken with a good strong flavour

staghorn endive See endive staghorn fungus Bamboo fungus

stagionata Italy Ripe or mature, of cheese stagione Italy Season, of the year, as in pizza

quattro stagione

stainless steel A high chromium and nickel iron alloy which is corrosion-proof and does not tarnish. Used for basins and cooking utensils.

stake Laver

staling The process that occurs when foods such as bread or cooked potatoes are stored. It is caused by the crystallization of amylose in starch gels.

stalker’s pie A type of shepherd’s pie made with finely diced cooked venison and chopped onion bound with gravy, topped with mashed potatoes and root vegetables, coated with butter and baked at 200°C, covered whilst warming through then uncovered to brown the top

stallina, alla Italy In the style of the stable, i.e. pasta with bacon and garlic

stambecco Italy Wild goat

stamp and go Caribbean Small pieces of salt cod coated in a batter flavoured with chillies, spring onions and thyme, deep-fried and eaten as a hot snack

stampinjong Norway Mushroom stamppot Netherlands Hotpot

standard beef United States A tough grade of beef from low-quality young animals with no marbling and a bland flavour

standing rib of beef United Kingdom, United States The fore rib of beef, a term used in the northwest of England and North America standing rump United States The top of the round of beef including the bone. Used for

roasting.

Stangen Germany Long rectangular sweet or savoury pastries

Stangenkäse Austria A soft cows’ milk cheese cast in bricks and resembling Tilsit

Stangensellerie Germany Celery

stångkorv Sweden A sausage packed with beef, pork, liver, kidney and boiled pearl barley. Usually fried.

stanislas France A cake filled with almond cream