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Cooking Terms

Confit

This term is a French word that is best translated as preserving. It has 2 meanings--one for the savory kitchen and one for the pastry kitchen. In the savory kitchen, it historically refers to a meat submerged in flavorful rendered fat and cooked slowly until very tender. Confit has recently been expanded to include interpretations such as slowly cooking meat, fish or vegetables in a flavorful oil such as olive oil (which may or may not be infused with secondary flavors). Confit has also been applied to anything that is cooked slowly, while not necessarily being completely submerged in fat , i.e. confit onions. This last savory interpretation is probably closely related to the pastry department's use of the confit. To the pastry chef, confit refers to candied fruit--fruit cooked slowly in sugar syrup until tender.

Creme brulee

Literally "burned cream". It begins with a very rich baked custard. Just prior to serving, it is sprinkled with a layer of sugar which is caramelized with the aid of a propane torch or salamander. The caramel layer then solidifies, creating a delightful textural contrast between the soft custard and brittle caramel.

Crepe

A very thin "pancake" of French origin. Crepe batter is very thin and sauteed briefly in a very hot, lightly greased pan.

Crottin

A small goat cheese from the French town of Chavignol. As it ages, it becomes increasingly strong. There are many cheeses that imitate the crottin de Chavignol which go by other names and which can sometimes be excellent.

Mandoline

A stainless steel cutting tool that is generally used in commercial kitchens for slicing vegetables.

Meuniere

Classically this sauce is simply a combination of browned butter, lemon juice, chopped parsley and seasoning. It is most often served with sauteed fish (often the sauce is made at the last minute in the same pan the fish was cooked in).

Meyer lemons

A citrus fruit that is not actually a lemon and which originated in China. Its flesh is darker and sweeter than conventional lemons--almost like a cross between an orange and a lemon.

Mirepoix

The French word for aromatic or flavoring vegetables, used frequently when making stock, soups or sauces. A brown mirepoix (which will be browned in hot oil before being used) consists of 2 parts onion, 1 part carrot and 1 part celery (measured roughly by volume). A white mirepoix (generally added raw or lightly cooked in oil without browning) consists of 1 part onion and 1 part celery.

Moroccan (olives)

This is not a variety of olive but rather a way of processing black, fully ripened olives in salt or oil so that they become very strongly flavored and assertively bitter.

Mousse (savory)

There are 2 types of mousse. The first is made with a puree of raw ingredient, eggs and heavy cream which is made in such a way that when the mousse is cooked, it should be very light. This mousse can be consummed hot or cold. The second kind of mousse is made with a puree of cooked ingredient mixed with a cold sauce (i.e. Veloute), dissolved gelatin, and whipped heavy cream. This mousse is simply chilled to "set" the gelatin before serving.
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