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Al dente -

Al dente translates from the Italian as "to the tooth." The term is used to describe pasta and vegetables that are neither too crunchy nor too soft.

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Au gratin -

Au gratin is a dish sprinkled with breadcrumbs or grated cheese, which is then baked until golden brown. Traditionally, a shallow baking dish is used.

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Baste -

Baste is to spoon or brush a liquid, like stock or butter, on food while it cooks. This adds flavor and prevents the food from drying out.

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Blanch -

Blanched food has briefly been submerged in boiling water to partially cook it. Oftentimes, blanched foods are immediately placed into a bowl of ice water to "shock" them, which stops the cooking process.

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Bouquet garni or sachet -

Bouquet garni is a bundle of tied together herbs used for flavoring stew, broth, or soup. Common herbs include parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme.

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Braise -

Braise is to brown or sear meat or vegetables in butter or oil, which are then slowly cooked over low heat in a covered pot. 

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Brine -

Brine is a solution of salt and water. Brining meat or poultry helps make the cooked meat moister.

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Butterfly -

Butterfly is a method of cutting meat through the middle without completely separating the halves, which is then spread to resemble a butterfly. This technique makes stuffing easier and allows meat to cook quickly and evenly.

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Charcuterie -

This fancy French word is the term for the preparation of cooked meats, ranging from bacon to cured meats and sausage. 

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Chiffonade -

Chiffonade are shredded or finely cut vegetable leaves used to garnish a plate or soup.

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Coddle -

In cooking, to coddle food (usually eggs) is to heat it in water kept just below the boiling point. The process usually takes longer than boiling or poaching, but produces a more tender result.

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Deglaze -

Deglaze is to dissolve the remains of food on a pan with a liquid such as wine or vinegar in order to create a sauce or gravy.

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Emulsify -

Emulsify is to mix liquids together that normally won't bond together, like oil and vinegar.

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Flambé -

The French word for "flamed" or "flaming," flambé is when liquor, like rum, cognac, or brandy, is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames. The raw flavor of alcohol is burned off, leaving a sweet, subtle taste behind.

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Julienne -

Julienne is a technique of cutting vegetables into matchstick-sized strips.

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Leaven -

Leaven is to add gasses to dough or batter, so it lightens and rises during mixture or baking. You can use items with leavening agents, like yeast, beer, and kefir when baking bread.

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Macerate -

Macerate is to immerse food in liquid and/or sugar to break down and soften. This technique is commonly used to infuse fruit with liquor.

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Muddle -

A technique used when making certain cocktails, muddle means to press fruit and herbs against the side of a glass to release their juices.

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Mull -

Mull means to heat and infuse a beverage (usually wine, beer, or cider) with herbs, spices, and fruits.

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Pipe -

Often used with dessert and pastry baking, to pipe is to decorate or create shapes on food using thin lines of cream, paste, or icing. 

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Reduce -

This term means to boil excess liquid in a cooking pan in order to decrease the volume. This happens through the process of evaporation. 

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Render -

To render is to cook the fat out of meat using a low heat.

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Roux -

Roux is a mixture of flour and fat, such as butter, lard, or vegetable oil, cooked over low heat to thicken soups and sauces.

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Sauté -

This classic method means to cook food quickly in a skillet, using a small amount of oil or animal fat, over medium high heat.

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Score -

To score has a different meaning in the cooking world! In culinary terms, it means to make shallow cuts into the surface of foods with a blade or sharp knife. It's widely used when baking bread. 

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Umami -

Most often associated with Japanese cooking and MSG, umami is the fifth flavor element, not covered by sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.

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Simmer -

Simmer is to cook food over low heat, letting small bubbles rise to the surface of a cooking pot.

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Truss -

Truss is to tie up the wings and legs of prepared poultry to prevent movement or slipping during cooking. 

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Zest -

Zest is the aromatic outermost part of a citrus peel, which is scrapped or cut to flavor food. 

Sources: (What's for Dinner?) (TreeHugger)

See also: Food parts you really shouldn't be throwing away

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