Preparing Food: English Vocabulary List

to make food look more delicious by decorating it

"Garnish the dish with fresh parsley."

"The chef decided to garnish the plate with a sprig of fresh parsley and a slice of lemon for color."

to cut meat or other food into very small pieces, usually using a meat grinder or a sharp knife

"Mince the garlic into tiny pieces."

"The recipe says you should mince the garlic into very tiny pieces so that the flavor spreads evenly throughout the entire dish."

to heat sugar or other foods until it becomes a golden brown color and develops a rich flavor and aroma

"The sugar will caramelize in the pan."

"You need to cook the onions slowly until they begin to caramelize and turn a deep golden brown color with a sweet taste."

to warm previously cooked food

"Reheat the leftovers in the microwave."

"You can reheat the leftover pizza in the oven for a few minutes to make the crust crispy again like before."

to remove the bones from meat or fish

"Debone the fish before cooking it."

"The chef showed us how to properly debone a whole chicken using a small sharp knife and some patience during the cooking class."

to grill food over fire, adding flavor with marinades or spices

"We will barbecue chicken on Sunday."

"We plan to barbecue some hamburgers and hot dogs in the backyard this weekend if the weather stays warm and sunny."

to beat or mix rapidly, typically with a utensil such as a whisk

"Whisk the eggs until they are frothy."

"You should whisk the eggs vigorously until they become light and fluffy before adding them slowly to the hot mixture."

to move a spoon, etc. around in a liquid or other substance to completely mix it

"Stir the soup occasionally while cooking."

"She used a long wooden spoon to stir the soup gently so that it would not burn at the bottom of the pot."

to cook using the steam of boiling water

"Steam the vegetables until they are tender."

"It is healthier to steam your vegetables instead of boiling them because steaming preserves more of the natural vitamins and minerals."

to cook something at a temperature just below boiling, allowing it to bubble gently

"Let the sauce simmer for twenty minutes."

"Let the sauce simmer on low heat for about twenty minutes to allow all the different flavors to blend together nicely."

to pour a thin, fine stream of liquid, such as sauce, oil, or syrup, over food

"Drizzle olive oil over the salad."

"Before serving you should drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the salad and add some salt and pepper to taste."

to cut a piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces

"Please carve the turkey."

"The chef will expertly carve the roast beef for each guest at the table."

to remove the seeds from a fruit or vegetable

"Seed the watermelon before slicing it."

"You should seed the watermelon before putting the pieces into the fruit salad so that no one chokes on a seed."

to cook something at a low temperature in liquid in a closed container

"Stew the meat for several hours."

"You can stew the beef for several hours with carrots and potatoes to make a warm and hearty winter meal."

to make someone or something extremely wet

"Soak the beans overnight before cooking."

"You need to soak the dried beans in water overnight before cooking them to make them soft and easy to digest."