A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

C

Calvados

A dry spirit made from distilled cider, made in Normandy, northern France

Calzone

A stuffed pizza, folded over and baked, like a Cornish pasty. A calzone is usually made as a single serving.

Canap

Appetisers of mini or small foods that can be eaten with fingers and are served with drinks.

Cape Gooseberries

Also known as physalis. A small, smooth round fruit wrapped in its own papery case that resembles a Chinese lantern. Physalis can be unwrapped and eaten as is or dipped in melted chocolate and served after dinner with coffee. They make excellent jams, jellies and purees.

Capers

The pickled flower buds of a shrub native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. Capers are usually packed in brine but can also be preserved in salt. They should be rinsed before use to remove excess salt. Their pungent flavour adds piquancy to many sauces and condiments (eg tartare sauce), and they can be used as a garnish for meat and vegetable dishes and in tapenade.

Capon

A castrated cockerel fattened for eating. It is no longer legal to produce capons in the UK.

Capsicum

The generic name for the pepper family which includes the large, sweet, mild peppers (red, green and yellow) as well as any of the hundreds of hot chilli peppers. Capsaicin is the chemical compound in chillies that gives them their heat and fieriness.

Carambola

see Starfruit

Caramelise

The process of either heating sugar to a point when it melts and resets as a hard glaze, as on the top of a cr

Cardamom

An aromatic spice from south-western India. Cardamom seeds are contained in small pods about the size of a cranberry. The spice has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy-sweet flavour and is widely used in Scandinavian and east Indian cooking. Cardamom can be bought in the pod or ground but, as the ground seeds soon lose their flavour, it is preferable to use the pods, either removing the seeds and grinding them or grinding the whole pod, quickly done with a pestle and mortar. If using cardamom to flavour dishes such as stews and curries, lightly crush the whole pod and add it to the mixture: the shell will disintegrate while the dish cooks. Be frugal when using cardamom - a little goes a long way.

Cardoon

A large stalky vegetable, related to the artichoke, the cardoon is very popular in France, Italy and Spain. Cardoons can be found from midwinter to early spring. Look for stalks that are firm and have a silvery grey-green colour. To prepare, remove tough outer ribs, cut the inner ribs into 8cm/3in slices and soak in acidulated water to prevent browning. Cardoons can be boiled, braised or baked. Pre-cooking for about 30 minutes in boiling water is suggested in many recipes. Though high in sodium, cardoons are a good source of potassium, calcium and iron. They were very popular with the Victorians.

Carob

The fruits of this evergreen tree, native to the Middle East, grow in pods about 20cm/8in long and ripen from green to brown. They contain hard, brown seeds. In the Middle East, the sweet pods are chewed raw, and are used as animal feed. Carob beans are also ground and used as a healthier alternative to chocolate and coffee as they contain no caffeine or oxalic acid, and only half the fat of cocoa. The flavour is sweet and treacly, so is excellent in baking.

Carpaccio

An Italian dish, served as a starter, of very thin shavings of raw beef fillet, served cold with olive oil and lemon juice or with a mayonnaise or mustard sauce. The dish is often topped with capers and sometimes onions.

Cashew

The fruit of the cashew tree, originally from South America but widely cultivated in India and other tropical countries since the 16th century. The nut contains a smooth creamy-white kidney-shaped kernel that is rich in vitamin A and has a high fat content. In Europe cashews are usually eaten dried, roasted and salted as a snack or in salads.

Caul Fat

The lacy fatty membrane encasing the internal organs of an animal, pork caul is often used for wrapping faggots or pat

Caviar

True caviar is the salted and matured eggs or roe of the huge female sturgeon fish, the most famous being from the Caspian Sea and processed in Russia and Iran. Beluga is the most expensive variety, followed by Oscietra and Sevruga.

Cavolo nero

Cavolo nero

Cayenne pepper

A fiery hot ground spice derived from the flesh and seeds of chilli pepper. For more information about paprika and cayenne, visit our store cupboard.

Celeriac

A large root vegetable with a taste of celery, celeriac is sold without its leaves. It is available from mid-September to the end of April. To prepare, peel like potato, rinse and keep in acidulated water until ready to use. It can be mashed, roasted, boiled, steamed or made into soup. Shredded, lanched for a few minutes in boiling water and then cooled, it can be served as a salad with a vinaigrette or piquant dressing.

Celery seeds

Dried seeds of celery, used in bread making, egg and fish dishes. They are ground with salt to make celery salt, used for making Bloody Marys.

Ceviche

A South American dish of raw white fish, marinated and 'cooked' in lemon or lime juice. It is served with sweet limes, raw onion rings, tomatoes and boiled sweetcorn.

Ch

The French word for 'goat' has come to be used to refer to goat

Chantilly cream

Sweetened, vanilla-flavoured, whipped cream used for desserts and puddings.

Charcuterie

The generic term used to refer to products based on pork meat or offal, including cured and cooked meats, fresh and smoked sausages, p

Charlotte

Small, waxy, yellow-fleshed potato, good for use in salads.

Chicon

The correct term to describe a single bulb of chicory.

Chiffonade

Thin strips or shreds of vegetables (classically, sorrel and lettuce), either lightly saut

Chilli

Chilli peppers are much smaller than sweet peppers and can be green, yellow, orange, red or black. The seeds and flesh are extremely hot and should be used sparingly. Removing the seeds lessens the heat of the chilli. It is very important to avoid contact with the eyes or any sensitive skin - even washing the hands after preparing chillis may not be enough to remove all the capsaicin, the volatile oil in the fruit that gives it its hot taste. There are many different varieties of chilli, including bird's eye, chipolte, habanero and Scotch bonnet.

Chinois

A conical strainer with a handle, used for soups and sauces

Chipolte

A mild, smoky, dried chilli commonly used in Mexican and south-west American cookery

Chorizo

Used in Spanish and Mexican cookery, chorizos are fresh sausages or dried salamis of pork, flavoured with paprika and sometimes garlic. Chorizo can be used in cooking or sliced for eating. Fresh chorizo sausages can be smoked or unsmoked and are delicious fried or grilled whole or skinned and crumbled into stews.

Choux pastry

A very light, double-cooked pastry usually used for sweets such as cakes and buns.

Chowder

A thick, chunky seafood soup from North America, of which clam chowder is the best known

Chuck and Blade

Cut of beef from the shoulder, ideal for casseroles and stews.

Chump

Cut of either lamb or pork taken from the lower back. Sold as chops and steaks, ideal for grilling and barbecues.

Chutney

From the East Indian word chatni, this spicy relish contains fruit or vegetables, vinegar, sugar and spices. It can range in texture from chunky to smooth and in degrees of spiciness from mild to hot. Chutney is a delicious accompaniment to curried dishes. The sweeter chutneys also make interesting bread spreads and are delicious served with cheese

Ciabatta

A loaf of moist aerated Italian bread made with olive oil.

Cilantro

The American term for coriander

Cinnamon

This warm, sweet spice comes from the bark of several tropical trees. The bark is removed, dried and rolled up to make a tube. Cinnamon is sold dry as sticks but also often as a powder. Used in baking and with fruit but can be added to savoury dishes. For more information about cinnamon, visit our store cupboard.

Clarified butter

Butter cleared of its water content through heating and then straining. It can then be cooked to higher temperatures without fear of burning.

Clotted cream

Thick, baked cream, traditionally from Devon and Cornwall. Served with scones or desserts or made into ice-cream.

Cloves

Pungent, sweet spice used both for savoury stews and roasts as well as with fruits. For more information about cloves, visit our store cupboard.

Coconut

The fruit of the coconut palm, the coconut has a very hard woody shell covered with a thick, hairy husk. The shell is lined with a firm white pulp and the hollow centre contains a sweet milky-white liquid which makes a refreshing drink. The pulp is rich in fat. In western countries coconut is mostly used in desiccated (shredded) form in baking, confectionery and ices. In Indian, Indonesian, African and South American cooking, the pulp is used fresh or dried in chicken, beef or shellfish stews.

Coconut milk and cream

Coconut milk is not the liquid from inside the nut, but the extract of freshly grated coconut flesh after soaking in hot water and straining off the liquid. It is readily available in tinned form from authentic Asian and Caribbean stores and supermarkets. Coconut cream is sold in hard blocks. It can be diluted with hot water before using or added straight to the simmering liquid in the pan. Both give a distinctive taste and smoothness to curries, sauces and rice.

Cod

Popular white sea fish with flaky flesh, available fresh or frozen, whole or as steaks and fillets. It is a resident of northern seas, but is in danger of being over-fished. Can be poached, baked, fried, or grilled and served with or without sauce.

Collar

Cut of pork from the neck which is sold as chops or diced and minced. Good for casseroles and stews.

Compote

A dish of fruits, stewed or baked whole or in pieces with sugar.

Coriander

Coriander is the world's most commonly used herb, in spite of the fact that the name comes from the Greek, koris, meaning a bug. Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now available worldwide. Both the fresh leaves and seeds are used. The herb has a fresh taste, similar to orange, and is an important ingredient in curry.

Corn syrup

A common ingredient in the US made by adding enzymes to corn starch, turning it into syrup of dextrose, maltose and/or glucose. It comes in two flavours - dark and light. Light corn syrup is very sweet like golden syrup while dark corn syrup has a molasses flavour. For more information, see Ask the Chef.

Cornbread

Bread made from cornmeal flour, the product of ground, dried maize; in Italy the same golden cornmeal is known as polenta

Cornflour

Cornflour is the starch extracted from maize which is soaked and ground to separate the germ and the bran. It contains no gluten. A fine white powder with no taste, it is used to thicken sauces. It cuts down the need for fat as, unlike other flours, it blends to a smooth cream with liquid. To use, blend with double the amount of cold liquid to cornflour and stir into sauce to be thickened. Keep stirring while the sauce comes to the boil, and it will clear and thicken.

Coulis

Smooth, thick fruit or vegetable sauce eg apricot, raspberry, red pepper. It may be used to enhance the flavour of a sauce or may itself be used as a sauce.

Court-bouillon

A spiced aromatic liquor or stock used mainly for cooking fish and shellfish. Wine and vinegar may sometimes be added to the court-bouillon which is usually prepared in advance and allowed to cool.

Couscous

Using the same flour that goes into pasta, couscous is made by rolling and coating durum or hard wheat semolina grains in fine wheat flour, and is a staple ingredient in North Africa. Couscous is also the name of a dish in which the grains are steamed together with a spiced stew of vegetables and/or sometimes meat or chicken.

Cr

This is the French term for custard cream, made with sugar, egg yolks and milk flavoured with vanilla.

Cr

A dessert made from an egg custard with a hard caramel topping

Cr

A French cream made from pasteurised cows' milk to which a lactic bacteria culture has been added. This thickens the cream and gives it a distinctive sharp flavour. Richer than soured cream, it can be used to lace soups, sauces and stews or it can be spooned over puddings and stirred into sweet dishes. It is not, however, suitable for whipping.

Cr

Thin French pancake, served with sweet or savoury fillings or toppings

Crab apple

The small fruit of the wild apple tree that has more core than flesh. Crab apples are sour to taste when eaten raw and so are best used to make a sweet jelly for scones and brioches or as a condiment for roasted meats and game.

Cro

Small cubes of bread that have been fried and then drained and cooled. As they cool, they develop a crispy texture and are used as a garnish for soups or in salads

Crostini

Traditionally a festive Italian appetiser. Baguette-style bread is thinly sliced and lightly toasted and then topped, usually with a moist spreadable p

Crudit

Raw vegetables, thinly sliced or grated, served as a starter or, with a dip, as a snack. Crudit

Cumberland sauce

Cold sauce made from port, orange and lemon juice and redcurrant jelly, traditionally served with hot or cold ham, sausages and p

Curry

From the southern Indian word kari , meaning 'sauce', comes this catch-all term, used to refer to any number of hot, spicy, sauce-based dishes of east Indian origin. Curries are nowadays categorised as mild, hot and very hot. Curries from south and east Asia require different seasoning to Indian curries. Thai curry pastes tend to be hotter and more fragrant, and are flavoured with chillies.

Curry Powder

Mixture of spices used in making curries and in Indian cooking; mild, medium and hot. Generally contains differing amounts of turmeric, chilli powder, coriander, cumin, ginger, pepper

Custard

A sweet sauce, usually quite thick, made from milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornflour. Often used to accompany sweet dishes, the custard may be flavoured, or may be chilled and served semi-solid.