2 Prickly Pears: The Vocabulary of Cooking...D, E, F, and G

It's Thursday again, and that means more culinary terminology. Before we get started, we want to know if you have used any of your new words from the A, B, C list? We hope so. The best way to learn a new language is to use it. So go ahead and show off your culinary language skills.

Now for today's words. (Don't forget to look for today's recipe.)

Deglaze means to use a like wine, stock, or even water to help lift the cooked residues from the bottom of pan (to make a sauce).

Dredge is to coat an ingredient in something such as flour or breadcrumbs

Dry Rub is a mixture of dried dried herbs and spices used to commonly marinate meat for BBQ cooking

Dry Rub

Dutch Oven is a heavyy pot with a thick base and walls so it retains heat extremely well and disperses it evenly which is perfect for long braising or making stews. It has a fitted lid as well and the whole thing can go into the oven, which makes it a very versatile piece.

Dutch Oven

Emulsify is to mix (and often bring together two different liquids) forming a thickened mixture - i.e. an emulsification

Extra-virgin olive oil is extracted from the first press of olives, thus yielding a richer flavored olive oil

Fajitas is a grilled meat served with tortillas in Mexican cooking

Fennel is a vegetable that has celery-like stalks and fibers with a sweet anise flavor

Fleur de sel is a fancy finishing salt.

Florets are small heads of a vegetable such as broccoli or cauliflower

Focaccia is a of flat Italian bread made with yeast and olive oil and flavored with herbs

Fococcia

Frisee is a type of chicory lettuce with distinctively curly leaves giving it characteristic texture

Frittata is an egg dish similar to an omelette or quiche that is baked.

Ganache is a French term referring to a smooth and velvety mixture of chocolate and cream. It can be used as a cake filler, a cake glaze, the middle of a truffle, as a drizzle and more. You can adjust the amount of chocolate and cream to have a thicker or thinner ganances.

Here's a easy recipe for a smooth ganache that can be used to ice a cake:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Heavy Cream

10 oz Chocolate

Directions:

If your chocolate is a large block, chop it up in small pieces. Otherwise place your chocolate in a medium sized glass bowl. Heat our cream in a small pot until it just begins to bubble around the edges. Pour heated milk over chocolate and allow to set for about a minute. Using a wisk, mix the chocolate and cream until it is smooth and luscious. Pour the ganache over your cake and allow it to set.

Garlic is one of the most commonly used ingredients throughout the culinary world. It has a pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably once cooked, thus making it indispensible in a lot of recipes.

Gastrique is a vinegar-based reduction with a syrupy consistency.

Gazpacho is a cold soup made of pureed fruit or vegetables.

Ghee is simply clarified butter and commonly used in Indian cuisine.

Glaza is to baste and cover repeatedly with a sauce and cook until the sauce has thickened and is shiny.

Gnocchi are small dumplings made from potato, semolina or flour.

Grand Marnier is a orange flavored liqueur

Gremolata is a flavorful garnish traditionally made with citrus zest, herbs and garlic

Grits are made from coarsely ground hominy or corn and are a common dish in the South. They are classically prepared with cheese and butter

Gruyere cheese is a hard cheese that is sweet but salty in flavor with a nutty aroma