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Abbacchio
Italian for young lamb. Traditionally an abbacchio would be milk-fed, weighing less than 10 kilograms.
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Accra
A Caribbean dish of salt cod fritters, often served as an hors d'oeuvre. Also known as stamp-and-go.
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Agar-agar
The Malay name for a gum extracted from a red seaweed, used as a gelling or setting agent. Its advantages over the more commonly used gelatin include its resistance to heat (it stays jellied until near-boiling point) and the fact that it is vegetable rather than animal-based, and can thus be used in vegetarian cooking. It is available from Asian grocers and specialty stores.
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Aged balsamic vinegar
Fragrant, sweetish vinegar from Modena, Italy, made from concentrated grape juice and aged in wooden barrels for at least 10 years.
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Agnolotti
A stuffed pasta shape, usually translating to small, crescent-shaped or semicircular ravioli in Australian restaurants.
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Agrodolce
Italian for sour and sweet. See also the French, aigre-doux.
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Aigre-doux
French for sour-sweet. See also the Italian, agrodolce.
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Aioli
Garlic mayonnaise. A specialty of Provence, in the south of France.
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Al dente
Italian for 'to the tooth', a term denoting the texture to which pasta should be cooked - that is, still firm, with some resistance to the bite. Also used in describing the texture of rice in risotto.
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Alioli
A Catalan sauce of garlic and oil mixed to a paste, much like aioli, only without the eggs.
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Alligot
A French dish of potatoes mashed with Cantal cheese curds. Alligot is a traditional dish of the Auvergne region.
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Almonds
Can be purchased as blanched, skins removed; flaked, paper-thin slices; ground, also known as almond meal; or in slivers, small lengthways-cut pieces.
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Amaro
Italian for bitter, amaro also describes a style of bitter, often herbal, Italian digestivo, such as Averna or Fernet Branca. The plural is amari.
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Ancho chilli
A broad dried chilli of a reddish-brown colour. Ranging from mild to hot, it's one of the sweetest dried chillies. In its fresh state it is referred to as poblano chilli.
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Anchoiade
A southern French sauce made from anchovies, garlic and olive oil, often served on toast or with raw vegetables.
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Andouillette
A small French sausage made from the lower intestine of the pig, usually served grilled. The larger version, the andouille, is typically smoked and served cold.
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Antipasto
Meaning before the meal. A selection of hot or cold appetisers. The plural is antipasti.
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Aperitif
A pre-dinner drink served to refresh and stimulate the palate. The Italian term is aperitivo.
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Arborio rice
Small, round grain rice well-suited to absorb a large amount of liquid; especially suitable for risotto. See also carnaroli and vialone nano.
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Armagnac
A brandy from France's Armagnac region.
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Assiette
French for plate or platter, in common English use it means a selection of the same ingredient prepared different ways, such as an assiette of pork.