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Cooking Terminology and Methods

Dash vs. Pinch
Dashes and pinches are informal quantities at best. Many say there is no difference between a dash and a pinch. Others argue that a dash is about an eighth of a teaspoon less than a pinch.

Dice vs. Mince
Dice means to cut into small cubes. The size of the cube is generally stated in the recipe. Mince means to very finely chop a vegetable or herb.

Julienne Julienne means to cut vegetables, fruits, or cheeses into thin, match-like sticks.

Blanching
Blanching is when a vegetable or fruit is plunged into boiling water and boiled for a few minutes. (The time varies and should be specified by the recipe.) The food is then removed and placed in cold water. This stops the cooking process. The purpose of blanching vegetables or fruit is varied -- it sets their color, it loosens their skin, or it’s a partial cooking to prepare the vegetable or fruit for later completion.

Dredging in Flour
To dredge is to dunk thinly-sliced meats and fish into milk or beaten egg, and then roll them in flour. This prepares them for frying or sautéing. The flour is generally flavored with spices suggested in the recipe.

Marinating
Marinating means to soak meats or vegetables in a flavoring liquid such as wine, soy sauce, oil, or vinegar. The liquid is called the “marinade,” and the time of marinating varies with each recipe. The best way to marinate meat is to seal it in a zipper bag with the marinating juice. Flip it every so often to evenly marinate both sides.

Sear
This means to quickly brown meat with very high heat. This is usually done in a skillet, under a broiler, or in a very hot oven. The object is to seal in the meat's juices.