Glossary of terms - H

Habanero chillies

Habanero chillies are hot, hot, hot! There is a scale of heat in chillies from 1 to 10 and the habanero scores a whopping 10 out of 10

Haddock

White sea fish similar to cod, with flaky flesh, available fresh or frozen, whole or as steaks and fillets.

Haggis

Scottish dish of a sheep’s stomach stuffed with offal, oatmeal, suet and seasonings. Traditionally served with mashed swede ('bashed neeps') and potatoes on Burns’ Night (which celebrates the birthday of Scottish poet Robbie Burns on 25th January).

Hake

Various members of the cod family are known as hake and are available fresh or frozen, whole or as steaks and fillets. Mild, subtle flavour suitable for frying, poaching and in soups.

Halibut

Flat sea fish available mostly in steaks, fillets and cutlets. Its firm white flesh is greatly valued; probably best prepared with a sauce.

Halva

A Middle Eastern sweet based on ground roasted sesame seeds and honey

Hamburger

Minced meat patty which is fried or grilled and served in a soft round bun.

Hanging

Suspending meat or game in a cool, dry place until it is tender.

Hard sauce

Sweet butter sauce flavoured with brandy, rum or whisky, which is chilled until hard, and melts when served on hot puddings.

Haricot

Dried seeds of the haricot bean plant.

Haricot vert

Green bean hash Dish of leftover chopped meat, potatoes or other vegetables, which are fried together.

Harissa

This north African hot paste, usually served with couscous, is a fiery mixture of chillies, garlic, cumin, coriander, mint and oil.

Hazelnut

A hard-shelled nut with an oval or round kernel, high in dietary fibre, also known as cob nut. Used whole, grated or ground to flavour savoury and sweet dishes

Heavy cream

Heavy cream is the American term for double cream (48 per cent fat, the most versatile cream as it withstands boiling, whips and freezes well).

Herbes de Provence

A mixture of heady herbs from the south of France

Herbs

Plants without a woody stem. Culinary herbs, which are available in fresh or dried form, include basil, bay leaf, chervil, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme. Used for their aromatic properties

Herring

An oil-rich fish usually sold whole. Can be poached, fried or grilled as well as pickled, marinated, salted and smoked.

Hoi sin sauce:

A sweet, brownish-red Chinese barbecue sauce

Hoisin sauce

A thick, reddish-brown sweet and spicy sauce, widely used in Chinese cooking. It's a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chilli peppers and various spices. Hoisin sauce is mainly used as a table condiment and as a flavouring for meat, poultry and shellfish dishe

Hollandaise

Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolks, a vinegar reduction and hot melted butter. It is the basic sauce from which other sauces, such as béarnaise and mousseline, are made. It is served with fish cooked in a court-bouillon, or with boiled or steam

Honey

Naturally sweet, viscous liquid produced by bees. Used as a sweetener to replace sugar in sweets, drinks and baking. Can also be used as a glaze for roasts

Horn of plenty

A common woodland mushroom in the shape of a long horn or funnel

Hors d'oeuvre

Small appetizers (starters) which are served before a meal or as the first course of a meal.

Hot water crust pastry

A heavy dough pastry made of flour, water and lard, bound together by heating. It can be moulded, when still warm, for pork, ham and raised game pies.

Hulling

Removing green calyx from strawberries and raspberries, etc.

Hummus

A puree or dip of crushed cooked chickpeas flavoured with tahini (pounded sesame seeds), oil, garlic and lemon juice.

Hunza apricots

Very sweet and scented apricots that come from the Hunza valley in Pakistan.

Hyssop

An aromatic perennial herb from the Mediterranean region.