Glossary
T
- Tabasco sauce
A hot, thin, spicy sauce made from vinegar and red chilli peppers. It can be used to season meat or sauces or added to cocktails for an extra kick. - Tabbouleh
Middle Eastern salad made with bulgar wheat, tomatoes, lemon and parsley. Traditionally wrapped in lettuce leaves and eaten with the hands. - Tacos
Mexican corn pancakes fried until crisp and then filled with a savoury filling. Crisp taco shells are available at most health food shops and supermarkets. - Tagine
A north African earthenware dish with a conical shaped lid. The dish has given its name to the north African stew of meat and vegetables cooked in it. - Tagliatelle
Pasta made into thin ribbons, often served with creamy sauces. - Tahini
Sesame seeds ground into a thick paste; stir well to incorporate the oil that rises to the top. - Tamarillo
A red, egg-shaped tropical fruit that should be eaten cooked as the raw fruit can be quite tart; as a puree, tamarillo makes a good ingredient in ice-cream or sorbet and can also be served with poultry or fish. - Tamarind
A spice made from the pods of the tamarind tree by drying and pressing the pulp of the pods; a small piece can be broken off and infused to create an acidic liquid flavouring in authentic Indian curries - Tandoori
In Indian cookery, a method of cooking chicken or other meat. Tandoori spices – ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cayenne – are mixed with pureed garlic, pureed ginger, lemon juice and oil to make a paste that is used to coat the food which tur - Tangerine
Tangerines are small orange citrus fruit. Mandarins and satsumas are simply different varieties of tangerine, and clementines are a hybrid between the tangerine and the sweet orange. They are usually eaten raw. - Tapenade
Tapenade is a paste made of black olives, capers, anchovies, mustard, basil and parsley. You can use it on crostini or bruschetta, with pasta and in sauces, as a marinade for meat and also for adding to casseroles and stews. - Taramasalata
A thick, creamy Greek dip made from olive oil, fish roe, breadcrumbs and seasonings. Usually served as mezze dish or as an hors d’oeuvre. - Tarragon
An aromatic perennial herb, often used in French cooking. Its pointed leaves have a distinctive aniseed flavour and can be used to flavour oils and vinegar. Tarragon is particularly good with chicken. - Tartare
Sauce made from mayonnaise, gherkins and capers, steak tartare is made with minced beef served raw with egg yolk and seasoning - Tarte tatin
The name given to an apple tart that is cooked under a lid of pastry, but served upside down – with the pastry underneath and the fruit on top. It combines the taste of caramel with the flavour of apples cooked in butter and was made famous by the Tatin s - Temper
To warm food gently before adding it to a hot mixture so it doesn’t separate or curdle. - Teriyaki
A Japanese dish consisting of food, such as beef or chicken. - Terrine
Usually describes a kind of pate made of pieces of meat in a deep dish with straight sides. Can also be used to describe the dish itself. - Thai fish sauce
An oriental flavouring made from fermented, salted fresh fish, also known as fish gravy: it has a fishy aroma with a salty taste and adds richness to dishes like stir-fries and soups. - Thyme
A perennial plant with small grey-green aromatic leaves and small purple flowers. It is one of the basic herbs used in cooking. Alone or in a bouquet garni, fresh or dried, it is used in a huge range of dishes but particularly in casseroles, stews and mar - Timbale
A cup-shaped mould made of earthenware or metal. The name also applies to the dish prepared in the mould, for example, tomato timbales. - Timbale
A layered dish cooked in a tall mould (timbale) and then turned out. Often made of rice layered with vegetables or slices of aubergine layered with other vegetables and tomato sauce. - Timmur
Looks like black pepper but is sharp and pungent in taste. - Tiramisu
An Italian dessert made of sponge or macaroons soaked in coffee, brandy or liqueur with mascarpone cheese and chocolate. - Tisane
An infusion of fresh or dried herbs that is drunk hot. Most tisanes are made from medicinal plants. - Tofu
The important protein source in oriental cooking. Made from cooked soya beans, it is quite bland in flavour and responds well to marinades. Good for stir-frying, barbecuing, grilling, it is also high in calcium and vitamin E and low in saturated fats. - Topside
Cut of beef from the rear of the animal, sold as a roasting joint. - Tortilla
In Spain, a tortilla is a set omelette of eggs, potatoes, olive oil and salt. Sometimes other ingredients such as peppers, onion, tuna, asparagus and mushrooms are added. This is very different from Mexico where tortilla refers to a flatbread made from cor - Toss
To mix ingredients lightly - Tournedos
Also known as filet mignon. A small round slice cut from the heart of a fillet of beef. - Trim
To cut off any excess fat or rind, for example from bacon. - Tripe
The stomach of a cow, pig or sheep used as food. It is usually sold specially prepared or cleaned for cooking - Truffle
An underground fungus with a very strong taste. Expensive to buy as they are generally picked in the wild, often found with trained pigs. Truffles are rounded, of variable size and irregular shape and come in a range of colours. The word can also refer to - Turbot
A flat sea fish with firm flesh. Available as fillets, steaks or whole. Suits poaching or grilling - Turmeric
Bright yellow spice often used in curry. Turmeric has a more bitter taste than saffron. It is used mainly in Indian and south-east Asian cooking.