A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
egg noodles: are made of wheat flour and eggs, and are widely available both fresh and dried. The thin round variety are used in soups, stir-fries and for deep-frying, while the flatter, wider noodles are used mainly in soups. Fresh egg noodles will store refrigerated for up to a week. Cook in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain, rinse and add to the dish. Dried noodles will keep indefinitely – cook for 3 minutes until tender, then rinse and drain. If using in soups, they can be added straight to the pan.
eggplant: purple-skinned vegetable also known as aubergine. Can also be purchased char-grilled in jars.
egg threads: lightly beaten eggs that are poured slowly into a hot broth, creating irregular shaped threads used to garnish soups.
empanada: a small savoury pie from Spain and South America. Fillings may be made of meat, seafood, or vegetables. The fillings can be seasoned in many ways. Those from around Spain are flavoured with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Those from South America have a sweet/sour undertone from the addition of raisins and green olives. Crusts may be made from bread dough or flaky dough like pate brisée and puff pastry.
emulsion: a mixture of two liquids that are not mutually soluble – for example, oil and water.
endive: a curly leafed vegetable, mainly used in salads.
enoki mushrooms: these pale, delicate mushrooms have long thin stalk and tiny caps. They are fragile and need only a minimal cooking time. They are bland in flavour but have an interesting texture and appearance, so are ideal for blending with other mushrooms or for using in stir-fries to add interesting texture.
entrecote: a steak cut from the rib section of beef. It is boneless and has a very thin layer of fat. Though steaks cut from the loin ends of the rib are a finer quality steak, the whole rib may be used for entrecote. The term is sometimes used referring to a strip steak. This is not an accurate description. This cut of beef is called the faux-filet or contre-filet.
entrée: in Europe, the ‘entry’ or hors d’oeuvre; in North America entree means the main course.
escabeche: a highly seasoned marinade used to flavour and preserve food. Fish and chicken are the most common foods used for escabeche. First the meat is fried and placed in a dish large enough to hold all of the food in one layer. Then a marinade made of onions, peppers, vinegar, and spices is poured over the food while hot. The whole dish is then allowed to rest overnight and served cold.
escalope: a thinly sliced food similar to a scaloppine, mainly used to describe meat.
espagnole sauce: this is the foundation of all of the brown sauces. A number of modifications have been made of this sauce since its conception. The sauce is simmered with a mirepoix, bouquet garni, and wine. The long, slow cooking help to purify and concentrate its flavour. It is finally strained through very fine muslin. Demi-glace is structured around a fine espagnole sauce.
essences: also known as extracts; usually the by product of distillation of plants.