Key to Times Style

Butter: unsalted (sweet), unless otherwise indicated.

Eggs: large, unless otherwise indicated.

Flour: all-purpose, unless otherwise indicated.

Milk: whole, unless otherwise indicated.

Oil: vegetable oil (canola, peanut, safflower, etc.), unless otherwise indicated.

Sugar: granulated, unless otherwise indicated.

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Glossary

Braise: To cook something over low heat in a small amount of liquid. The difference between braising and stewing is that the latter uses more liquid.

Deglaze: To add liquid to a roasting pan or skillet and then scrape pan with a spoon or spatula to get up the browned bits that invariably stick to the bottom.

Nappa Cabbage: A delicate cabbage that has an elongated head, somewhat like romaine lettuce.

Zest: The colored part of citrus rind.

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Lessons

Breading: There are three steps to breading something that is going to be deep-fried. First, coat it very lightly with flour. This provides a completely dry surface. Then roll it in beaten eggs. This is the “glue” that holds everything together. Finally, roll it in cornmeal or dried bread crumbs. These will make the actual crust. Ideally, breading should be done at least 30 minutes before frying so the egg-bread crumb coating will have a chance to harden.

Poaching: Delicate cuts of meat, usually poultry or fish, can be poached by cooking them in shallow liquid that has usually been flavored, either stock or wine. Poaching should be done in a covered pan over very low heat. Do not let the poaching liquid boil or it will toughen the meat--or, in the case of fish, even break it apart.