Recipe Decoder

Key to Times Style

Butter: unsalted (sweet).

Eggs: large.

Flour: all-purpose.

Fruit and vegetable sizes: Onions and other items are assumed to be medium.

Milk: whole.

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

Sugar: granulated.

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Glossary

Baking soda: Sodium bicarbonate, a common leavening agent. It gives off carbon dioxide when mixed with an acidic ingredient, such as buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream.

Baking powder: A leavening agent that is a combination of sodium bicarbonate and a chemical acid that will dissolve in water to create the same reaction as baking soda. Double-acting baking powders react both when moistened and when heated.

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

Kosher salt / coarse salt: Kosher salt is made without added iodine, coarse salt has a flaky texture. The two are not interchangeable, though much kosher salt is coarse and the most widely available coarse salt is kosher.

Marinate: To soak a piece of meat, poultry or fish in a flavoring combination, usually liquid and usually acidic.

Powdered Sugar (also known as confectioner’s sugar): Finely ground sugar mixed with cornstarch to prevent sticking.

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Lessons

Defatting: Water and oil don’t mix, at least not for long. If you let pan juices or stock sit long enough, the fat will float to the top. The easiest way to remove the fat is to use a special measuring cup that has the spout coming from the bottom. That way, you can pour off the liquid and discard the fat remaining in the cup. Otherwise, you can use a bowl and simply skim the surface with a ladle. Chilling the mixture solidifies the fat, making the operation even easier.