World Cuisines
99 flashcards by MentisLibrary
A tour of the planet's kitchens: signature dishes, defining ingredients, and the techniques that make each cuisine what it is. From dashi to mole to soffritto.
- What is ragu alla bolognese?
- A slow-simmered meat sauce from Bologna built on a soffritto base, with a little tomato and milk
- Which four ingredients make a traditional pasta alla carbonara?
- Guanciale, egg yolk, Pecorino Romano and black pepper
- What is soffritto?
- The Italian aromatic base of finely diced onion, carrot and celery cooked slowly in fat
- Which rice varieties are used for risotto?
- Short-grain, high-starch rices, mainly Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone Nano
- What is osso buco?
- Cross-cut veal shanks braised until tender, a specialty of Milan
- What defines a true Neapolitan pizza?
- A soft, thin, quickly baked pizza cooked in about 90 seconds in a very hot wood-fired oven
- What goes into pesto alla genovese?
- Basil, pine nuts, garlic, hard cheese and olive oil, traditionally pounded in a mortar
- What is mirepoix and what is its classic ratio?
- The French aromatic base of onion, carrot and celery, usually in a 2:1:1 ratio by weight
- What does it mean to confit something?
- To cook it slowly submerged in fat, then store it under that fat as a preservation method
- What is cassoulet?
- A slow-baked casserole of white beans with sausage and preserved or braised meats
- What is bouillabaisse?
- A Provencal fish stew of several Mediterranean fish simmered with saffron and aromatics
- What is coq au vin?
- Chicken braised in red wine with bacon lardons, mushrooms and pearl onions
- What is ratatouille?
- A Provencal stew of summer vegetables cooked with olive oil and herbs
- What is the brigade de cuisine?
- The hierarchical kitchen staffing system that assigns each cook a defined station
- What is paella?
- A Valencian rice dish cooked uncovered in a wide shallow pan so the liquid evaporates evenly
- What are tapas?
- Small savory plates served alongside drinks, eaten as a snack or assembled into a meal
- What is jamon iberico de bellota?
- Dry-cured ham from Iberian pigs that fattened on acorns during the montanera season
- What is gazpacho?
- A chilled raw vegetable soup, most often tomato based, from southern Spain
- What is a tortilla espanola?
- A thick omelet of eggs with potatoes slowly cooked in olive oil, often with onion
- What is romesco sauce?
- A Catalan sauce of roasted peppers and tomato thickened with nuts and bread
- What is mole?
- A family of complex Mexican sauces built from dried chiles, spices, nuts or seeds and thickeners
- What is nixtamalization?
- Cooking and soaking dried corn in an alkaline solution so the hulls loosen and nutrients unlock
- What are tamales?
- Masa dough with a filling, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and steamed
- What makes salsa verde green?
- Tomatillos, which are tart husked fruits, blended with chiles, onion, garlic and cilantro
- What is an ancho chile?
- A dried poblano pepper, dark red, mild and raisin sweet
- What is a chipotle chile?
- A jalapeno that has been ripened to red, then smoke-dried
- What is tacos al pastor?
- Chile-marinated pork stacked on a vertical spit, shaved off and served in small tortillas
- What is dashi?
- The foundational Japanese stock, most commonly made from kelp and dried bonito flakes
- What is umami?
- The savory fifth basic taste, produced by glutamates and certain nucleotides
- What is miso?
- A fermented paste of soybeans, salt and koji, used for soup, marinades and dressings