Edam
Cheese - A famous Dutch cheese exported in
balls covered with bright-red- or yellow-paraffin-coated
rinds; a good all-purpose cheese with a mellow
flavor. Edam is second only to Gouda as Holland's
most exported cheese.
Eel - A variety of anadromous fish with a
snakelike shape. Eels generally have firm, fatty
flesh and are gray, olive or black in color.
Egg - The hard-shelled, ovoid reproductive
body produced by a bird, consisting principally
of a yolk and albumen.
Egg Noodles - The most popular type of Asian
noodle, these ribbons vary in length, width and
thickness; made from a dough of wheat flour, water
and eggs and usually boiled. Can be found fresh
in some Asian supermarkets, and are readily available
dried.
Egg Threads - Lightly beaten eggs poured
slowly into a hot broth or soup.
Egg Wash - A mixture of beaten eggs (yolks,
whites, or whole eggs) with either milk or water,
used to glaze baked goods.
Eggplant - Though usually thought of as a
vegetable, the eggplant is actually a fruit related
to the potato and tomato. There are many varieties
of eggplant, with colors ranging from dark purple
to white and sizes from 2 inches to 12 inches.
An eggplant's shape can vary from oblong to round.
The most common variety of fruit in the United
States is large and pear-shaped, with a smooth,
glossy deep-purple skin.
Elderberries - The tart fruit of the elder
tree found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
The small, dark purple-black berry is very sour
when eaten raw, but can be quite delicious when
used in jellies, pies, tarts or syrups.
Emmental Cheese - What most Americans know
as Swiss cheese. Switzerland's oldest and most
important cheese, Emmentaler has a distinctively
nutty-sweet, mellow flavor. It was named for Switzerland's
Emmental valley and is exported in giant wheels
weighing from 150 pounds to 220 pounds each.
Empanada - A small, savory pie that are
usually filled with meat, seafood or vegetables.
Emulsify - To bind together liquid ingredients
that do not dissolve into each other (like vinegar
and oil).
En Brochette - To cook small pieces of
food on skewers.
En
Croute - Food baked in a crust.
En Papillote - Enclosing foods (like fish)
in parchment paper or foil and cooking in an oven
or on a grill.
Enchilada - Corn tortillas stuffed with
meat, chicken, cheese (or a combination), rolled
and topped with a red or green chile sauce.
Endive - A plant with dark green, curly
leaves and a slightly bitter flavor.
English Pea - Common garden pea, also called
green pea.
English Walnut - A nut with a wrinkled
tan shell and a double lobed interior nut meat
that has a sweet flavor. It can be eaten raw or
used in baking and cooking.
Enoki Mushrooms - Small white mushrooms that
grow in clumps with long, thin stems and a mild,
almost fruity flavor. They have a crisp, crunchy
texture when fresh, but tend to become tough when
heated; also known as velvet stem, snow puff and
golden mushrooms.
Enriched All-purpose Flour - Because all-purpose
flour does not contain wheat germ, U.S. law requires
iron, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin to be added.
"Enriched" appears on the label of flour
with added nutrients.
Entrée
- In the United States an entrée is the
main dish of a meal. The original French term
referred to the first course of a meal, served
after the soup and before the meat.
Epazote - A pungent herb with a flavor
similar to coriander. Epazote is often added to
beans to reduce gas.
Escalope - Very thin slices of meat or fish
containing absolutely no fat, skin, gristle or
bones.
Escargot - French term for edible snails,
either terrestrial, freshwater or marine.
Escarole - A broad-leafed, pale green, mild-flavored
endive. Most often eaten raw in salads, escarole
can be briefly cooked and used in soups; also
known as Batavian endive.
étouffée
- French for smothered and refers to a stewed
dish cooked little liquid in a tightly closed
pot. Usually served over white rice.
Etuver - To braise with very little or
no liquid.
Evaporated Milk - Canned, unsweetened milk
that is homogenized milk from which 60% of the
water is removed. Available in whole evaporated
milk - 7.9% butterfat and skim - cotains1/2% or
less.
Extract (Essence) - Flavors from various foods
that have been concentrated by distillation or
evaporation.
Extra Lean - Poultry, meat, seafood or game
containing less than 5 grams of fat, less than
2 grams of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams
of cholesterol per serving (100 grams).
Extra-virgin Olive Oil - Olive oil produced
from the first cold-pressing, considered the finest
and fruitiest, with only 1 percent acid. Its color
can range from clear champagne to bright green.
