Radicchio - A variety of chicory, radicchio leaves are red with white ribs, and are slightly bitter. The leaves are most often used in salads, but may be grilled, sautéed, or baked.

Radish - A member of the mustard family grown for its root (Raphanus sativus); generally, the crisp white flesh has a mild to peppery flavor and is usually eaten raw.

Ragoût - Ragout is derived from the French verb ragoûter, which means "to stimulate the appetite." A ragoût is seasoned stew, usually made with meat, poultry, fish, and often vegetables.

Raisin - A sweet dried grape.

Raita - A yogurt salad consisting of yogurt and a variety of chopped vegetables, fruits and flavored with garam masala, herbs and black mustard seeds. Raita originates from East India.

Ramekin - A small baking dish resembling a soufflé dish, a ramekin usually measures from 3 to 6 inches in diameter and is used for individual servings.

Ramen Noodles - Fine Japanese deep-fried wheat noodles, which are commonly available packaged with a broth mix.

Ramp - A wild onion which resembles the leek, the ramp has a strong onion-garlic flavor. It may be used as a substitute for leeks, scallions, or onions.

Rascasse - A type of scorpion fish which achieved glory in Provence for its starring role in the region's famed saffron-scented bouillabaisse.

Rasher - A strip of meat, such as bacon. Rasher may also mean a serving of 2 to 3 thin slices of meat.

Raspberry - A small ovoid or conical-shaped berry (Rubus idaeus) composed of many connecting drupelets (tiny individual sections of fruit, each with its own seed) surrounding a central core; has a sweet, slightly acidic flavor; the three principal varieties are black, golden and red.

Ratatouille - A French vegetable stew that combines a variety of vegetables and herbs simmered in olive oil; can be served hot or cold as a side dish or appetizer.

Ravioli - Italian for little wraps; used to describe small squares or rounds of pasta stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables.

Raw Sugar - Sugar that hasn't been refined enough to achieve a granulated quality. It looks like coffee crystals. This coarse sugar is harder to dissolve, making it a nice choice for sprinkling on foods.

Recipe - A set of written instructions for producing a specific food or beverage; also known as a formula (especially with regards to baked goods).

Reconstitute - To restore condensed, dehydrated or concentrated foods to their original strength with the addition of liquid, usually water.

Red Beans - Dark red beans similar to red kidney beans, but smaller; popular in chili and as refried beans. They stay firm when cooked and are excellent when accompanying rice. They are available dried in most supermarkets; also known as Mexican Red Beans.

Red Delicious Apple - A sweet, juicy, red variety of apple; perfect for a snack, but does not cook well. See also apples.

Red Snapper - A saltwater fish with red eyes, reddish-pink skin and very lean, firm, white flesh. The average market weight is 2 to 8 pounds, and fresh snapper is available whole, or cut into steaks or fillets.

Redeye Gravy - A southern gravy made by adding water and sometimes hot coffee to ham drippings. It's usually spooned over biscuits which are served with the ham.

Reduce - To boil a liquid until a portion of it has evaporated. Reducing intensifies the flavor and results in a thicker liquid.

Reduced Cholesterol - A food containing a minimum of 25% less cholesterol and 2g or less of saturated fat per serving than reference food.

Reduced Or Fewer Calories - A food containing a minimum of 25% fewer kcal per serving than a reference food.

Reduced Or Less Fat - A food containing a minimum of 25% less fat per serving than a reference food.

Reduced Or Less Saturated Fat - A food containing a minimum of 25% less saturated fat per serving than a reference food.

Reduced Or Less Sodium - A food containing a minimum of 25% less sodium than a reference food.

Reduced Sugar - A food containing at least 25 percent less sugar per serving than a reference food.

Refresh - To pour cold water over freshly cooked vegetables to prevent further cooking and to retain color.

Relish - A cooked or pickled sauce usually made with vegetables or fruits and often used as a condiment; can be smooth or chunky, sweet or savory and hot or mild.

Rémoulade - Spicy sauce for seafood consisting of mayonnaise, mustard, chopped pickles, tarragon, parsley, chives and spices. It is served cold with shellfish and can sometimes include anchovies.

Render - To extract the fat from meat by cooking over low heat. Rendered fat is strained of meat particles after cooking.

Rennin - An acid-producing enzyme obtained from a calf's stomach. Rennin aids in coagulating milk and is used in cheese-making and junket; available in many supermarkets in powdered or tablet form.

Rhubard - A perennial plant with thick red stalks and large green leaves which are poisonous. The stalks have a tart flavor and are often used in pies and tarts.

Rib - A single stalk of a bunch of celery, also called a stalk.

Ribbon - The term describing the texture of egg yolks which have been beaten with sugar. When beaten sufficiently, the mixture forms a thick "ribbon" when the beater is held up over the bowl. The ribbon makes a pattern atop the batter which disappears into the batter after a few seconds.

Rice - 1. Rice (verb) To press cooked food through a utensil called a ricer. The food comes out in "strings" which vaguely resemble rice. 2. The starch seed of a semiaquatic grass (Oryza sativa), probably originating in Southeast Asia and now part of most cuisines; divided into three types based on seed size; long-grain, medium-grain and short-grain, each of which is available in different processed forms such as white rice and brown rice.

Rice Paper Wrappers - Circular sheets made from rice flour measuring approximately 8 inches in diameter, rice paper wrappers are brittle and translucent. They must be softened by dipping in hot water for a few seconds and draining. Once softened they can be used to make fresh Vietnamese-style salad rolls or deep-fried spring rolls.

Rice Stick Noodles - Made from rice flour and water, these noodles are translucent when cooked. They are usually softened by soaking in hot water for 10 -15 minutes before cooking with other ingredients. Fine rice stick noodles can also be deep fried to create a crispy garnish often used in Chinese chicken salads.

Rice Vinegar - Used in both Japanese and Chinese cooking, rice vinegar is made from fermented rice and comes in several varieties, each differing in intensity and tartness. In general they are all fairly mild compared to European and American-style vinegars. They can be used in dressings, marinades, as dipping sauces and condiments.

Rice Wine - A clear, sweet wine made from fermented rice. Rice wines are usually lower in alcohol and can be served hot or cold. Sake and Mirin are two popular Japanese rice wines. Chinese versions include Chia Fan, Hsiang Hsueh, Shan Niang and Yen Hung.

Rice-flour Noodles - Extremely thin noodles, resembling translucent white hairs, made from rice flour. They explode upon contact with hot oil, becoming a tangle of light, crunchy strands. They are a traditional ingredient in Chinese chicken salad, and can be pre-soaked and used in soups and stir-fries.

Ricotta Cheese - Ricotta is a soft, unripened Italian curd cheese. It is the by product of the whey of other cheeses. It is sweet in flavor and grainy in texture. Ricotta is used often in Italian sweets (most notably Cassata alla Sicilian) and in savory dishes as pasta stuffing.

Rigatoni - A large, grooved pasta. Rigatoni's ridges and holes are perfect with any sauce, from cream or cheese to the chunkiest meat sauces.

Rigatoni - Italian for large groove and used to describe large grooved, slightly curved pasta tubes.

Rind - The tough outer peel of a food.

Risotto - Rice sautéed in butter then cooked and stirred as stock is slowly added in portions. As each addition of stock is absorbed, another is added until the rice is creamy and tender. Vegetables, meat, seafood, herbs, cheese, wine, and other ingredients may be added.

Roast - To cook a food in an open pan in the oven, with no added liquid.

Roasted Garlic - Process: Cut the top third of the garlic head off and discard it. Drizzle the remainder with olive oil and put it in aluminum foil. Bake in a 400 degree F oven until edges of the garlic are caramelized (about 40 min.).

Roaster - A size classification for a chicken about 5 pounds in weight and from 10 to 20 weeks old.

Rocambole - Rocambole is similar to both garlic and leeks. It looks like a leek yet has a taste similar to garlic and is found predominantly in Europe.

Rock Cornish Hen - A hybrid chicken, Rock Cornish Hens are very small. The average whole hen is from 1 to 1 1/2 pounds.

Rock Salt - A crystalline form of salt that is mixed with cracked ice to freeze ice cream.

Roe - Fish eggs. This delicacy falls into two categories-hard roe and soft roe. Hard roe is female fish eggs, while soft roe (also called white roe) is the milt of male fish. Salting roe transforms it into caviar. Roe is marketed fresh, frozen and canned.

Rolling Boil - A very fast boil that doesn't slow when stirred.

Rolling Pin - A cylindrical kitchen utensil with many uses, which include rolling pastry, crushing bread crumbs, and flattening other foods. Though the most common is hardwood, rolling pins may be made from other materials, such as ceramic, marble, metal, and plastic.

Rolling Mincer - A tool with several circular blades arranged in a row with a handle. The mincer is used by rolling the device over vegetables and herbs in a back and forth manner.

Romano Cheese - Named for the city of Rome, this hard grana cheese has a brittle texture and pale yellow-white color; mostly used for grating after aging for one year.

Roquefort Cheese - One of the oldest and best-known cheeses in the world, this French cheese made from sheep's milk is considered the prototype of blue cheeses.

Rosemary - An herb (Rosmarinus officinalis) with silver-green, needle-shaped leaves, a strong flavor reminiscent of lemon and pine and a strong, sharp camphor-like aroma; available fresh and dried.

Rosette and Rosette Iron - A fried pastry made by dipping a rosette iron into a thin (usually sweet) batter then into hot, deep fat. The fried pastries are then drained and sprinkled with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. The rosette iron is a metal rod with a heat-proof handle. Decorative shapes--to be dipped in the batter--are attached to the end.

Rotini - ("Spirals" or "Twists") - This pasta's twisted shape holds bits of meat, vegetables and cheese, so it works well with any sauce, or you can use it to create fun salads, baked casseroles, or stir-fry meals.

Rotisserie - A device which contains a spit with prongs. Food (usually meat or poultry) is impaled on the the spit, fastened securely then cooked. Most rotisseries are motorized so they automatically turn the food as it cooks.

Roulade - A thin piece of meat which is stuffed with a filling, secured with picks or string, then browned and baked.

Roux - A mixture of fat and flour which is blended and cooked slowly over low heat until the desired consistency or color is reached. Roux is used as a base for thickening sauces.

Royal Icing - An icing which hardens when dried. Royal icing is made with confectioners' sugar, egg whites, flavoring, and sometimes food coloring.

Ruote - Wheel shaped pasta. Ruote is Italian for "cartwheels."

Rutabaga - A member of the cabbage family with firm, pale-yellow flesh and a slightly sweet flavor. Also known as a Swedish turnip.

Rye Flour - Finely ground flour made from rye grain; the most important bread flour after wheat.