Glossary of Food and Cooking Terms - F

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Fava Beans
Fresh or dried broad beans.

Falafel
Deep-fried balls of chickpeas. Popular in the Middle East and North Africa

Fennel
There are two main uses for this aromatic plant as vegetable and as a herb.

Fenugreek
Aromatic seeds used as a flavouring.

Feta cheese
A creamy white Greek cheese made from ewe’s and cow’s milk and kept in brine to give a salty flavour.

Fillet
A boned, lean cut of meat, fish or poultry.

Filo Pastry
Very thin sheets of pastry east European and Middle Eastern dishes.

Fine Herbes
A mixture of chopped herbs.

Finnan Haddie
Smoked haddock, originally from the Scottish town of Findon.

Fish Kettle
An oblong or oval pan with a lid and an inner removable grid used for poaching fish.

Flaky Pastry
A pastry made of layers that become flakier when cooked.

Flambé
A method of cooking in which foods are splashed with liquor and ignited.

Flan
Open pie filled with a sweet or savoury filling.

Florentine
A dish containing spinach, or a small biscuit.

Florets
Individual flower stems of the heads of vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.

Fold
To mix ingredients whilst retaining air. Often to incorporate flour or sugar with beaten egg whites.

Fond
A flavoured stock used for making a sauces and soups.

Fondant
A soft sweet icing. Sautéed potatoes crisped with a soft centre.

Fool
A cold dessert made from whipped cream and fruit purée.

Forcemeat
A stuffing for meat, poultry or vegetables.

Frangipane
A almond flavoured sweet pastry cream.

French Dressing
An oil and vinegar cold sauce used to dress salads. Also known as vinaigrette.

Fricassee
A white stew.

Fritter
Meat, fish, fruit or vegetable covered in batter or breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Fromage Frais
Low-fat, fresh curd cheese.

Fumet
A stock used for flavouring sauces, strong-flavoured usually mushroom or fish flavoured.