Milkshake Milk, ice cream, and a syrup or other flavorings mixed in a blender until the ice cream is soft enough to be sipped through a straw.
Minced Ground or chopped fine.
Mint Refreshing herb with a cool aftertaste. Used as a garnish, in Middle Eastern cooking, and lamb dishes.
Mirin A Japanese rice wine related to sake used only for cooking to add a touch of sweetness.
Mise en place Literally "put in place" in French. Refers to preparations for cooking, including setting out bowls, pots, and pans, and measuring, washing, peeling, chopping, and mincing ingredients.
Mistika An Arabic gum with a hard, crystalline texture. Usually ground before adding to a recipe. Available in most Middle Eastern grocery stores.
Mixed pickling spice A mixture of whole spices. Used for pickling and in soups and stews.
Mixed vegetable flakes Dehydrated vegetable flakes containing celery, onion, carrot, green and sweet red pepper. Used in soups, sauces and stuffings.
Mojo Cuban seasoning mix made of garlic, olive oil, and sour oranges such as Seville. Used as a dip, marinade, or sauce for vegetables and meats.
Molasses The dark brown, thick syrup of the sugar cane. Available in light, dark, unsulfured, and blackstrap forms. Also known as dark treacle.
Mole A spicy, rich Mexican sauce consisting of nuts, seeds, spices, chocolate, and peppers.
Monkfish A saltwater fish of which only the tail meat is eaten.
Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) A flavor enhancer made from sugar beets and wheat protein.
Monoglyceride One fatty acid molecule plus one glycerol molecule.
Monounsaturated fat A fat molecule that can hold one pair of hydrogen atoms. Found in most vegetable oils and in fish, and usually liquid at room temperature. Olive oil contains 77 percent monounsaturated fat.
Mousse A dessert consisting of either a flavored custard or a fruit puree lightened with whipped cream.
Mustard seed Seed of the mustard plant. Used ground as a seasoning for pickling, sauces, and for prepared mustard condiments.
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Navarin Lamb stew with root vegetables, cut green beans, tomatoes, and peas.
Neufchatel A soft unripened cheese originally from Neufchatel-en-Bray, France, with a fat content of about 50 percent. Sold in the US as low-fat cream cheese.
