Oxidation In fats and oils, the process in which unsaturated fatty acids react with oxygen, resulting in rancidity.
Oxidized Describing wine or other food that has been in contact with air too long, causing it to darken and small stale.
Oyster sauce A bottled all-purpose Chinese seasoning made from oysters, water, salt, cornstarch, and caramel coloring.
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Palm hearts Hearts of young palm trees.
Pan broiling To cook in an uncovered skillet, pouring of any fat during cooking.
Pancetta An Italian cured meat made from the belly (pancia) of the pig, the same cut used for bacon. Salted and lightly spiced, but not smoked. Available at Italian markets and delis.
Papaya A sweet tropical fruit. Contains an enzyme that is used as a meat tenderizer.
Papillote Cooked in foil or parchment paper to seal in flavor, then served and cut open at the table.
Pappadums Crisp Indian wafers made of legume flour, and sometimes also with rice flour added. Usually served with drinks or as a snack with accompaniments such as chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander, and chili.
Paprika A form of red pepper, the Hungarian version being hotter than the Spanish. The method of grinding determines the flavor. Used for flavor and coloring of seafood, egg dishes, sauces, soups, and salad dressings.
Parboiling To cook partially by boiling for a short period of time.
Parchment paper A silicone-coated paper that can withstand high heat. It is especially good to use with sugar and chocolate to avoid sticking. Can often be reused several times.
Parfait A dessert consisting of ice cream layered with a dessert sauce, fruit, or liqueur, traditionally served in tall, narrow, footed glass. In France, a parfait usually consists of frozen whipped cream and Italian meringue or just whipped cream.
Parmesan cheese A hard cow's milk cheese from the Italian area of Emilia-Romagna ranging in flavor from sweet to sharp. Used for grating. Asiago and Romano cheeses can be substituted for Parmesan.
Parsley A popular herb of the carrot family. Used to garnish or season stocks, soups, sauces, salads, egg, and potato dishes.
Parve (P) Indicates that a food is kosher in that it is made without milk, meat, or any of their derivatives. Also Pareve.
Pastry Cream (Crème Patissière) A cooked mixture of egg yolks, sugar and milk thickened with flour and/or cornstarch and finished with a little vanilla and often butter. Used as a filling in cakes, cream puffs, and fruit tarts. Sometimes flavored with liqueurs, chocolate, or coffee. When flavored with almonds or macaroons, it becomes a frangipane; with the addition of gelatin and Italian meringue, it becomes crème chiboust. Lighten pastry cream by folding in one part whipped cream to two parts pastry cream.
Pastry dough The standard American dough for pies, made by cutting fat (butter, vegetable shortening, and/or lard) into flour and then moistening the mixture with water to form a dough. Salt is either dissolved in the water or added to the flour at the start. The more finely the fat is cut into the flour, the less flaky and more mealy the baked dough will be. Pâte brisée, French flaky pastry dough, uses the same proportions of ingredients, but the fat is always unsalted butter and the liquid may be water, water and egg or all egg. When well made, the pastry is flaky. Sweet dough, or pâte sucrée, is basically pâte brisée with the addition of sugar and sometimes baking powder. It is often used for small tarts where the filling is baked directly in the raw dough. Cookie dough, or pâte sablé, is a delicate dough that is usually made by beating the fat with sugar, then mixing in eggs, with the flour (often cake flour) added at the end. This dough is usually baked blind and then filled after it has cooled.
Peach Melba A dessert made with two peach halves, poached in syrup and cooled, then placed hollow side down on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and topped with Melba sauce and sometimes whipped cream and sliced almonds. Created in the late 1800's by the famous French chef Escoffier for Dame Nellie Melba, a popular Australian opera singer. See also Melba sauce.
