Date - fruit from the palm tree native of the North African region, eaten raw as a snack or chopped and added to cakes and biscuits. In North African cuisine it is also used in savoury dishes.

Daube - en daube is a way of braising meat, vegetables and fish in red wine stock and herbs.

Dauphinoise - a la dauphinoise is the method of cooking in a slow oven together with cream and garlic.

Deglaze - is the method of heating wine or stock with cooking juices from a roast to form a thicker sauce or gravy.

Demerara sugar - pale raw cane sugar from Guyana.

Descaling - refers to the removal of scales and cutting off the fine from the fish with the help of a knife.

Deseeding - removing the pips or seeds from fruits and vegetables.

Desiccated coconut - dried coconut which is shredded finely.

Dicing - chopping ingredients in small even-sized cubes.

Dover sole - an extremely flat fish found in the seas from Denmark to the Mediterranean. It is usually cooked whole, grilled, fried or poached.

Dropping consistency - in cake making, it refers to the cake batter which does not easily fall off the spoon.

Dusting - sprinkle icing sugar or cocoa powder through a fine sieve over any cake before serving, or to sprinkle flour over a surface to help prevent the dough from sticking when working it.

Duxelles - a la duxelles refers to a stuffing made of mushrooms cooked with onion and thyme.

E

Eau de framboise - brandy made from the distillation of raspberries.

Eggplant - American term for aubergine.

Egg wash - refers to a whole beaten egg mixed with water used to glaze pastry topping and bread before baking to give a golden colour.

Empanada - originated in Spain, empanadas are pies made with olive oil pastry and stuffed with fish, meat or vegetables.

Emulsify - the process of combining butter or oil with vinegar or lemon juice which is later blended with egg yolk to form a thick sauce.

Entrecote - another term for sirloin steak.

Escabeche - is a Spanish marinade of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and herbs used for the preparation of fish.

Escalope - thin slice of meat for quick cooking.

Espagnole - a la espagnole is method of cooking food using basic Spanish ingredients such as peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic and fried in extra virgin olive oil.

Essence - concentrated extract of fruits or spices or fish used to enhance flavour.