Paella: A traditional Spanish rice dish that is named for the broad, shallow, two-handled pan it is cooked in. It is usually flavored with saffron and can contain seafood, poultry, sausages, tomatoes and other vegetables. Pan gravy: This easy-to-make sauce, also called a reduction or pan sauce, is based on the drippings and natural juices left in the pan after meat, poultry or fish has been sautÈed or roasted. To make a pan sauce, all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat are removed from the roasting pan or skillet. A liquid such as stock, wine, water, fruit juices or a combination is added to the remaining fat and drippings and boiled over high heat until reduced by half or more (the amount is generally specified in the recipe) concentrating the flavors and thickening the gravy. Wine or another alcoholic liquid may be added first and almost completely boiled away, before stock, water or other non-alcoholic liquids are added and reduced. While the liquid is boiling, the mixture is stirred to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. If a thicker gravy is desired, flour may be added to the fat before the liquid is added and reduced, or cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with water may be added at the very end of the cooking time. The garvy may also be finished with butter, cream, herbs and seasonings. It is important that salt be added to any sauce based on reduction only after the liquid has been sufficiently reduced and tasted, since the evaporation of the liquid increases the proportion of salt to liquid in the mixture. Pan sauce: This easy-to-make sauce, also called a reduction sauce or pan-gravy is based on the drippings and natural juices left in the pan after meat, poultry or fish has been sautÈed or roasted. To make a pan sauce, all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat are removed from the roasting pan or skillet. A liquid such as stock, wine, water, fruit juices or a combination is added to the remaining fat and drippings and boiled over high heat until reduced by half or more (the amount is generally specified in the recipe) concentrating the flavors and thickening the sauce. Wine or another alcoholic liquid may be added first and almost completely boiled away, before stock, water or other non-alcoholic liquids are added and reduced. While the liquid is boiling, the mixture is stirred to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. If a thicker sauce or gravy is desired, flour may be added to the fat before the liquid is added and reduced, or cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with water may be added at the very end of the cooking time. The sauce may also be finished with butter, cream, herbs and seasonings. It is important that salt be added to any sauce based on reduction only after the liquid has been sufficiently reduced and tasted, since the evaporation of the liquid increases the proportion of salt to liquid in the mixture. Pancetta: This Italian bacon is salt-cured and mildly spicy but not smoky in flavor, unlike American bacon, which is smoked. It comes in a roll and is used in thin slices or cubes to flavor a variety of traditional Italian dishes. American bacon may be substituted for pancetta, but it will impart a smokier flavor; blanching the bacon first (dropping it briefly in boiling water) will lessen the smoky flavor somewhat. Parboil: To boil foods in water until partially cooked; this is usually a preliminary step to baking, stir-frying or grilling along with other quicker-cooking foods. Parch: This method roasts or toasts vegetables in dry heat to caramelize their sugars, brown the surface and intensify the flavor. It is often done to corn or beans. Pare: Pare means to trim off the outer skin of fruits and vegetables. Parker House rolls: These small folded yeast rolls were named for the Parker House Hotel in Boston where they where they were popularized more than a century ago. Parmesan cheese: This firm cheese is made from partly skimmed cowís milk. It has an amber rind and paler interior that, at its best, should be nutty, slightly salty and granular but not dry or coarse; raw, the cheese should melt on the tongue. Although Parmesan is now produced in The United States, Australia and Argentina, the most renowned variety, Parmigiano-Reggiano, is produced in a highly regulated, 7-century old method in prescribed provinces in Italyís Emilia-Romagna region. Parmigiano-Reggiano and other high-quality Parmesan cheeses are delicious raw shaved over salads and meats, but are also used in sauces and grated over hot dishes, particularly pasta. Formed into large wheels initially, the cheese dries out quickly once cut, so it requires proper storage to maintain the best flavor and texture. If you are buying it in wedges, make sure that the cut surfaces contain no chalky white patches, which indicate dryness. A white layer next to the rind indicates drying as well. To store, wrap wedges first in wax paper and then in foil and refrigerate. In her ìEssentials of Classic Italian Cookingî author Marcella Hazan writes that if the cheese does start to become dry and chalky, you can refresh it by wrapping it in just-damp cheesecloth and refrigerating it for a day or 2; then discard the cheesecloth and rewrap in wax paper and foil as directed. Parmigiana: A style of preparing thin slices of chicken, veal or eggplant by breading and frying them, then topping with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Parsley: Parsley has been Americaís favorite garnish for years. These days, there are usually two choices in the market, curly-leaf and flat-leaf or Italian parsley. Both are fresh tasting and make attractive garnishes either chopped or whole. Flat-leaf parsley is thought to be more intensely flavored and easier to chop. Dehydrated chopped parsley can add color to foods but lacks the flavor of fresh parsley. Pasteurize: Named for the French scientist, Louis Pasteur, this process kills the bacteria in foods by heating them quickly. Depending upon the food anywhere from 140 degrees to 180 degrees is required. Most commonly used on milk, it is also used on a wide variety of products including juices and seafood. Pastry bag: A cone-shaped cloth, plastic or parchment paper bag into which a metal decorating tip is inserted, pastry bags are used to pipe frosting onto cakes or cookies or to shape pastries such as eclairs. Peach Melba: This dessert made from fresh peaches, ice cream and raspberry sauce was invented by the French chef Escoffier in honor of the Australian opera star, Nellie Melba. Pecorino Romano cheese: The best known of the Italian pecorino (sheepís milk) cheeses, Pecorino Romano is a hard cheese, creamy to pale yellow in color, and comes in a large wheel. It is good for grating and can be used in any recipe that calls for Parmesan cheese although the flavor is a bit more intense. Pectin: A natural gelling agent found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, pectin is essential for making jellies, jams and preserves. The availability of commercial pectin products has made jelly making fast and foolproof. Persillade: This French term can be applied to anything that is prepared with parsley. It is most frequently seen on menus as Sauce Persillade and Potatoes Persillade. Persimmon: Persimmons are an oval to round fruit with deep orange, shiny skin. Persimmons are astringent until very ripe then are intensely sweet and succulent. Those found in the market are Japanese persimmons, a large variety with few seeds. The native American or wild persimmon is smaller and grows in the south and along the Mississippi. Either may be eaten fresh or used in puddings, cakes and preserves. Piece de resistance: French for the main dish or course of the meal. It has come to refer to a particularly spectacular dish. Pigs in blankets: A small sausage wrapped and baked in pastry or bread, these are often served as an appetizer. Pilau, pilaf, pilaff, or pilaw: This rice mixture of Middle Eastern origin, is started by sautÈing rice in butter or oil. It is then simmered in broth to which may be added spices, vegetables, meat or seafood. It may be served as a side dish or a main dish depending upon the ingredients added. Pimento: The botanical and Caribbean name for allspice and the tree it comes from. Pimiento: A large, fleshy, sweet, red pepper. Usually available preserved in jars. Pine nut: Also called pignolia, pignon or piÒon, these tiny, oval, creamy white nuts are found in the cones of some varieties of pine trees. They are removed by roasting the pine cones and are used in a variety of foods from cookies to pesto sauce. Poach: Poach: In this moist-heat cooking method, ingredients are submerged in broth or other liquid heated to just below a simmer (160 to 180 degree F.). The gentle heat is suitable for fish, eggs, fruits and other fragile ingredients that do not require long cooking times, are easy to overcook and may fall apart if exposed to very high heat or furiously bubbling liquid. Poached foods do not brown and should be moist and tender. The poaching liquid imparts its flavor to the ingredient being cooked, so it is generally a flavorful but not overpowering broth; "court bouillon," a water-based broth flavored with vegetables, herbs and seasonings, and an acid ingredient like wine, lemon juice or vinegar, is generally used to poach fish and shellfish. Poaching liquid can be used to create a sauce for the poached food. Poblano: One of the milder chile peppers, the poblano ranks as a 2 out of 10 (10 being the hottest) on the Scoville Unit scale, which expresses the amount of chiles' heat producing-compound capsaicin. The 4- to 5-inch peppers range from dark green to almost black; the darker peppers are more flavorful. Mexico produces the best poblanos and uses them in its famous chile rellenos (stuffed peppers). Poblanos are available canned and dried, but the dried versions are called ancho or mulato chiles and are hotter than the fresh. Fresh, canned and dried poblanos can be found in Mexican groceries and in many supermarkets. Polyunsaturated fatty acids: All fats and oils are made up of three fatty acid molecules and a glycerol molecule. The fatty acid molecules are made up of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. The number of hydrogen atoms attached to carbon atoms in the molecule determines its saturation. Each carbon atom could hold two hydrogen atoms. When two adjacent carbon atoms are each missing one hydrogen atom, they form a double bond between themselves. If the fatty acid has two or more of these double bonds it is called polyunsaturated. Scientists have suggested that saturated fats may be associated with an increase in the less desirable LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the blood. This has led to increased popularity of oils such as safflower, walnut, sunflower seed, corn, cotton seed, sesame seed, and peanut oils which are good sources (in that order) of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Potato Starch or Flour: This gluten free flour is made from cooked, dried and ground potato. It is used as a thickener in place of flour or cornstarch and can also be used in baked goods. Pound Cake: This cake was traditionally made with one pound of butter, flour, sugar, and eggs which is where its name comes from. Variations on the traditional cake can be found with additions such as dried fruits, nuts and other flavorings. Preheat oven: Recipes will remind you to turn on your oven before you are ready to bake something so that the oven has time to reach the desired temperature. Most ovens take between 8 and 10 minutes to reach 350 degrees F. While it will not usually cause significant differences in the product if it is placed in the oven before it has come to the necessary temperature, it will affect baking time and browning. Prosciutto: The Italian word for ìhamî refers to ham that is salt-cured and air-dried, not smoked. The hams are also pressed, resulting in firm flesh. Parma ham, often referred to as the ìtrueî prosciutto, is made from pigs fed a diet of whey and chestnuts. Prosciutto is generally labeled for its city or region of origin; prosciutto di San Danielle is a renowned variety. Some prosciutto-type ham is now being produced in the United States. Prosciutto is best sliced to order and is available in some supermarkets and many specialty shops. Very thin slices are traditionally served with fresh melon or figs; cooking toughens the meat. Puff Pastry: Jacques Pepin says that this classic French laminated dough is the hardest dough to perfect, even for professionals. The dough is made with flour and butter in equal proportions: Flour is bound with a liquid into an elastic and shiny dough, and then butter is encased in the dough. Repeated folding and rolling creates alternating layers of elastic dough and of butter. The butter melts during cooking, releasing steam and pushing the layers apart to create large flakes. P‚te: This French word meaning dough or paste has no accent over the ìe.î It is the term used for a variety of pastry doughs. P‚tÈ and Terrine: P‚tÈ is a meat or vegetable spread or baked loaf usually served as an appetizer or first course. A Terrine is the cooking vessel for the pate. Although today the two words are interchangeable.