A bain marie may also be called a water bath or Mary?s bath. It is a cooking technique whereby one pan is placed inside another pan of water before being transferred to the oven. The water stabilizes the heat preventing delicate dishes such as custards from curdling or cracking.

Food is cooked slowly under a gentle heat, which allows the natural moisture to evaporate slowly, enhancing the flavour. This technique is used for both savoury and sweet dishes. Anything from meats to desserts.

To bake or par-bake a pastry case before adding the filling. The pastry is pricked all over with a fork, lined with baking paper, filled with beans or rice and then baked. This ensures that the pastry remains crisp.

Basting entails brushing or spooning liquid fat or a flavoured sauce over chicken or meat roasts, barbecues or grilled foods. This prevents teh dish from drying out.

By using a spoon, wire whisk, rotary beater or electric mixer to briskly whip and smoothen a mixture like batter or cake mixes.

Egg, stock, flour, water or melted fat is added to ingredients that combine them and allow them stick together.

A Cajun style cooking method used to char seasoned food; cooked in a heavy a heavy skillet over a high heat.

Unsalted water is brought to the boil and vegetables or fruit is plunged into it for about 30 seconds to loosen the skin so that it peels easily. Blanch literally mean "to whiten" because it also tones down the flavour of certain foods like bacon and sweetbreads. It maintains the colour of fruits and vegetables and loosens skins off hard to peel foods such as tomatoes and nuts (particularly almonds). Blanching is a good method to rid your rice and potatoes of excess starch.

To cook food in heated water or other liquid. Rice, eggs, vegetables, chicken and nuts are often boiled.

A technique that requires browning of ingredients in oil, stock or wine and once browned it is cooked slowly in water to soften and tenderise. Braising is used on vegetables that form a base in some recipes and dishes and on meats such as chicken, pork, turkey, beef or lamb. Braising best suits tough meats and produces a rich sauce.

To cut or slit food open (such as chicken or pork chops) horizontally without cutting all the way through, so that that it opens and resembles butterfly wings. Butterflying is used so that cooking time is shorter and this method can also be used with large prawns and thick fish fillets.