Earl Grey tea - Black tea flavoured with oil of bergamot.

eau-de-vie - (French) Translates to 'water of life'. Fruit brandy often aged in glass and therefore colourless.

Eccles cake - (English) Small round pastry made from flaky pastry filled with currants, mixed candied fruit peel and spices.

éclair - (French) Finger-shaped bun of choux pastry filled with pastry cream or whipped cream and iced with chocolate or coffee flavoured icing.

Edam - (Dutch) Semi-hard, uncooked pressed cow's milk cheese with a light yellow smooth interior and bright red waxy coating over a very thin rind. Served as a snack and at the end of a meal; also used in cooking.

eel - Freshwater and saltwater snake-like fish sold fresh or smoked. Fresh eel is skinned before cooking and usually cut into convenient lengths. It can be steamed, poached, baked or grilled. The Japanese braise sea eel fillets (anago) in a mixture of equal parts of soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar to use as a sushi topping. Smoked eel is served as an appetiser with rye bread and lemon or horseradish. See also anago, elvers.

egg brick - See Japanese omelette.

egg foo yong - (Chinese-American) Omelette made with shredded chicken, meat or seafood and Chinese vegetables, served with a sauce of rice wine and soy sauce.

egg noodles - (Asia) Made from wheat flour and egg, the most common variety of egg noodles look like thin spaghetti. They are yellowish in colour and are sold fresh or dried. Used in stir-fried dishes and soups; also deep fried. See also Hokkien noodles.

egg rolls - (Chinese) Small snack made from paper-thin egg wrappers folded and rolled around a savoury filling, then deep-fried or steamed.

egg wash - Mixture of beaten egg yolks and a little water or milk, used to brush pastry and bread before baking to give a brown colour and glaze.

eggah - (Middle Eastern) Type of firm round omelette, that usually has the ingredients mixed with the eggs and cooked either slowly on top of the stove or in the oven. It can be eaten hot or cold, cut in small squares or wedges.

eggnog - Hot or cold drink made by beating egg yolk and sugar then mixing with milk, sometimes flavoured with brandy or rum.

eggplant - (Solanum melongena) Also known as aubergine in Europe and brinjal in India. The eggplant varieties most often seen are shiny, deep purple in colour with tight skin and either large and bulbous or long and thin. Most fresh, modern varieties of eggplants grown in Australia do not have bitter juices, but large overripe types are usually sliced, sprinkled with salt and left for about 30 minutes. The salt leeches out the bitterness and excess moisture. The slices are rinsed and dried before cooking. The smaller thin purple variety known as Japanese or Asian eggplant used extensively in Asian cooking do not require salting. Other varieties include small round eggplants in shades of green, yellow and white, sometimes streaked with green or purple. The tiny green pea eggplant (Solanum torvum) is sold in bunches and used in Thai cooking, especially in chilli sauce and to garnish green curries. The eggplant is an important ingredient in the Middle Eastern baba ghanoush, moussaka from Greece and the Provençal ratatouille. It is grilled, baked, stuffed, stewed and sautéed on its own or with other ingredients.

eggs - Apart from its nutritional value and perfect packaging, the inexpensive versatile egg is an indispensable ingredient in many kitchens of the world. It can be made into a satisfying breakfast, snack or light lunch; turn basic dough into pastry, pasta or noodles; bind sauces, forcemeats and mayonnaise; create custards, mousses, meringues and soufflés and go into many cakes and biscuits. As a cooking aid eggs are used in many liaisons, to clarify stock, to coat food for frying and to glaze pastry. The eggs of many birds can be eaten and used in cooking if fresh. For most cooking purposes freshly laid, free range chicken eggs are best. Eggs should be stored unwashed in the refrigerator in their carton with the pointed end downwards. Eggs will cook better at room temperature. When broken onto a plate a fresh egg will have a well-rounded yolk positioned in the centre and the white thick, not runny.

eggs Benedict - Rich breakfast or brunch dish consisting of poached eggs and slices of ham on toast or toasted English muffins with a topping of hollandaise sauce.

eggs, salted - (Chinese) Fresh duck eggs preserved in brine. The egg whites become salty and the yolks firm and bright orange. They are hard boiled and served with snacks or used in savoury pastries. Also used in steamed dishes or to flavour a bowl of plain rice. In Thailand salted eggs are pounded with chillies, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste, fish sauce and lime juice to make a dipping sauce for steamed fish.

ekiben - (Japanese) Take-away food packed in boxes (bento) sold at most major railway stations in Japan.

elderberry - (Sambucus spp.) Shiny purplish-black, berries with a juicy tart flesh used mostly to produce home-made wine, jellies, pies and herbal medicines.

elvers - Tiny immature eels. They are transparent and no more than 10 cm long. They are caught mostly in France (piballes) and are fried briefly in hot oil until they turn white; served hot with salt and pepper.

émincer - (French) To cut in thin slices or rounds; usually refers to meat and poultry.

empanada - (Spanish) Savoury pie or individual turnover.

emperor - (Lethrinus nebulosus) Also known as spangled emperor. A large greyish reef fish with bluish markings on the snout. It is common in northern Australian waters and is available whole or filleted. The flesh is white, moist and flaky and is excellent for eating. It can be poached, baked, grilled, barbecued or pan-fried. Four similar species of emperor, often marketed as sweetlips, are highly regarded eating fish and can be cooked in the same way. See also red emperor.

emu - (Australian) (Dromaius novaehollandiae) This large flightless bird is highly sought after by Aborigines for its delicate, gamey flesh and large green eggs. The emu is now farmed and the fresh tender meat, low in fat, is available as fillets or steaks. It is pan-fried, roasted and barbecued and is best when cooked slightly rare. Smoked emu and emu prosciutto are available in gourmet speciality shops. The emu egg is the equivalent to 7-10 chicken eggs; used for making emu egg pavlova and large omelettes. It is recommended that the egg be separated and let stand overnight, to reduce the strong game flavour.

emulsify - To mix two of more liquids, such as egg yolks and olive oil until they form a smooth and stable mixture (emulsion), such as in mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce.

en papillote - (French) Cooked in oiled paper wrapping or aluminium foil.

enchilada - (Mexican) Tortilla dipped in sauce (usually tomato) and quickly fried. It is then rolled around an elaborate filling, topped with cheese and baked; served hot with the sauce.

endive - See curly endive.

English muffin - (English) Round flat roll made with yeast dough. It is split in half, toasted and buttered.

English spinach - See spinach.

enoki/enokitake - mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes) Tiny button mushrooms on long slender stems that grow in clusters. They have a delicate savoury flavour. Available fresh. Choose those that are white and crisp. Cut away the base of the stems and discard. They require very little cooking and are used raw in salads, to garnish light soups or added to cooked dishes at the very last moment.

entrecôte - (French) Translates to between 'two ribs'. Tender cut of beef rib steak.

entrée - (French) In Australia an entree is usually a dish served before the main course. In a classic French menu it is served between the fish and the meat course. In America the entree is usually the main course of a meal.

entremets - (French) Translates to between dishes. Traditionally referred to side dishes served with or after the main course. Now refers to dessert.

eryngo - (Vietnamese) (Erynigium foetidum) Pungent perennial herb with oblong toothed leaves that have a strong coriander-like taste. Used mostly in cooking. Sold in Vietnamese grocers.

escabèche - (Spanish) Method of preserving small headless fish (usually sardines) which are first fried in olive oil then marinated in a cooked marinade consisting of vinegar, carrots, onions, herbs and spices for 24 hours or more. It is served cold as an appetiser. Poultry and game birds are also sometimes prepared in this way.

escalope - (French) Thin slice of meat, often veal that is sometimes pounded flat, then lightly sautéed. Called scaloppine in Italian.

escargot - (French) Snail. Escargot a la bourguignonne are snails prepared with butter, parsley and garlic.

eschallots - See shallots.

Escoffier, Auguste - (1846-1935) Famous French chef and culinary writer.

espagnole - (a l') (French) Spanish style. Dishes cooked with tomatoes, capsicum, onions and garlic, usually in oil.

espagnole sauce - See brown sauce.

espresso - (Italian) Strong dark coffee made by forcing steam under pressure through finely ground coffee.

essence - Flavouring agent extracted from plants either by distillation or infusion. They are used in very small amounts as flavourings. Examples include almond essence, vanilla essence and essence of orange.

essential oil - Strong flavoured oil that is extracted from different parts of plants usually by distillation; used mainly in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries; also as a flavouring in certain foods. Examples include citrus oil, mustard seed oil and peppermint oil.

estouffade - (French) Beef stew with onions, garlic and carrots cooked very slowly in a little wine.

étouffée - (French) Translates to smothered and refers to a method of cooking in a tightly covered pan with very little liquid. Also refers to a Cajun dish of crawfish, onions, garlic, green capsicum, celery and spices cooked in a brown roux and a little stock; served over steamed white rice.

etuyer - (French) To cook slowly in a covered pot, using no liquid, but plenty of fat, usually butter.

Exton potato - See potato.