paella
A dish of rice cooked with onion, tomato, garlic, vegetables, and various meats, including chicken, chorizo, shellfish, and possibly other types. A paella pan is a specialized pan for cooking paella; it is wide and shallow and usually has two loop handles.

pan-broiling
A cooking method similar to dry sautéing that simulates broiling by cooking an item in a hot pan with little or no fat.

pan-dressed
Portion-size whole fish, dressed.

pan frying
A cooking method in which items are cooked in deep fat in a skillet; this generally involves more fat than sautéing or stir frying but less than deep frying.

pan gravy
A sauce made by deglazing pan drippings from a roast and combining them with a roux or other starch and additional stock.

pan-steaming
A method of cooking foods in a very small amount of liquid in a covered pan over direct heat.

parchment
Heat-resistant paper used in cooking for such preparations as lining baking pans, cooking items en papillote, and covering items during shallow poaching.

parcook
To partially cook an item before storing or finishing by another method; may be the same as blanching.

pasta
Literally, "dough" or "paste." Noodles made from a dough of flour (often semolina) and water or eggs that is kneaded, rolled, and cut or extruded, then cooked by boiling.

pasteurization
A process in which milk products are heated to kill microorganisms that could contaminate the milk.

pastry bag
A bag—usually made of plastic, canvas, or nylon—that can be fitted with plain or decorative tips and used to pipe out icings and pureed foods.

pâté
A rich forcemeat of meat, game, poultry, seafood, and/or vegetables, baked in pastry or in a mold or dish.

pâtissier
Pastry chef. This station is responsible for baked items, pastries, and desserts. This is often a separate area of the kitchen.

peel
Use a knife of peeler to take off the rind or skin from a fruit or vegetable.

pesto
A thick, pureed mixture of an herb, traditionally basil, and oil. Used as a sauce for pasta and other foods and as garnish for soup. Pesto may also contain grated cheese, nuts or seeds, and other seasonings.

petit four
A bite-sized, iced and decorated cake.

phyllo dough
Pastry made with very thin sheets of a flour-and-water dough layered with butter and/or bread or cake crumbs; similar to strudel. Also called filo.

pickling spice
A mixture of herbs and spices used to season pickles. Often includes dill weed and/or seed, coriander seed, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, bay leaves, and others.

pilaf
A technique for cooking grains in which the grain is sautéed briefly in butter, then simmered in stock or water with various seasonings. Also called pilau, plilaw, pullao, pilav.

poach
To cook gently in simmering liquid that is 160° to 185°F/70° to 82°C.

polenta
Cornmeal mush.

purée
To process food by mashing, straining, or chopping it very finely in order to make it a smooth paste. Also, a product produced using this technique.