RECIPES IN ENGLISH

Our objective is to understand recipes written in English and then cook some of them at home.

There is an old saying that says "if you can read you can cook." That's only true after you've had a little experience! Cooking is a science, and a recipe is like a chemical formula. Once you learn the language of recipes and learn how to read recipes you’ll be able to cook. Let’s learn how to read a cooking recipe:

The very first step in cooking is to read the recipe all the way through, from beginning to end. This way you will know that you have all the ingredients and tools on hand. You will also be able to look up terms you don't understand so cooking can go well.

Most good recipes start with the ingredient list, and the ingredients are listed in the order they are used.

Measurements in recipes are important. Here's a basic chart of measures and equivalents.

o Tbsp. = tablespoon: 15 ml o tsp. = teaspoon. 5ml o oz. = ounce: 30 ml o pint: half a litre

After you have read the recipe, gather all the ingredients, pots, pans, bowls, and measuring utensils you will need. Go slowly and double check all the steps and ingredients.

The body of the recipe contains the instructions about combining and heating the ingredients, normally in the Imperative tense.

Now you’ll need to learn some basic vocabulary before you start.

GOOD LUCK

HOW TO WRITE AND UNDERSTAND RECIPES Our objective is to write our own recipes and to read English recipes to make them AT HOME.

• First of all you need to know some basic instructions. These pictures will help you with vocabulary:

PEEL SEASON

BEAT SIEVE

BOIL SLICE

BAKE POUR

FOLD STIR

MELT

HALVE (CUT IN TWO HALVES)

COOKING UTENSILS

Blender or foodrocessor cake tin

Baking tray chopping board

Flexible spatula frying pan

Grater measuring jug

Mixing bowl sieve

Sharp knife whisk

Spoon / tablespoon teaspoon

Recipe: Victoria sponge with strawberry jam By Lesley Waters http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/get_cooking/recipes/010.shtml

Cooking and preparation

Preparations time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• knob of butter, melted • 225g/8oz butter, softened • 225g/8oz caster sugar • 4 large free-range eggs • 225g/8oz self-raising flour, sifted (you may need a bit extra)

• For the filling • 6 tbsp good-quality strawberry jam • 300ml/10½ fl oz double cream, lightly whipped

• To serve

Icing sugar, for dusting. You’ll need two 15cm-17.5cm/6in-7in cake tins

Step by step

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Step 2

Gently heat the butter in a pan and brush two 6in-7in/15cm-17.5cm cake tins with the melted butter. Line the bottom of the two cake tins with a circle of greaseproof paper.

Step 3 In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, using an electric whisk or a wooden spoon. Beat well to get lots of air

into the mixture (this should take a couple of minutes).

Step 4 Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add a tablespoon of flour if the mixture curdles.

Step 5 Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon. Be careful not to over-mix it.

Step 6.Pour the mixture equally between the two cake tins and level off the top with a spatula. Make a slight dip in the centre with the tip of the spatula if you don't want them to be pointed in the middle.

Step 7 Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently with finger and are pale golden in colour.

Step 8 Remove from the tins after about 5-10 minutes and cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Step 9 spread the sponge with the jam and the whipped cream, then carefully sandwich together.

Step 10 Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Chocolate brownies

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/get_cooking/recipes/016.shtml

Recipe Cooking and preparation

• Preparations time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 115g/4oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing • 170g/6oz caster sugar • 2 free-range eggs • 40g/1½ oz plain chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids) • 55g/2oz pecans (optional) • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 2 tsp instant coffee granules • 2 tbsp warm water • 1 tsp baking powder • 55g/2oz plain flour • 55g/2oz cocoa powder

• To serve • icing sugar, for dusting

Step by step

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Step 2 Prepare the cake tin. Grease an 18cm/7in square cake tin and line with non-stick baking parchment.

1.

Step 3 In a clean bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Step 4 Chop the chocolate and put to one side.

Step 5 Chop the pecans, if using. Gently fold the nuts and chocolate into the butter and egg mixture. Add the vanilla extract.

Step 6

Dissolve the coffee granules in two tablespoons of warm water and add to the mixture. Mix together well.

Step 7 Add the baking powder, then sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Mix well.

Step 8

Spoon the brownie batter into the prepared tin and level out the top with a spatula.

Step 9

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for ten minutes, and then place on a wire rack to cool.

Step 10

To serve, cut into rectangles and dust with icing sugar.

SOME CULTURAL BACKGROUND ABOUT GREAT BRITAIN

PANCAKE DAY

Pancake Day is a favourite of children in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New

Zealand and Canada. It is on this day they get to eat as many pancakes as

they want – all smothered with syrup, or lemon and sugar, or strawberry

sauce. It is also called Shrove Tuesday. This is a religious holiday on the

day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. During the 40 days of Lent,

people used to fast and eat only the simplest of food. Things like eggs, milk

and sugar had to be thrown away. Instead of wasting food, people

traditionally used these ingredients to make pancakes. It became a mini

celebration and people topped their pancakes with delicious things they

could not eat for another 40 days. Few people nowadays fast for 40 days.

Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Day are not so well known in the United

States. Americans are more familiar with Mardi Gras, which is also on the

day before Ash Wednesday and is a very similar celebration. Different

countries hold different events for Pancake Day. In England, some towns

have pancake races. People must run a race with a frying pan and toss the

pancakes as they run. The winner is the first person to cross the finishing

line with a pancake that is still intact. Children like to have a go at tossing

the hot pancakes out of the frying pan in their kitchens. In Newfoundland,

Canada, the cook puts a ring or a coin in the pancakes. The person who finds

the coin will be rich and the person who finds the ring will be the next to

get married.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1. Pancake Day is a favorite of a. syrup

2 they get to eat as many pancakes b. make pancakes

3. smothered with c. with delicious things

4. fast and eat only the d. children in the UK

5. ingredients to e. simplest of food

6. people topped their pancakes f. as they want

Paragraph 2

1. Americans are more familiar a. different events

2 a very similar b. tossing the hot pancakes

3. Different countries hold c. will be rich

4. The winner is the first person to d. with Mardi Gras

5. Children like to have a go at e. cross the finishing line

6. The person who finds the coin f. celebration

THE PANCAKE DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about Pancake Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

Q.2.

Q.3.

Q.4.

Q.5.

COOK YOUR OWN PANCAKE: (Taken from Woodlands Junior School)

Ingredients

For the pancake mixture:

220g/8oz plain flour, sifted pinch of salt 2 eggs 1 pint of milk 50g/2oz butter

Makes about 8 pancakes

Method for making the batter

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets a airing.

2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.

3. Whisk the eggs making sure any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl are mixed in with the egg.

4. Gradually add small quantities of the milk, still whisking

5. Continue whisking until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream.

6. Melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a non-stick frying pan.

7. Spoon 2 tbsp of the melted butter into the batter and whisk it in.

8. Let the pancake mix stand for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

9. Pour any left over butter into a dish. This will be used later to grease the frying pan after each pancake has been made.

10. Make sure the non-stick frying pan is really hot before adding about 2 tbsp of the batter mixture.

11. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip the pan around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter.

12. Carefully lift the edge of the cooked pancake with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be.

13. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife to cook the other side

14. Slide it out of the pan onto a plate.

15. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate.

To serve

Traditionally pancakes are sprinkled with caster sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice.......

Other favourite toppings include

• Melted chocolate or chocolate spread • Chocolate spread with slices of banana • Jam especially strawberry jam • Golden Syrup • Ice Cream • Toffee sauce and whipped cream

Cooking Terms Glossary Cooking Terms Glossary A-B

Al dente- The pasta is cooked until tender but still has a firm, chewy texture.

Bake-To cook in the oven. Batter- A mixture of flour, butter, shortening or oil, and liquid. Batter usually describes cakes, cookies or muffins. A batter is different from dough because dough can be formed into a ball and it keeps its shape. Beat- To beat means to stir or mix ingredients with a whisk, spoon or a mixer. Blend- Similar to beat. Add ingredients together and blending them with a spoon or a mixer. Boil- To cook a liquid such as water or broth so it reaches a boiling temperature. You will see bubbles in the pan. Bread-To bread something is to coat it with bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, or other crumb mixture before cooking it. Brown- Fry meat or vegetables in a frying pan with oil or butter until it turns brown in colour Brush-To brush food is when you use a pastry brush and brush the top of the food with melted butter or egg white.

Cooking Terms Glossary C-D

Caramelize- Browning sugar over medium heat. Chill- Place in refrigerator. Chop- To cut food into pieces with a knife, food chopper, blender, or food processor. Coat-To cover both sides of a food with flour, crumbs or batter. See definition for bread. Combine- Adding ingredients together and stirring. Core-To remove the inside of a fruit. Apples or pears are an example of a fruit that is usually cored. Cream- Mixing butter, shortening or margarine with sugar until smooth and creamy. Crush-To crush a food into tiny pieces with a rolling pin or kitchen mallet. Cube- Cutting foods such as vegetables or meat into pieces with 6 equal sides. Cut in- Blend or cream butter or shortening into a flour mixture. Dash-To add a dash of something in cooking is less than 1/16 teaspoon. Since there is no 1/16 teaspoon you use a pinch amount. Deep Fry- To cook food completely covered in hot oil. Dice-To cut food into small cubes. Dilute- To thin a liquid by adding more liquid, usually water or milk, to it. Direct heat-Direct heat is when food is placed directly on a cooking source such as toasting or grilling.

Dissolve- To dissolve something is to blend food together to make a liquid. For example, add water and sugar together and stirring until sugar is dissolved. Dust-To sprinkle food with flour, spices or sugar. For example before kneading bread dust the counter top with flour.

Cooking Terms Glossary E-H

Flambé- To light a sauce or liquid with flames. Fold-To combine ingredients together carefully by stirring through the mixture and bringing the spoon back up to the top gently. Fry-To cook food in hot oil or butter until browned or cooked through.

Cooking Terms Glossary G Garnish-To add an edible decoration to make food more attractive. Gel-To let a food set or become solid by adding gelatine. Glaze- To coat food with a mixture that gives a shiny appearance. For example, a chocolate glaze on a dough nut. Grate-To shred food into tiny pieces by rubbing against a grater. Grease-To coat or rub a pan with oil or shortening. For cakes you grease and dust the pan with flour. Grill-To cook food over direct heat in a grill or direct flame. Grind- To crush food with a food processor, blender or grinder.

Cooking Terms Glossary I-M

Ice-To spread a glaze or frosting on a cake or to cool food down by placing on ice. Julienne- Cut food into long thin strips. Marinate-To season food by placing it in a flavourful mixture called a marinade. Meringue- Egg whites beaten until stiff. Then add sugar to the egg whites. This is used for topping pies or other baked items. Microwave-to cook food in a microwave. Mince-To chop in tiny pieces. Mix-Stirring ingredients together with a spoon or a mixer until well combined. Moisten-Adding liquid to dry ingredients to make wet but not too wet.

Cooking Terms Glossary N-P

Pan fry-To cook with a small amount of oil or butter. Peel-to remove the outer skin of fruit and vegetables with a knife or vegetable peeler. Pinch-To add less than 1/16 teaspoon. See definition of dash. Poach-to simmer in boiling liquid. Pressure Cooking-To cook using steam trapped under a lid at a high temperature. Purée- To blend food together until it becomes completely smooth.

Cooking Terms Glossary Q-S

Reduce-To boil liquids down to enhance flavour or thicken. Re-hydrate-To soak or cook dried foods in liquid. Roast-To cook in an oven uncovered. Rub-A mixture of ground spices that is rubbed over meat and then baked or roasted. Season- To flavour meat with salt, pepper or other seasonings. Simmer- To cook over low heat so food or liquid doesn't reach the boiling point. Steam- To cook food in a covered pan with a small amount of boiling water. Stew- Cooking meat and vegetables in broth. This works best with less tender cuts of meat. Stir-To blend ingredients together. Stir-Fry-Frying cut meat and vegetables on high heat with a small amount of oil. Strain-To use a colander or strainer to drain liquid off cooked food.

Cooking Terms Glossary T-Z

Thicken-To stir together cornstarch and cold water and then adding to food to thicken. Thin- To add more liquid to food. Toss- Mix ingredients gently together to combine.

Water Bath-To cook a dish that is set in a larger pan. The larger pan holds boiling water. Whip- To beat ingredients together quickly with a spoon or mixer until light and fluffy. Whisk- To mix together by beating with a whisk or mixer Zest- To remove the outer part of citrus fruits with a small grater.