Cooking Terminology - letter C page 2

Chipolata

A small sausage traditionally made from pork or pork and beef. About 8 cm (3 inches) long it's ideal as a snack on a cocktail stick. It's also often served with roast chicken or turkey.
The word chipolata is derived from Italian for onion "cipolla".

Chives

Chives are a type of onions and it's the hollow green stems growing above ground which are most frequently used. The stems are cut of off the plant and normally chopped for use in salads, cheese and egg dishes or savoury dishes. They freeze very well.

The cultural Latin name for chives is Allium schoenoprasum and they originate from north east Asia. Click here for detailed information on how to grow chives in your garden.

Chorizo

Chorizo is a Spanish sausage which contains at least pork an pimento. From there on the varieties are endless. Often smoked and almost always spiced and salted. Chorizo is a dried sausage.

The wider ones can be sliced and eaten. The thinner, and normally softer varieties are normally cooked and some can be eaten whole.

Coconut Cream

Coconut cream is made by simmering grated coconut (not the liquid from inside) water. After a couple of hours the liquid is strained and is sold as coconut milk.

Normally it is sold in cartons or cans but occasionally it sold as a hard block which can be broken down and added to the recipe.

Creme Fraiche

Creme Fraiche is a soured thick cream. It can be made at home by combining thick cream and either a small amount of buttermilk or sour cream. Leave at room temperature for around 15 hours then refrigerate.
Often used in place of cream and sour cream because it will not curdle. It also keeps for around 10 days in the fridge. It combines well with fruits and puddings.

Cumin Seed

Cumin seed is a spice used to flavour a wide variety of dishes especially curries and meat dishes. Cumin is an important ingredient in a chilled Indian soft drink, sometimes with tamarind water and also in the German spirit kummel. The active ingredient in cumin seed is cuminaldehyde

It's not a hot spice but has an earthy, slightly bitter and nutty flavour. Outside of the East, cumin seed is normally a brown colour but in Northern India they often cook with black cumin seed which has a more intense and perfumed flavour.

Generally, add about a third of a teaspoon of cumin seed per serving. Dry roasting or grilling the seeds lightly before use will bring out more of the flavour but is by no means essential.

Use of cumin goes back more than a thousand years. The Romans used it instead of pepper. Cumin is reputed to keep lovers faithful and was frequently used in love potions in times gone by. It has been used as a condiment in England from the 13th century.

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