Food Lover's Glossary of Culinary Terms Copyright© 1998-2006 by Culinary Software Services, Inc.®

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Radicchio - A member of the chicory family with red and white leaves. The different varieties range from mild to extremely bitter. The round Verona variety are the most common in the US. Radicchio is used most often in salads, but is quite suitable to cooked preparations.
Ragout - A French term for stew made of meat, fish, or vegetables.
Ras el Hanout - This is a powdered spice mixture, used in Arabic and north African cooking, with a sweet and pungent flavor. See the definition under charmoula for a description of the ingredients and its applications.
Ratatouille - A vegetable stew consisting of onions, eggplant, sweet peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes flavored with garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Traditionally simmered until all of the vegetables are quite soft and the flavor has blended into one, ratatouille takes on the appearance of marmalade. Newer versions reduce the cooking time, allowing the vegetables to retain some of their original identity.
Ravioli - Stuffed pasta dough served in broth or with sauce.
Remoulade - This classic French sauce is made by combining mayonnaise (usually homemade) with mustard, capers and chopped gherkins, herbs and anchovies. It is served chilled as an accompaniment to cold meat, fish and shellfish.
Rennet - An extract from the stomach of lambs and calves used in cheese making to coagulate milk. There are also rennets obtained from vegetables such as cardoons.
Rigatoni - Large pasta tubes with ridged sides.
Rijsttafel - A Dutch word, meaning "rice table". It is a Dutch version of an Indonesian meal consisting of hot rice accompanied by several (sometimes 20 or 40) small, well-seasoned side dishes of seafoods, meats, vegetables, fruits, sauces, condiments, etc.
Rillette - A coarse, highly spiced spread made of meat or poultry and always served cold. This is called potted meat because rillettes are often covered with a layer of lard and stored for a period of time to age the mixture.
Risotto - An Italian preparation of rice resulting in a creamy liaison with stock and butter. This may be served as a first course, main course, or side dish and embellished with meat, seafood,cheese, or vegetables. The best known version of this dish is risotto ala Milanese, with saffron and Reggiano parmesan cheese.
Rissole - Small pies similar to empanadas and piroshki. They are filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese and deep fried.
Rissole - The British version of small savory pies.
Rosti - A Swiss potato pancake made from cooked potatoes, sometimes flavored with bacon.
Rouille - A thick sauce similar to aioli, made of dried chiles, garlic, and olive oil. Rouille is traditionally served with bouillabaisse and soup de poisson. Other recipes also add saffron and tomatoes.
Roux - A mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews. Though usually made with butter, rouxs are also made with bacon or poultry fats, margarine, and vegetable oil. The mixture is cooked for a brief time to remove the raw taste of the starch from the flour. Longer cooking results in a darker color, which is favorable in Creole cooking where rouxs are cooked for long periods until they reach a dark brown color.