Yakitori:Japanese term meaning “grilled,” it usually refers to skewered chicken pieces.
Yakitori:A Japanese dish of grilled skewered chicken. They may also include vegetables, chicken livers, or ginkgo nuts. They are first marinated in teriyaki sauce, a sweetened version of soy sauce with the addition of sake, honey and ginger.
Yam:A thick vine tuber grown and eaten in South and Central America and parts of Asia and Africa. Sweet potatoes are often called yams, but are from a different plant species. True yams may be found in Latin American markets and may be used in most recipes which call for sweet potatoes.
Yam:Sweet root vegetable similar in appearance to the sweet potato, but with pointed ends and a subdued yellow-orange color; a darker variety called yampee or cush-cush grows in the Southern United States and Mexico and produces clusters of smaller, tastier yams; often candied; should be firm, unwithered and unblemished when purchased. The true yam, also called name, is not the same as a sweet potato (although since there are hundreds of species, some are similar). It is very bland and, when cooked, very, very dry.
Yankee pot roast:A “pot roast” is a piece of chuck or round cut that is browned, then braised very slowly in a covered pot with a little liquid. A “Yankee pot roast” includes vegetables that are added part way through the cooking process.
Yautia:[Spanish] sweet potato
Yeast Starter:Yeast starters were commonly used before yeasts and other leaveners were commercially available. Typically, a mixture of water, flour, and sugar, and sometimes commercial yeast are mixed and allowed to ferment, capturing natural airborne yeasts. When the mixture has fermented, a portion is used in a recipe, and the amount taken is replenished with equal amounts of water and flour. A starter may be replenished and kept going indefinitely. Sourdough bread is one of the most popular breads using this method.
Yeast:In baking, yeast refers to a single-celled fungi in the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which ferments sugar. The by-products of this fermentation are principally carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide raises or expands the bread dough. Always use a thermometer to measure liquid temperature before adding it to or with the yeast. Home baking yeast may be active dry or fast-rising. Fresh or compressed yeast also may be available in some supermarkets’ refrigerator case. One-quarter ounce dry yeast is about 2? teaspoons and equals one 0.6-ounce cake of compressed fresh yeast.
Yeast:Yeast is a living organism which is used in brewing, winemaking, and baking. The carbon dioxide produced by yeasts is what gives champagne and beer their effervescence, and cause bread doughs to rise. Active dry yeast and compressed yeast are the forms most commonly used for leavening. One package (or 1 scant tablespoon) of active dry yeast granules is equal to one cake of compressed fresh yeast.
Yeast:A living organism used in the production of bread and beer. Yeast, in the environment of sugar, produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. This process is called fermentation. Bread yeast comes in dry granulated and fresh cakes. A new form of yeast, called instant yeast, has been developed which allows the user to mix the yeast directly into the flour without dissolving it first in water.
Yellow Chiles:The general term to describe these is “Guero chile” which refers to varieties such as the Santa Fe grande and Hungarian wax chiles.
Yellowfin tuna:These tuna reach about 300 pounds in weight. They feature a pale pink flesh that is relatively mild. Also called “ahi.”
Yellowfin Tuna:A variety of tuna from the Pacific Ocean reaching up to 300 pounds. The pale pink flesh (which must be called “light” when canned) has a slightly stronger flavor than albacore.
Yellowtail:A large game fish (up to 100 pounds) from the jack family with a flavor and texture resembling tuna. May be prepared in any manner suitable for tuna.
Yema:[Spanish] yolk.
Yerba buena:[Spanish] good herb; wild mint; cilantro is an acceptable substitute.
Yerba:[Spanish] herb.
Yield:The amount of product obtained as a result of a given amount of ingredients.
Yogurt Cheese:Yogurt that has had the whey drained from it.
Yogurt:Yogurt is milk which has been fermented by keeping it at a temperature of 110 degrees for several hours. The final product is a creamy with a slightly tart taste. Yogurt is available plain, flavored, and frozen.
Yogurt:A thick, custard-like, mildly acid preparation. Usually made by fermenting partly skim or skim milk with a special culture. Fruit of other flavorings may be added. In the Middle East it is served as a sauce with meat, fruit and vegetables.
Yokan:A Japanese sweet, similar to Turkish Delight, made from adzuki bean jam and agar-agar.
Yorkshire Pudding:A common accompaniment to British roast beef (“Sunday Roast”), Yorkshire pudding is made from a batter of eggs, milk and flour, cooked with beef drippings.
Yuca:[Spanish] cassava; manioc; dark-skinned fleshy starchy root of a tropical plant used in many Hispanic dishes; soft white flesh; cooked and mashed for side dishes, sweetened and fried for desserts or cooked into soups and stews to serve as a thickener; can also be thinly sliced and fried into chips; it is the root from which tapioca is made.
Yucca:Plant native to Latin America and the Southwest; petals, fruit and root can all be eaten; root is also used as a thickener for soups and stews.