Radicchio - A variety of chicory, radicchio leaves are red with white ribs, and are slightly bitter. The leaves are most often used in salads, but may be grilled, sautéed, or baked.
See: Radicchio Information and Recipes

Ragoût - Ragout is derived from the French verb ragoûter, which means "to stimulate the appetite." A ragoût is seasoned stew, usually made with meat, poultry, fish, and often vegetables. Recipe: Beef Ragout over Rice

Ramekin - A small baking dish resembling a soufflé dish, a ramekin usually measures from 3 to 6 inches in diameter and is used for individual servings.

Ramp - A wild onion which resembles the leek, the ramp has a strong onion-garlic flavor. It may be used as a substitute for leeks, scallions, or onions.

Rasher - A strip of meat, such as bacon. Rasher may also mean a serving of 2 to 3 thin slices of meat.

Reconstitute - To bring a dried or dehydrated product to its original consistency by adding a liquid.

Redeye Gravy - A southern gravy made by adding water and sometimes hot coffee to ham drippings. It's usually spooned over biscuits which are served with the ham.
Recipe: Ham with Redeye Gravy

Reduce - To boil a liquid until a portion of it has evaporated. Reducing intensifies the flavor and results in a thicker liquid.

Render - To extract the fat from meat by cooking over low heat. Rendered fat is strained of meat particles after cooking.

Ribbon - The term describing the texture of egg yolks which have been beaten with sugar. When beaten sufficiently, the mixture forms a thick "ribbon" when the beater is held up over the bowl. The ribbon makes a pattern atop the batter which disappears into the batter after a few seconds.

Rib - A single stalk of a bunch of celery, also called a stalk.

Rice - (verb) To press cooked food through a utensil called a ricer. The food comes out in "strings" which vaguely resemble rice.

Rind - The tough outer peel of a food.

Risotto - Rice sautéed in butter then cooked and stirred as stock is slowly added in portions. As each addition of stock is absorbed, another is added until the rice is creamy and tender. Vegetables, meat, seafood, herbs, cheese, wine, and other ingredients may be added. Recipe: Risotto with Asparagus

Roast - To cook a food in an open pan in the oven, with no added liquid.

Roaster - A size classification for a chicken about 5 pounds in weight and from 10 to 20 weeks old.

Rock Cornish Hen - A hybrid chicken, Rock Cornish Hens are very small. The average whole hen is from 1 to 1 1/2 pounds.
Recipe: Cornish Hens with Sausage Stuffing

Roe - Fish eggs. Soft roe is from female fish, and hard (white) roe is from male fish.

Rolling Boil - A very fast boil that doesn't slow when stirred.

Rolling Pin - A cylindrical kitchen utensil with many uses, which include rolling pastry, crushing bread crumbs, and flattening other foods. Though the most common is hardwood, rolling pins may be made from other materials, such as ceramic, marble, metal, and plastic.

Rosemary - An herb with needle-like leaves, Rosemary has a fresh pine flavor.
Recipe: Rosemary Grilled Chicken

Rosette and Rosette Iron - A fried pastry made by dipping a rosette iron into a thin (usually sweet) batter then into hot, deep fat. The fried pastries are then drained and sprinkled with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. The rosette iron is a metal rod with a heat-proof handle. Decorative shapes--to be dipped in the batter--are attached to the end.

Rotisserie - A device which contains a spit with prongs. Food (usually meat or poultry) is impaled on the the spit, fastened securely then cooked. Most rotisseries are motorized so they automatically turn the food as it cooks.
See: Rotisserie Information and Recipes

Roulade - A thin piece of meat which is stuffed with a filling, secured with picks or string, then browned and baked. Recipe: Steak Roulade

Roux - A mixture of fat and flour which is blended and cooked slowly over low heat until the desired consistency or color is reached. Roux is used as a base for thickening sauces. See: How to Make a Roux

Royal Icing - An icing which hardens when dried. Royal icing is made with confectioners' sugar, egg whites, flavoring, and sometimes food coloring.