Pacific oyster - 
Also called the Japanese oyster, this species has an elongated fragile shell that can reach up to a foot across. It`s found along the Pacific seaboard. Because of its size, the Pacific oyster is generally cut up and used in soups, stews and other cooked dishes.

Pad thai - 
Thailand`s most well known noodle dish, pad thai combines cooked rice noodles, tofu, shrimp, crushed peanuts, nam pla, bean sprouts, garlic, chiles and eggs, all stir-fried together.

Paella - 
[pi-AY-yuh, pi-AYL-yuh] A Spanish dish of saffron-flavored rice combined with a variety of meats and shellfish (such as shrimp, lobster, clams, chicken, pork, ham and chorizo), garlic, onions, peas, artichoke hearts and tomatoes. It`s named after the special two-handled pan - also called paella - in which it`s prepared and served. The pan is wide, shallow and 13 to 14 inches in diameter.

Paillard - 
[PI-yahrd] A veal scallop or thin slice of beef that is quickly grilled or sauteed.

Pakora - 
[pah-KOOR-ah] A deep-fried fritter popular in India. The batter is generally based on besan flour (ground chickpeas) and can contain most anything including vegetables, fruit, rice, fish or meat. Usually small, the crisply fried pakoras are most often served as appetizers or snacks.

Palmier - 
[pahlm-YAY] Also called palm leaves, this crispy delicacy is puff pastry dough that is sprinkled with granulated sugar, folded and rolled several times, then cut into thin strips. After baking, these golden brown, caramelized pastries are served with coffee or tea or as a dessert accompaniment.

Pan - 
[PAHN] Spanish for "bread". Pan integral is whole wheat bread, pan tostado is toasted bread. A panaderia is a bakery.

Pan bagnat - 
[pan ban-YAH] Popular in Southern France, both in cafes and for picnics, pan bagnat is a sandwich composed of a large, split loaf or bun, the inside of which is brushed with olive oil, then filled with green pepper slices, black olives, onion slices, anchovies, tomato slices and hard-cooked egg slices - all drizzled with vinaigrette.

Pan-broil; panbroil - 
To cook meats or fish quickly in a heavy, ungreased (or lightly greased) frying pan over high heat. Drippings are poured off as they form.

Panada; panade - 
[pah-NAH-duh (Sp , ), puh-NAHD (Fr. , )] 1. A thick paste made by mixing bread crumbs, flour, rice, etc. with water, milk, stock, butter or sometimes egg yolks. It`s used to bind meatballs, fish cakes, forcemeats and quenelles. 2. A sweet or savory soup made with bread crumbs and various other ingredients. It may be strained before serving.

Pancake - 
As one of humankind`s oldest forms of bread, the versatile pancake has hundreds of variations and is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner and as appetizers, entrees and desserts. Pancakes begin as a batter that is poured into rounds, either on a griddle or in a skillet, and cooked over high heat.

Pancetta - 
[pan-CHEH-tuh] An Italian bacon that is cured with salt and spices but not smoked. Flavorful, slightly salty pancetta comes in a sausagelike roll. It`s used in Italian cooking to flavor sauces, pasta dishes, forcemeats, vegetables and meats.

Pandowdy - 
Also called apple pandowdy, this deep-dish dessert is made of sliced apples, butter, spices, brown sugar or molasses, all topped with a biscuit batter that becomes crisp and crumbly after baking. It can be served hot or at room temperature and is often accompanied by cream or ice cream.

Pane - 
[PAH-nay] Italian for "bread".

Panettone - 
[pan-uh-TOH-nee] A sweet yeast bread made with raisins, citron, pine nuts and anise and baked in a tall cylindrical shape. It originated in Milan, Italy, and is traditionally served at Christmastime, but also for celebrations such as weddings and christenings. Panettone can be served as a bread, coffeecake or dessert.

Panforte - 
[pan-FOHR-tay, pan-FOHRT] Because this confection is a specialty of Siena, Italy, it`s also called Siena cake. This dense, flat cake is rich with honey, hazelnuts, almonds, candied citron, citrus peel, cocoa and spices. It contains only a tiny amount of flour - just enough to hold the fruits and nuts together. After baking, panforte becomes hard and chewy.

Panino - 
[pah-NEE-noh, pah-NEE-nee] Italian for "roll" or "biscuit".

Panko - 
[PAHN-koh] Bread crumbs used in Japanese cooking for coating fried foods. They`re coarser than those normally used in the United States and create a deliciously crunchy crust. Panko is sold in Asian markets.

Panna cotta - 
[PAHN-nah KOH-tah] Italian for "cooked cream" panna cotta is a light, silky egg custard, which is often flavored with caramel. It`s served cold, accompanied typically with fruit or chocolate sauce.

Pansotti - 
[pan-SOHT-tee] Italian for "pot bellied", culinarily describing triangular-shaped stuffed pasta with pinked edges.

Panzanella - 
[pahn-zah-NEHL-lah] An Italian bread salad made with onions, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, vinegar and seasonings and chunks of bread. Some versions also include cucumbers, anchovies and/or peppers. More traditional recipes call for soaking the bread in water and then squeezing the water out.

Papain - 
[puh-PAY-ihn] An enzyme extracted from papaya and employed as a meat tenderizer, and as an agent used to clarify liquids (especially beer).

Papaw - 
[PA-paw] Both the papaya and the papaw are sometimes referred to as pawpaw, which is thoroughly confusing because they`re entirely different fruits. The papaw is a North American native that`s a member of the cherimoya family. It can range from 2 to 6 inches long and looks like a fat, dark-brown banana. The aromatic flesh is pale yellow and peppered with a profusion of seeds. It has a custardlike texture and a sweet flavor reminiscent of bananas and pears.

Papaya - 
[puh-PI-yuh, puh-PAH-yuh] Like the PAPAW, the papaya is native to North America (and in some regions, also called pawpaw). It`s large (about 6 inches long and 1 to 2 pounds in weight) and pear shaped; when ripe, it has a vivid golden-yellow skin. The similarly colored flesh is juicy and silky smooth, with an exotic sweet-tart flavor. The rather large center cavity is packed with shiny, grayish-black seeds.

Papillote - 
[pah-pee-YOHT, PAH-peh-loht] 1. The French word for a paper frill used to decorate the tips of rib bones, such as those on crown roasts. 2. En papillote refers to food baked inside a wrapping of greased parchment paper. As the food bakes and lets off steam, the parchment puffs up into a dome shape. At the table, the paper is slit and peeled back to reveal the food.

Paprika - 
[pa-PREE-kuh, PAP-ree-kuh] Used as a seasoning and garnish for a plethora of savory dishes, paprika is a powder made by grinding aromatic sweet red pepper pods. The pods are quite tough, so several grindings are necessary to produce the proper texture. The flavor of paprika can range from mild to pungent and hot, the color from bright orange-red to deep blood-red.

Paprikas csirke - 
[PAH-pree-kash CHEER-kah] Also called chicken paprikash, this Hungarian dish consists of chicken and onions browned in bacon drippings, then braised with chicken stock, paprika and other seasonings. A sauce is made from the braising liquid mixed with sour cream. Although chicken is traditionally used, versions of this dish are also made with meat and fish.

Parch, to - 
To dry grains or starchy vegetables like corn, peas and beans by roasting slightly without burning.

Parchment paper - 
A heavy, grease- and moisture-resistant paper with a number of culinary uses including lining baking pans, wrapping foods that are to be baked en papillote and to make disposable pastry bags. Parchment paper is available in gourmet kitchenware stores and many supermarkets.

Parisienne sauce - 
[puh-ree-zee-EHN] 1. A creamy sauce, classically used to top cold asparagus, made by blending cream cheese, oil, lemon juice, chervil and sometimes paprika. 2. Another name for allemande sauce.

Parmesan cheese - 
[PAHR-muh-zahn] This hard, dry cheese is made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow`s milk. It has a hard, pale-golden rind and a straw-colored interior with a rich, sharp flavor. There are Parmesan cheeses made in Argentina, Australia and the United States, but none compares with Italy`s preeminent Parmigiano-Reggiano, with its granular texture that melts in the mouth.

Parmigiana, alla - 
[pahr-muh-ZHAH-nuh] A term describing food that is made or cooked with Parmesan cheese. For instance, veal parmigiana is a pounded veal cutlet dipped in an egg-milk solution and then into a mixture of bread crumbs, grated Paremesan cheese and seasonings. The cutlet is then sautéed and covered with a tomato sauce.

Parsley - 
Today, this slightly peppery, fresh-flavored herb is more commonly used as a flavoring and garnish. Though there are more than 30 varieties of this herb, the most popular are curly-leaf parsley and the more strongly flavored Italian or flat-leaf parsley. Parsley is sold in bunches and should be chosen for its bright-green leaves that show no sign of wilting. Wash fresh parsley, shaking off excess moisture, and wrap first in paper towels, then in a plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Parsley root - 
Also called Hamburg parsley and turnip-rooted parsley, this parsley subspecies is grown for its beige, carrotlike root, which tastes like a carrot-celery cross. It`s used in parts of Europe in soups, stews and simply as a vegetable. Choose firm roots with feathery, bright-green leaves. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to a week.

Pasilla chile - 
[pah-SEE-yah] In its fresh form this chile is called a chilaca. It`s generally 6 to 8 inches long and 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The rich-flavored, medium-hot pasilla is a blackish-brown color, which is why it`s also called chile negro. This chile is sold whole, and powdered. It`s particularly good for use in sauces.

Paskha - 
[PAHS-kuh] A Russian sweet cheese mold traditionally served at Easter. It consists of a combination of sweetened pot cheese (or cottage cheese), nuts (usually almonds) and candied or dried fruit. Classically, this mixture is molded into the shape of a four-sided pyramid. The paskha is decorated with nuts or candy to form the letters XB, which stands for "Christ is risen." Paskha is the traditional accompaniment for the sweet yeast bread kulich.

Pastille - 
[pas-TEEL] A small, round, hard confection made of sugar, water and various flavorings. In the United States pastilles are usually referred to as drops, as in lemon drops.

Pastis - 
[pas-TEES] 1. Similar to Pernod, this clear, strong (90 proof), licorice-flavored aperitif is very popular in the south of France. It`s usually mixed with water, which turns it whitish and cloudy. 2. Any of various yeast-leavened pastries of southwestern France such as pastis Beranais, which is flavored with brandy and orange-flower water.

Pastitsio - 
[pah-STEET-see-oh] A well-known baked Greek casserole dish consisting of pasta (spaghetti or macaroni), ground beef or lamb, grated cheese, tomatoes, seasonings (including cinnamon) and a white (bechamel) sauce.

Pastrami - 
[puh-STRAH-mee] A highly seasoned beef made from a cut of plate, brisket or round. After the fat is trimmed, the meat`s surface is rubbed with salt and a seasoning paste that can include garlic, ground peppercorns, cinnamon, red pepper, cloves, allspice and coriander seeds. The meat is dry-cured, smoked and cooked. Pastrami can be served hot or cold, usually as a sandwich on rye bread. It`s widely available in chunks or presliced in most supermarkets.

Pastry - 
1. Any of various unleavened doughs, the basics of which include butter (or other fat), flour and water. Examples include puff pastry, pate brisee (pie pastry) and pate sucree (sweet short pastry). 2. A general term for sweet baked goods such as Danish pastries and napoleons.

Pastry blender - 
A kitchen implement consisting of 5 or 6 parallel U-shaped, sturdy steel wires, both ends of which are attached to a wooden handle. It`s used in making pastry dough to cut cold fat (usually butter) into a flour mixture, evenly distributing the tiny pieces of fat without warming them.