French-English mini-dictionary of common French food words
A
addition bill
agneau lamb
ail garlic
aïoli garlic sauce
airelle cranberry
amande almond
ananas pineapple
anchois anchovy
andouillette sausage (from chitterlings)
artichaut artichoke
asperge asparagus
avocat avocado pear
B
bar sea-bass
baron saddle
basilic basil
bavette skirt of beef
beignet fritter
belon flat oyster
betterave beetroot
beurre butter
bière beer
bisque bisque (homard soup)
blanquette veal stew in white sauce
boeuf beef
boisson drink
boudin pork sausage
boudin blanc sausage (white poultry)
bouillabaisse provencal fish soup
bouteille bottle
C
café coffee
café au lait white coffee
cannelle cinnamon
carré d'agneau ribs of lamb
carte menu
carte des vins wine list
cassis blackcurrent
cassoulet stew (haricot beans,goose)
cèpe wild mushroom
charcuterie assorted delicatessen
chaud hot
chèvre goat cheese
chou cabbage
choucroute sauerkraut
citron lemon
colin coalfish
confit d'oie/canard preserved goose/duck
coquille St-Jacques scallop
côte chop
coulis sauce
crevette prawn
croque-monsieur toasted sandwich (cheese,ham)
crudités raw vegetable hors d'oeuvre
D
daurade sea bream
déjeuner lunch
dinde turkey
doux sweet
E
eau minérale mineral water
plate/gazeuse still/fizzy
échalotte shallot
entrecôte rib steak
entrée first course
F
farci stuffed
faux filet sirloin
fenouil fennel
feuilleté flaky pastry
foie gras liver pâté
d'oie/de canard goose/duck
fraise strawberry
framboise raspberry
frites french fries, chips
froid cold
fromage cheese
G
gambas king prawn
gâteau cake
gibier game
gigot leg of lamb
girolle mushroom (chanterelle)
glace ice (cream)
gratin dish browned in oven
groseille redcurrant
H
hachis parmentier shepherd's pie
hareng herring
haricot bean
homard lobster
huile oil
huître oyster
I
île flottante snow egg with sauce
infusion herb tea
J
jambon ham
jus juice
K
kir white wine with cassis
L
lait milk
laitue lettuce
langoustine crawfish
lapin rabbit
lard bacon
légume vegetable
lentille lentil
lièvre hare
limonade lemonade
lotte burbot
loup sea bass
M
magret de canard fillet of duck
maïs maize, sweetcorn
marron chestnut
marron glacé preserved chestnut
menthe mint
menu menu
meunière cooked in browned butter
miel honey
morille morel
moutarde mustard
myrtille bilberry
N
navarin d'agneau lamb stew
navet turnip
nouille pasta
O
oeuf à la coque soft boiled egg
oeuf dur hard boiled egg
oeuf au plat fried egg
oeufs brouillés scambled eggs
oie goose
oignon onion
omelette omelet
onglet steak
P
pain bread
pamplemousse grapefruit
pâtes pasta
pâtisserie pastry
pêche peach
perdreau partridge
persil parsley
petit déjeuner breakfast
petit salé salt pork
petit pois green peas
piment pepper
pintade guinea hen
plat du jour daily special
poire pear
poireau leek
poisson fish
poivre pepper
pomme apple
pomme de terre potato
pommes frites chips
pot-au-feu beef stew
poulet chicken
prix price
Q
quenelles fish dumplings
R
ragôut stew (meat and vegetables)
raie ray
raisin grape
ratatouille vegetable stew
reine-claude greengage
riz rice
rognon kidney
romarin rosemary
rôti roast
rouget red mullet
rouille sauce for fish soups
safran saffron
saignant rare
salé salted
sandre zandre
saucisse pork sausage
saucisson cooked dried sausage
saumon salmon
sel salt
sole sole
son bran
soupe soupe
sucre sugar
T
tasse cup
terrine paté
tête head
thé tea
thon tuna fish
tiède lukewarm
tilleul lime tea
tisane herbal tea
tournedos fillet steak (beef)
tourte tart of meat or fish
tranche slice
truffe truffle
U
V
veau veal
velouté cream soup
verre glass
verveine vervain
viande meat
vin wine
vinaigrette french dressing
Y
yaourt yoghurt