- Vachard: (France) A strong-flavoured cows’ milk cheese from the Massif Central similar to Saint Nectaire.
- Vacuum drying: A method of drying foods by subjecting them to a vacuum so that the water evaporates at ambient temperatures. May be used with frozen food.
- Vacuum pack: A long-life pack in which food is sealed under vacuum in polythene or other clear plastic pouches. Also known as sousvide when the contents are cooked or partially cooked food or meals for use in restaurants.
- Vanilla pod: The fruit of the vanilla vine. Also called vanilla bean.
- Vanilla sugar: Sugar flavored by being kept in contact with a vanilla pod in a closed jar. Used for flavouring other dishes.
- Valencia peanut: A variety of peanut with an upright habit and up to four dark red seeds per pod.
- Valencia rice: A Spanish rice similar to Carolina which swells and becomes tender without releasing starch. Ideal for paella.
- Vanilla essence: An alcoholic extract of the vanilla pod used for flavouring.
- Vanilla flavouring: The name usually given to an aqueous solution of artificial vanilla made from the eugenol in clove oil.
- Vegetable extract: A dark brown paste made from hydrolyzed vegetable protein and vegetable flavorings, possibly mixed with yeast extract. Used as a flavouring agent especially by vegetarians and vegans.
- Virgin oil: Oil which has not been treated after being pressed from the fruit or seed and thus has a more distinctive flavor and higher vitamin content. Not to be confused with extra virgin or virgin as applied to olive oil.
- Virgin olive oil: Oil produced by the next pressing of the heated olive pulp after fine olive oil has been removed .The free oleic acid content must not exceed 4%. This oil is referred to as refined.
- Virgin pastry: Puff pastry after it is first made, which must be used for vol-au-vents, bouchees and items which require an even rise or lift. Cuttings which are rerolled are only suitable for pies, palmiers, etc.
- Vinegar: A dilute solution (4 to 6%) of acetic acid made by biological oxidation of alcoholic liquids such as ale, cider or wine. Known by its source i.e. malt vinegar (from ale), cider vinegar or red or white wine vinegar. Occasionally a cheap solution is mad e from chemically produced acetic acid which is known as spirit vinegar. Many flavorings are added to vinegar e.g. tarragon or garlic. Extensively used as a preservative and flavouring agent in all cuisines. Vinegar can be mad e by allowing a 15% sugar solution to ferment, open to the air, for about 6 months using yeast and/ or bread as a starter if mother of vinegar is not available.
- Vitreous endosperm: A wheat endosperm with a very dense structure.
- Vitrified china: PorceIain
- Volume measure: A convenient method of measuring ingredients by volume, reasonably accurate in the case of liquids but less so f or solids. Volumes are measured in millilitres (ml) and litres (l) in the metric system used in most countries and in fluid ounces (fl oz), pints (pt) and gallons (gal) in the old imperial system taken over with different sizes in the USA. Other measures of volume are in use, e.g. cup measure, can measure and market measure.
- Vulscombe cheese: England goats’ milk cheese from Devon.
- Veloute: A classic French sauce of stock thickened to a velvety consistency with a roux. The term also applies to soups enriched and thickened with egg yolks and cream.
- Ventresca tuna: Ventresca is Italian for belly (the French is ventreche), and ventresca tuna, sold in jars and tins, is the high-quality, flavoursome, rich meat cut from the belly of the fish.
- Verjuice: The juice of unripe grapes, typically used as a less acidic substitute for vinegar in dressings and sauces, but also quite refreshing as a non-alcoholic mixer. It is now produced in many Australian wine regions.
- Vialone nano: A small Italian rice variety (nano means dwarf). It expands more than any other – up to three times its original size – but is not as firm in texture when cooked, creating a creamier style of risotto.
- Vichysoisse: A classic French soup of potatoes, leek and cream, served cold.
- Vierge: French for virgin; sauce vierge, an uncooked sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and herbs, is often served with fish.
- Vietnamese mint: Pungent and peppery narrow-leafed member of the buckwheat family, not the mint family. Also known as Cambodian mint, phak phai or laksa leaf, it is a common ingredient in Thai and Vietnamese cooking.
- Vietnamese sandwich: Known by the term banh mi in Vietnamese, these light, crusty baguettes are typically spread with pate and mayonnaise before being filled with Vietnamese-style coldcuts, freshly cooked pork or chicken (or a combination thereof), shreds of pickled carrot, ribbons of raw cucumber, sprigs of fresh coriander and chopped hot red chilli. They are dressed with nuoc cham, the chilli, lime, soy and fish sauce condiment, sometimes also with a splash of Maggi brand seasoning. Vietnamese sandwiches are sold at most Vietnamese-run hot bread shops around the country.
- Vin Santo: A traditional Tuscan dessert wine made from trebbiano and/or malvasia grapes. If unavailable, substitute with Sauternes, Samos or another sweet white dessert wine.
- Vinaigrette: At its simplest, an oil and vinegar dressing. Lemon juice (and sometimes verjuice) replaces part or all of the vinegar component in many recipes, and mustard is a common addition.
- Vincotto: Italian for ‘cooked wine’; a dark Italian liquid condiment made by cooking freshly crushed grapes until syrupy. It has a deep raisiny flavour, infused with orange. Available from Italian grocers and delicatessens.
- Vitello tonnato: An Italian dish of poached veal, sliced and served cold with a mayonnaise flavoured with tinned tuna, anchovy and capers. The term does not, as is sometimes supposed, mean ‘veal with tuna’ so much as ‘veal resembling tuna’, a reference to the texture the meat takes on after sitting with the tuna mayonnaise, as per traditional recipes, chilled for several hours.
- Volatile acidity: The result of poor winery hygiene. Wines with excess volatile acidity smell of vinegar or nail varnish remover.
- Vongole: Italian term for baby clams, now widely used in Australian markets. Pipis, though related, are a separate species. Readily available fresh in loose form from fish markets (and will usually need to be scrubbed and purged of sand in a few changes of water), vongole are also sold live in bags, purged, scrubbed and pot-ready.