gratinate

Definition

To brown the top of a dish under high heat, often with cheese or breadcrumbs, creating that coveted golden crust. The finishing move that makes everything from vegetables to pasta infinitely more appealing.

Example Usage

Gratinate the cauliflower gratin under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Origin

French 'gratiner,' from 'gratter' meaning 'to scrape,' referring to scraping the crusty bits from the pan

Fun Fact

The equipment used for tableside gratinating is called a salamander, named because medieval cooks believed the mythical salamander could survive fire.

Source: Classical French cooking techniques

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