jaggery – unrefined palm sugar
jalapeño – (Spanish) type of spicy chilli, a member of the capsicum family
jalousie – (French: “louvred window”) baked pastry tart topped with latticed pastry strips
jambonette – (French: “little ham”) charcuterie shaped to resemble a mini-ham (traditionally made from ham and pork, but could be made from other meats)
jambonneau – (French) “small leg” – applied to poultry
Jerusalem artichoke – a brown-skinned tuber of North American origin related to the sunflower (and unrelated to the true artichoke or globe artichoke). The use of the word “Jerusalem” is a bastardisation of the Italian word “girasole” meaning “sunflower”.
joue – (French) beef or pork cheek, eg “joue de porc”
julienne – (French) to cut vegetables into matchstick-shaped pieces for use mainly as a garnish.
jus – (French) juice extracted from roasted meats, au jus – meaning with juice, usually like a thin gravy